Why is the myth that America is a Christian Nation so powerful in popular parlance and conversation?

Question

Please write a paragraph with considerable thought to this answer.

Answer 1

75% of polled American adults identify themselves as Christian. This is down from 85% in 1990 and 91% in 1950,  The founders and original settlers were by and large, Christian. The first amendment of the Constitution specifies freedom of religion for that reason, which is far different than freedom from religion.

The Bible and prayer was common in all public schools until later in the 20th century. Most public buildings, currency, and government documents created before 1980, all mention God for that reason. In fact, statistically speaking, and I taught statistics, the USA is currently the most strongly Christian of all major nations.(Wikipedia). This includes not only the number professing, but those actually attending church and practicing Christianity, at least according to statistical surveys. I have a diploma in Bible as well as degrees in Math and Computer Science.

Answer 2

The Pilgrims story is certainly a well rehearsed part of religion in the United States, but even before that European Powers (whose power was steeped in Roman Catholic influence) were parceling out the 'New World' as if they were given the 'Divine Right' to do so. Once the American Revolution took place, Protestant Christianity influenced, and was influenced by, factors in American History. For example, when the Industrial Revolution radically reshaped urban centers and saw people leaving the centuries old tradition of agriculture, things like regular Sunday morning worship attendance began to be challenged by the demands of a new work schedule.

Entering the 21st century, religion in the United States has shifted from Christianity specifically to pluralist (representing many beliefs) and while many people may identify as 'Christian' they are likely unable to show the impact of that belief outside of articulating a loose sense of spirituality.

Returning to the American Revolution, many of the Founding Fathers used 'God' language, but more than half were deists, meaning they believed there was a God of some sort, but that this deity wasn't really concerned with human affairs. That language in documents like the Declaration of Independence, has been grasped by largely conservative Christian groups as an affirmation that the United States is a Christian nation. However, no orthodox theologian could argue that a deist was truly Christian given their lack of belief in God's activity among human beings (a central belief to Christians).

We have seen the impact of this notion, that the US is a Christian nation, in modern politics; largely to the detriment of both the government and the church.