God is big in America.
Not only is God bigger in America than anywhere else throughout the developed world (e.g., West Europe), “the divine” also feels especially big every four years when there is a Presidential election, although the overall trend of “faith in God” has been down over the past few decades (Religion – Gallup).
Why, then, is God so big in America?
It is a complex question requiring a long answer …
1. How big is God in America?
God is so big in America that
- No one has yet been able to become an American President without claiming to be a Christian first (e.g., Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden).
- Dr. Ben Carson, during the 2016 Presidential campaign, failed to correctly answer this simple question: The Bible vs. the Constitution, which one is more important?
2. How did “the God” come to America?
There were many Gods in the Americas before Christopher Columbus “discovered” them in 1492. Thereafter, the Spanish exported Christianity, mostly Catholicism, to the two Americas.
About four hundred years ago, the following two major groups migrated from England to what is known today as the USA:
- Jamestown Settlement: It was established by people who were sent to America by the King of England, with a contract. Their loyalty was to the King, the head of the Church of England, and hence were mostly Anglicans.
- Pilgrims: Escaping from England to seek religious freedom in America, they were mostly Protestants.
In summary, it was chiefly the Spanish, as well as the two groups from England, that brought Christianity and their God to America.
3. America is exceptional
Can any country possibly be more exceptional than America, which was founded with neither a king nor a pope?
After America declared independence from Britain in 1776, the Founding Fathers instituted, among many things, at least two basic principles, with regard specifically to religion:
- Religious freedom: They chose not to have a national religion, unlike England, which had, and still has, one (i.e., Christianity). Additionally, they introduced First Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing religious freedom.
- Separation of church and state.
For more, read Church vs. State.
4. Why is God so big in America?
God is big in America for many reasons, of which six are listed below:
- It is America.
- It is cultural.
- It is economic.
- It is religious.
- It is political.
- It is America, again.
Let me elaborate on each …
4.1 It is America
Two facts from history (Church vs. State):
- There are two major ways to organize people: by country or by religion.
- The relationship between church and state is almost a zero-sum game: a stronger church means a weaker state, and vice versa.
As a “free” country, America is, by definition, weak in governing. Therefore, it is, by definition, strong in religion.
4.2 It is cultural
Many people migrated to America to seek religious freedom (and found it here). This is a key reason there are so many small (and independent) churches in America, representing various branches of Christianity, in stark contrast with the “fancy” churches, representing the largest, and highly authoritative, branch of Christianity: Catholics.
Very importantly, a small and independent church for a local community is perfectly in line with a core American value: freedom. Specifically, it means freedom to worship and freedom to study and interpret the Bible, thus having “a personal relationship with God,” without submitting to any authority, let alone all the way up to the Vatican like the Catholics do.
Many Americans are raised as church-goers by their parents and continue the tradition throughout their lives. Church is a good place for community gathering, which has been especially important for rural America: For those folks, church-going is perhaps more social and cultural than religious per se.
4.3 It is economic
After WWII, America became a de facto utopian society, with a huge middle class. Many Americans chose to enrich their lives by becoming regular church-goers, often with their wallets open.
As America’s economy started losing its prominence after the turn of the 21st century, many people have become economically vulnerable, turning to a church for support.
In short, the church in America survives, if not thrives, in both good and challenging economic times, although the overall trend of “faith in God” has been down over the past few decades (Religion – Gallup).
4.4 It is religious
Because religion is about survival, influence, and power, many Protestant branches of Christianity have ended up with their own hierarchies, with bigger and fancier church buildings over time, in competition with the Catholics. The photo below shows one example: a large evangelical gathering in a mega-church setting.
4.5 It is political
Throughout American history, Christianity has been used in, and for, politics. Two examples:
- Both slave owners and abolitionists used not only the same Bible but also the same verses in the Bible, to justify or denounce slavery – See image below.
- Martin Luther King Jr was a Baptist minister and leading activist. He effectively used his religious position for a good cause.
