In April, I returned to a small Iowa town to visit the church where over sixty-five years ago I became a Christian. The small frame church building looked much the same, with some modern additions inside and out that reflected the times.
But one item stood out as we drove up. In front of the white frame structure were three flags flying. On the right was the Christian flag, with the United States flag in the center of the trio. The third flag, on the left, was the Israeli flag, adorned with the Star of David. This congregation, like those of many other conservative churches, was showing solidarity with the Israeli nation, the only true ally America has in the Middle East (other “allies” of ours there are bought with American taxpayers’ dollars). Since Israel is the only democracy in the region, our politicians are expected to at least give lip service to support of the Jewish state, even though some are more supportive than others.
But another message was being sent by this display of flags. We here in America are the beneficiaries of what has long been acknowledged as the Judeo-Christian traditions — beliefs and practices that have served our nation well.
The United States is not a theocracy, governed by a religion where all citizens are expected to adhere to one faith. But our founding fathers were guided by the principles laid out first by the Hebrew followers of God, and by the precepts of Christianity, which followed in the Judaic traditions. No religious test is required for our elected leaders, but the 115th Congress, seated in January, has 515 of its 535 members either Christian (485) or Jewish (30). A majority of voters are less inclined to cast a ballot for someone who is not affiliated with a religion than one who is. According to the Pew Research organization, this strong religious presence in Congress has stayed about the same since the first such survey, the 1961-62 87th Congress.
So what traits do we, as Americans, exhibit because of our strong Judeo-Christian heritage? Does our collective expectation of leaders having strong moral beliefs show up in our national life? Following are several of these characteristics of national life that we see left to us by this heritage of religious beliefs.
Monotheism is one. Both Judaism and Christianity have posited that there is but one God, and very few Americans believe otherwise. We have enshrined that in our Pledge of Allegiance, “one nation, under God” and on our currency, “In God We Trust.”
Ethical behavior is expected from Americans. It may not always be practiced, but most certainly it is a part of our national characteristic. We want to be known as a people who do the right thing. In the ancient world, this one tenet of Judaism set the religion apart from the pagan idol worshippers and polytheists of the age.
From the early part of the history of God’s people, the rule of law is part of the rich heritage given to us. From the Ten Commandments on, laws were given to guide the daily life of citizens. Many of our laws, the prohibition against murder, for example, have their genesis in religious teaching from Christianity and Judaism.
In addition, the two faiths emphasize the worth of the individual, an integral part of how we view people today. One example of this is how we view our armed forces. When engaged in war, we agonize when even one of our own is killed in action. We also work to make sure that our actions do not impact innocent civilians, the “collateral damage” that so often occurs. Americans want every citizen to have access to education, health care, the job market, the good things in life. To quote Jesse Jackson, each American should be able to say, with conviction, “I am somebody!”
Generosity is seen as a part of our national fabric, echoing the long-ago teaching to the Hebrews to aid the “stranger” in their midst. Christianity expanded upon this by Jesus’ teaching about alms giving in Matthew 6 (“when you give your alms” not if) and with the parable of the Good Samaritan. This trait is shown whenever a natural calamity strikes anywhere on the globe — Americans are the first with aid and contribute the most to help. Ours is the open hand of help, not the closed fist of selfishness, a legacy of our religious heritage.
Many know the Golden Rule, and there are a host of Americans who attempt to live that in their everyday relationships.
When we observe non-religious people being honest, treating others right, giving to alleviate the suffering of their fellow humans, we know where those impulses come from — from our Judeo-Christian heritage. And all of us, as Americans, should thank God we live in a nation schooled in and following the heritage of our forebears. We are better as a people because of it.