Adams, Madison and every other President signed these forms on behalf of countless vessels sailing into foreign waters. That Presidents signed their names to form letters with language required by treaty is simply not an indicator of some special recognition of Christ. Although the Americans were not antagonistic to including this diplomatic language in their treaties, they were not breaking new religious or political ground. As I noted in the prior post, other nations, including France and Holland, used this language long before the United States did as a new nation.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Throckmorton on David Barton: Did Early Presidents Sign Documents “In the Year of Our Lord Christ?”
Here. A taste:
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This is Barton at his worst. It's a stupid, unsupportable argument.
It's clear the USA didn't care about the religion in its treaties. If France or Holland wanted to put Christ in the treaties, fine. Mebbe it would keep them more honest.
The other side of this is the great hay made by secular types about the Treaty of Tripoli, which says the government of the United States is in no way founded on the Christian religion.
True enough in its way, but it was certainly a reassurance to a Muslim nation at open war with Christendom, and why it was in there. To the US, whatever works.
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