I tried fitting this into one post, but then history was brought into question and you guys know I love history. So, I had to split it up into two. In the video, Alyssa says there’s not enough evidence that God exists to dedicate her entire life to anything religious, and compares God to Santa. She also says the burden of proof is not on her claim, that she’s not claiming that she has certain knowledge that God doesn’t exist, but that the evidence for God is not strong enough to warrant belief. Which, can I say, is a very poor argument?

Remember a couple of posts ago where I mentioned she would address how she never experienced true Christianity? She sums up her response by saying:

“To say that I have never experienced true Christianity when I live in Texas…um…and have been to Christian churches isn’t true, actually. I’ve bumped up against it a lot, I’ve read the Bible, I’ve been to churches and I’ve talked to a lot of Christians. It’s disingenuous to say I have no idea what Christianity is.” And continues on to say that notion is demeaning and condescending. However, this proves she has not experienced true Christianity. She might have experienced religion, but that is not the same as Christianity. And living in Texas has nothing to do with how close one is to God. 

Alyssa begins to wrap up her video by saying that the Bible has lots of moral issues. And confirms this sentence by quoting Christiopher Hitchens: “The Bible may, indeed does, contain a warrant for trafficking in humans, for ethnic cleansing, for slavery, for bride price, and for indiscriminate massacre. But we are not bound by any of it because it was put together by crude, uncultured human mammals.” Great quote, but proves absolutely nothing. You can’t just make a claim and then fail to provide evidence for that claim. There’s not much I can say on this until evidence is provided for this claim. 

Alyssa states:

“Wow, the most powerful being in the universe is a man…who would’ve thought. Probably because men created him in their own image. To me, that’s the most logical explanation for that one. I feel like all of this leads to the by your fruits you shall know them verse in the Bible.”

So, this is where her upbringing can cause confusion. Remember in Part 2, where I talk about the Mormon god? That person was just a human, and so it is understandable how she thinks man made up a god in their own image. But that’s not what the Bible says. 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

– Genesis 1:27

Also, I’m not sure what Matthew 7:20 had to do with her argument. 

Alyssa pulls up a video clip of someone to cement her position. The man in the video, who Alyssa thinks is a pastor, says:

“The Bible doesn’t mention abortion or gay marriage, but it goes on and on about forgiving debt, liverating the poor, and healing the sick. Christian Nationalists like to say this is a Christian nation. Not only is that historically inaccurate, not only is that theologically blasphemous, but it’s also just not true. Look around us. If this was truly a Christian nation, we would forgive student debt. If this was truly a Christian nation, we would guarantee health care to every single person. If this was truly a Christian nation we would love all of our lgbtq neighbors. If this was truly a christian nation, we would make sure every child in this state and in this country was housed, fed, clothed, educated and insured. If this was truly a christian nation, we would never make it a christian nation, because we know the table of fellowship is open to everybody, including our buddhist, hindu, jewish, muslim, sikh, and atheist neighbors.”

I could devote an entire article to this clip alone, but I won’t for the sake of time and potentially boring you. Sure, the Bible never uses the word “abortion” or “gay marriage”. But it mentions things such as abusers of themselves with mankind, giving themselves to mankind as they do unto women, men with men working that which is unseemly, shedding innocent blood, being formed by God in the womb, that a man who kills a woman and has her lose her child shall be punished, and stating that murder is evil. As my husband pointed out, the Bible never says you shouldn’t hit your elderly neighbor with a barb-wire wrapped baseball bat. 

America used to be a Christian nation. It’s not anymore and I will agree with that. The whole separation of church and state argument is (you’ll be shocked with what I’m about to say) taken out of context. 

See, in the 1800s, states had official state churches. In Connecticut, the state church was Congregationalist, and the state collected taxes to support it. Baptists (as we tend to be) were upset and petitioned that their taxes go to support their church, not the Congregationalists. Authorities often delayed petitions, denied legal standing, and made things overall difficult because they weren’t Congregationalists. So the Danbury Baptists did the next best thing and wrote to their president. Thomas Jefferson replied in 1802:

“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

Jefferson was saying the government of Connecticut was overreaching. He wasn’t saying anything about America not being a Christian nation. 

America was founded on Christian principles.

“I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that ‘except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it.’”

– Benjamin Franklin

If you have any doubt that America was a Christian nation, look at court rulings. Runkel v. Winemiller (1799), Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States (1892), The People v. Ruggles (1811), or Vidal v. Girard’s Executors (1844). 

“By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty.”

– Runkel v. Winemiller (1799)

If this was truly a Christian nation, why would we forgive student debt? Guarantee health care to every single person? Love all of our LGBTQ neighbors? Make sure every child in this state and in this country was housed, fed, clothed, educated and insured? The Bible is clear it is the church’s job to take care of the widows, orphans, and poor. Not the government’s job. Also, we can love those who are LGBTQ…but we don’t need to accept the sin. If your kid does wrong, you don’t accept it. You correct them. You still love them, but if they’re doing heroin you don’t just accept it. There is a difference. And the Bible never mentioned anything about forgiving student debt and guaranteeing healthcare. In fact, the Bible said if you don’t work, you don’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

If you are not 100% sure that you’ll go to Heaven when you die, now is the time to repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or doubts about your salvation, click here to learn how you can be saved!

Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions below or you can contact me here! I love hearing from you!

Sources:

https://tjrs.monticello.org/letter/199

https://firstdallas.org/america-is-a-christian-nation/