[DeltAlum]

Perhaps "history" has changed in meaning since I was young, but I believe it is more accurate to say that the United States was founded upon the belief of religious freedom -- not Christianity. Remember the King and the Anglican Church (Church of England)? It just happens that most of the founding fathers were of one Christian denomination or another. The words are "under God," not "under Christ." How you define God or any other Supreme Being is up to youl

Also, I'm not sure why we should consider any man unChristian because of some of his actions. Christianity is built upon the premise that nobody is perfect. That everyone sins, and that those misdeeds can be forgiven. It doesn't matter whether you or I personally believe that -- it is the church's doctrine, at least as I understand it. So, if someone has an illegitimate child, or swears, or drinks, or robs a bank, it doesn't mean that he doesn't consider himself a Christian and cannot be an accepted member of the church.

In terms of the quotes, they're interesting, but I'm not sure what they prove. First of all, we don't know in what context they were given -- if they were given at all. By the way, I feel the same about many quotes in the Bible. They are records kept by other human beings, and can be recorded correctly, incorrectly or with any kind of "spin" (to use the current in vogue word) that the historian/writer chooses to give them.

Finally, (I think) it doesn't really matter who lobbied for the inclusion of the words "under God," since it was the Congress who passed the law. That the Kights of Columbus argued for the passage is not relavent in the long run -- only that a majority of the elected leaders at the time passed it, and the President signed it. The times have changed, but the basic tenants of the Constitution have not -- and at least to this point, the words remain an official part of the pledge.

Whether those two words are recited aloud matters little to what I choose to believe or not believe. Whether your or I choose to say them also doesn't really mean much. It's a choice.