Paul Harvey's take on prayer in public/Xmas (In general, a "freedom of speech" topic)

Barton is the founder of a group called Wallbuilders which is a radical Religious Right propaganda group that is attempting to rewrite US history.

Why don't we start with the original documents instead of a right wing Christian propagandists' book?

Seriously, after reading that page and seeing it's clear religious right bias, I don't see how anyone can credit this man as a source. He is clearly a huckster.

Yeah! And he puts sugar on his porriage, too!

Promoting yourself as an information source and then trying to charge for copies of documents that are easily and freely available is hucksterism. If you don't like the label, sorry.

"For we know that the common law is that system of law which was introduced by the Saxons on their settlement in England, and altered from time to time by proper legislative authority from that time to the date of Magna Charta, which terminates the period of the common law. . . This settlement took place about the middle of the fifth century. But Christianity was not introduced till the seventh century; the conversion of the first christian king of the Heptarchy having taken place about the year 598, and that of the last about 686. Here then, was a space of two hundred years, during which the common law was in existence, and Christianity no part of it.". . . if any one chooses to build a doctrine on any law of that period, supposed to have been lost, it is incumbent on him to prove it to have existed, and what were its contents. These were so far alterations of the common law, and became themselves a part of it. But none of these adopt Christianity as a part of the common law. If, therefore, from the settlement of the Saxons to the introduction of Christianity among them, that system of religion could not be a part of the common law, because they were not yet Christians, and if, having their laws from that period to the close of the common law, we are all able to find among them no such act of adoption, we may safely affirm (though contradicted by all the judges and writers on earth) that Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law."

As for his book Original Intent, it is a very thick book filled mostly with copies of original documents.

but the founders were guided by the common morality at that time, which had its roots in Christianity, and the nation at that time was composed mainly of Christians, and consequently they exercised their freedom to live as desired. There is no denying this.... America was originally (and still is barely) a very Christian nation with a government that is unconcerned with religion.

While I understand that many of the men who were involved in the creation of the US were indeed Christians I have never been able to pinpoint the Christian influence.

George Washington, the Father of our Country, is well known to Americans for the accomplishments of his adult life: commander-in-chief during the American Revolution, statesman, and President. Few, however, are familiar with his youth or know anything more about it than perhaps the folklore surrounding the hatchet and the cherry tree incident. Yet, possibly his younger years form the most important time for our national hero, for often it is what occurs in one's youth that determines what one becomes as an adult. Or, in the words of a contemporary proverb, "As the sapling is bent, so goes the tree."It is for this reason that the account of not only what happened to, but of what happened around the young George Washington during the battle on the Monongahela is so important. Washington was only a 23 year-old colonel at the time of the battle and certainly the details of this dramatic event helped to shape his character and even confirmed God's call on this young man. Washington's part in the battle of the Monongahela is undisputably one of the most significant events of his early life--his life literally hung in the balance for over two hours. Fifteen years after the battle, the chieftan of the Indians Washington had fought sought him out and gave this account to Washington of what had happened during the battle:"I am chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the great lakes and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on the day when the white man's blood mixed with the streams of our forest that I first beheld this chief [Washington]...I called to my young men and said...Quick, let your aim be certain, and he dies. Our rifles were leveled, rifles which, but for you, knew not how to miss--'twas all in vain, a power mighter far than we, shielded you...I am come to pay homeage to the man who is the particular favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle."Following the battle, Washington wrote a letter to his brother in which he readily and openly acknowledged:"By the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet I escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!"

What on earth does the fact that Washington survived a battle, and attributed it to providence, have anything to do with whether the US was influenced by Xianity, or even that his brand of Xianity is the same as that of today.