Logic problem: The founding principles of the U.S. and Christianity.

[Godscreated]

I have a small logic problem. Many Christians promote the belief that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation. As some of their evidence they say that the founding fathers were Christians, and that the country was founded on Christian principles.

The founding Fathers of this country are not necessarily the writers of the constitution. They did form the federal government and a set of basic rights for all people and wrote in protections for the people from the government. They however were the product of generations before them, these men would have never know of oppression of a government that was ran by the church if their predecessors had not taught them, they were the ones fleeing the church dominated government. Yes this country was founded on Christian i.e. Biblical principles. To address Min's statement, yes many came here for reasons of profit, companies sent many people, some came looking to make their fortune, some came to find a new way of life, some came to be free to worship God as they saw fit and most of these people were Christians, so the overwhelming majority of people here were Christian.

Here's my problem: Aren't ideas like freedom of religion and the separation of church and state naturally opposed to what seems to naturally become the Christian agenda (that is to dominate, oppress, and take over)? If the founding father's really were Christians bent on making this a Christian country why would they want freedom of religion and a separation of church and state? Wouldn't that interfere with their agenda? Wouldn't it lead to the most powerful church taking over? If we in the U.S. were to go back to our Christian roots so to speak won't that involve trashing freedom of religion and the idea of separation of church and state?

The christian agenda in this country was based on religious freedom long before the constitution was written, and that agenda was not to dominate, oppress and take over, that's what they had run from in many European countries. Yes they wanted all to believe and there were some very bad things done by zealous people, but as a whole Christianity was peaceable in this land. The bad stories are the one's that make the news, then and now, but the bad apples were a minority compared to the good works of the christian dominated society of the time. This is the way our forefathers saw freedom of religion, one true religion "christianity," and the freedom to worship within this Christian based religion as each saw fit, or not to believe or worship if that was one's choice. The other world religions were not really a part of their world view and thus inconsequential to most. This is why christians say and believe this country was founded on christian principles.
I can't speak for all christians but I do believe most feel like I do, that the true intent of separation of church and state is so that one particular denomination of Christianity would not have control of the government, and thus a government mandated christian belief that everyone should walk by. I know that we do not believe that the framers of our government meant to keep what was important in their lives out of government or our schools, the Bible and prayer, most saw these as valuable to one's life and good for the society as a whole. They never intended for Christianity to be forced on all nor excluded from all, they wanted people to be introduced and or made aware of it. Then each individual could make a decision for themselves as how to use it. Yes I will say again that there were over zealous people who wanted it forced on others but they were the one's that shouted the loudest and got most of histories attention, that however does not mean they were the dominate force in this country and Christianity in particular. So the freedom of religion and the separation of church and state walk hand in hand for the betterment of this country as far as christianity is concerned.
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