words were uttered. 

"Ok," said the man.  "We still have under God on our coins, and God is in our pledge of Allegiance.  Our founders must have thought that it was important to institutionalize God." 

Claudia gave a saintly smile.  "Our Founders didn't institutionalize God.   "In God", didn't appear on our coins until after the Civil war, and "Nation under God" wasn't inserted into our pledge of Allegiance until 1954."

"Let's get back to this business about us being a Christian Nation," continued Claudia.   Do you remember reading about the Barbary Pirates?"

The man scratched his head. "Uh vaguely."

"Let me refresh your memory,' Said Claudia. "They are sung about in the Marine Corps Hymn.  The Barbary pirates preyed upon American ships off the coast of Tripoli. They took Americans slaves, and demanded ransom from us.  The US finally fought with them, and in 1797 concluded what was called the Treaty of Tripoli.  Article 11 of the treaty contains these words:
"As the Government of the United states…is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion--as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility of Musselmen--and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

According to an article by Brooke Allen, President John Adams signed this document.  The Senate ratified it and the vote was unanimous."

The man got up to leave  "You sure seem to know a lot of stuff, but the majority of people here are still Christians.  I think that we still should be considered a Christian nation."

"It's true," said my wife; "that the majority of people in this country claim to be Christians, but that still does not make our country a Christian Nation.  If we were a "Christian Nation" then church leaders, instead of politicians, would run the country.  Our Constitution gives us the right to worship or not worship as we choose."

Claudia smiled and said: "I read that John Adams once while addressing a group of students expressed admiration for the Roman system, whereby every man could worship whom, what and how he pleased. When his young listeners objected that this was paganism, Adams replied that it was indeed, and laughed. 

The man started waking toward the exit.

Claudia stepped in front of him.  "Let me ask you one question before you leave.  If you believe that we are a Christian Nation, which Christian denomination do you think should be in charge of our government?  Catholic? Orthodox? Protestant? If you think it should be Protestant, what flavor do you think we should have?"

He didn't answer.

I enjoy my church, and I gain comfort from my faith.   I also believe in the Constitution of the United States, and the rights that are attached to that document. 

God bless America, and God bless our freedoms, and best of all, God bless our right to worship as we choose.