4.6 It is America, again
Many Americans have little confidence in the government, resorting to the other pillar of support (i.e., religion), instead.
Below are three pieces of hard evidence, in terms of the approval rating, that Americans have lost confidence in the government, all its three branches:
- American Presidents: Consistently below 50% in the 21st century (Presidential Approval Ratings – Gallup Historical Statistics and Trends).
- Congress: Consistently around 20% over the past decade (Congress and the public).
- Supreme Court: It is below 40% now (Supreme Court).
The election of Donald Trump to the American Presidency in 2016 was a convincing example: People wanted change and voted against the establishment!
For more, read How Donald Trump became god.
Worse yet for America, Trump may be re-elected in 2024 (Polls 2024)!
5. America: a country of contradictions
Like all other countries, America is full of contradictions. Three big examples:
- The Bible vs. the Constitution.
- The Bible vs. the Quran.
- Public references to God.
Let me elaborate on each.
5.1 The Bible vs. the Constitution
Over a public matter, when in conflict, an American must always choose the Constitution over the Bible.
Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Oath of Allegiance (United States), It is a litmus test for U.S. citizenship.
End of discussion?
Yes, but what about the word “God” at the end of the Oath?
It was inserted in the 1950s, most likely in the name of fighting against “Godless communism”.
For more, watch the short video below.
5.2 The Bible vs. the Quran
The image below is worth 1,000 words.
For me, all public officials should be sworn in over the U.S. Constitution, instead of a religious holy book.
5.3 Public references to God
There are many public references to God, from the one Dollar bill (shown below) to many examples listed in this article: God in Our Nation’s Capital.
My interpretation of the use of “God” refers to a general God, not that of a particular religion, including atheists who believe in no God.
On the other hand, if all the public references to God refer to a particular God of a particular religion (e.g., Christianity), they are an anachronism, perhaps acceptable at the time, but not so today, just like slavery and “We the People” in the Constitution. Specifically,
- Slavery: America, at its birth, harbored it. It took a Civil War to start to seriously address the issue without final satisfaction to date.
- “We the People”: This phrase, as in the Constitution, refers to some rich white men only, as women and minorities had no voting rights for a long time. It took several Constitutional Amendments to rectify that “mistake.” For more, read “We the people” without them!
6. Discussion
Throughout human history, most countries have been in a constant power struggle between two authorities: king (or queen) and religion.
The power struggle remains little changed after a republic replaces a monarchy: It just becomes a republic government vs. religion.
America has proven to be no exception in this regard.
Now, let us discuss four critical issues:
- Origin of Christianity.
- Atheism.
- Is religion the only source of the moral code?
- What is the best way to treat religions?
Let me elaborate on each …
6.1 Origin of Christianity
Read Did the Romans create both Christianity and Islam?
6.2 Atheism
Theoretically, atheism means no belief in God (or belief in no God). In practice, however, atheism may have become a religion itself: the religion of attempting to eliminate all [other] religions.
In America, for example, Christianity is a part of the culture, deeply rooted. Can you eliminate a culture without eliminating all the people who are part of it? The same can be said about Islam, worldwide.
Worse yet, because all religions cannot be eliminated at the same time, the best anyone can do is to try to eliminate them one by one, resulting in numerous religious wars. For example, in America today, many atheists have contributed to Islamophobia.
6.3 Is religion the only source of the moral code?
No! One prominent example: China. China has never had a major [organized] religion throughout its long history. Yet, China has proven to be the greatest civilization in human history. For more, read The People’s Republic of China at 73.
6.4 What is the best way to treat religions?
Separation of church and state!
7. Summary
The image below is worth more than 1,000 words.
The image below is worth another 1,000 words.
For more, read The Misunderstood Reason Millions of Americans Stopped Going to Church.
8. Closing
God has his place in America, but not in public affairs, especially the government.
In other words, church and state do not mix!
Now, why are many Americans confused about the basic role of the government, as well as that of religion in a country?
Read: Colonial America 1776-2040?
For more, read this book: History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline.
