American Constitution, Was it twisted? Options

[murderous_though...]

The American Constitution, ratified in the 1780s, is a set of laws that make sure the people have certain rights and protections. The first ammendment, part of which includes the freedom of religion has been twisted into a supression of religion. It says that the government will not establish any specific religion, meaning nationally. It also encompasses the fact that the government will not punish someone because of their religion, but certain people have twisted it into now we cant even speak about religion in schools or government buildings...do you think this is right? or should we be able to talk about God (whoever yours may be) and Christmas instead of X-mas?

[*mipadi*]

By persecuted, I mean that Christian beliefs are hardly held against the person holding them; he is not punished or harassed for his beliefs.

I think, though, that you are missing my point. It is against the beliefs of the Founding Fathers to have the state advocate a particular religion. That is why there is a separation of church and state. A person is free to hold whatever spiritual beliefs they wish, but the government should not promote one set above another.

The US is not founded solely on Christian beliefs; in fact, most of the law is based on Enlightenment philosophy, some which is decidedly not Christian. Christianity creeps into some parts of law because that is what the Founding Fathers knew. They were not Hindu, Buddhist, Moslem, and so forth, so it would be hard for them to bring that religious thought into law (although there are many concurrent themes in all the major religions). But it is a stretch to say American law is based on Christianity. There are some references to Christianity, but it is much more based on Enlightenment philosophy, if anything, than Christianity; or, at least, the basis cannot be traced solely to Christianity.