Quoting Caveman2001:
If you live in the US, do you like it? If you do, you should be aware that our "original" constitution for this country was founded with a lot of inspiration directly from the (Christian) Bible. It sounds like you're saying the founding fathers were idiots to keep that book in mind during the creation of this country. Just a speculation on my part though.
Just seeking that truth be illuminated here:
The founding fathers were predominantly Deists.
I realize there is a good amount of historical revisionism and our school system contributes more than corrects. People don't want to hear that the story about George Washington cutting down a cherry tree was concocted election propaganda. Abe wasn't all that honest. Generally the more controversial a "hero" was during his time, the more the winning side covered up his often highly negative historical tracks.
People assume that "In God we Trust" refers to Christianity nowadays. The founding fathers used "God" interchangeably with "Providence" and "Reason". They were more believers in the natural world and enlightened perception. Most were Freemasons which have had definate conflicts with Christian orthidoxy.
James Madison:
The price of Liberty is constant vigilance. Religious fundamentalism and zealous patriotism have always been the forces which require the greatest attention.
John Adams signed the Treaty of Tripoli. Article 11 states:
"The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."
Thomas Paine:
"It is the duty of every true Deist to vindicate the moral justice of God against the evils of the Bible."
Thomas Jefferson:
"The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves...these clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ.
Jefferson's word for the Bible? "Dunghill."
http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/john_remsburg/six_historic_americans/index.shtml
http://www.postfun.com/pfp/worbois.html
Do a search for "founding fathers" and "Christianity". From there I'm sure you can find good source material to research the original historical documents on the matter.
Truth should always take precedance over politeness. It's hard to make decisions based on reality if you don't know what reality is.
La Vey was an extreme realist. I read a few pages of his "Book of Witches" or something like that. Basically dealt with advice to women on seducing men. I would bite hook, line and sinker. Being a man himself, he has us very well pegged.
I'm guessing like Machiavelli he's not terribly well understood (I believe "The Prince" was intended to point out how the world actually worked at that time period in an unflinching manner so as to promote awareness of the need for an alternative. Machiavelli wrote several books about the benefits of republics but is only remembered for the one he wrote dealing with tyranny).
Anyway, thanks for the info on the deal. I think it's important in a "republic" that these ideas have a chance to intermingle so I'm happy to see some of the conflict here. Suppression of an idea points toward a flaw in another idea threatened.