I am reading Richard Dawkin's book "The God Delusion" and learned about article 11 of the Treaty with Tripoli that was signed in 1796. I suppose this may be old news for most people but it's new to me. I'd like to ask, what are your thoughts on this? Specifically I have questions below, but if you have any other input I'd be glad to hear it. First let me post the link: http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/treaty_tripoli.html go to article 11 when you get there.
1) Why isn't this well known?
2)I assume if Richard Dawkins uses it then it must be legitimate. Why don't atheists use it to help refute the fundamentalist argument that the U.S. is a Christian country? I
3) If I were to use it to help me shut up my fundy friends on Facebook who constantly spam my page about how the U.S. is a Christian country and we all must return to god or god will punish us (blah, blah, blah) is there any hidden thing I need to know about it?
Finally what do you think about paragraph 5 of this: http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/buck...ipoli.html
1) Why isn't this well known?
2)I assume if Richard Dawkins uses it then it must be legitimate. Why don't atheists use it to help refute the fundamentalist argument that the U.S. is a Christian country? I
3) If I were to use it to help me shut up my fundy friends on Facebook who constantly spam my page about how the U.S. is a Christian country and we all must return to god or god will punish us (blah, blah, blah) is there any hidden thing I need to know about it?
Finally what do you think about paragraph 5 of this: http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/buck...ipoli.html
I have studied the Bible and the theology behind Christianity for many years. I have been to many churches. I have walked the depth and the breadth of the religion and, as a result of this, I have a lot of bullshit to scrape off the bottom of my shoes. ~Ziploc Surprise
