U.S. stated in 1797 treaty that we're not a Christian nation

U.S. stated in 1797 treaty we're not a Christian nation

The Bradenton Herald has published letters about the United States being founded as a Christian nation. People should read the "Treaty of Peace and Friendship, signed at Tripoli Nov. 4, 1796" between the United States and the Barbary States. It was negotiated under George Washington and ratified by the Senate under John Adams in 1797.

Article 11 is of particular interest: "As the government of the United States of America 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." (In the 1790s, "Musselmen" and "Mehomitan" were common names and spellings of "Muslim" used today.) See: avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/bar1796t.asp.

One should also note that the treaty calls for "harmony" with a Muslim state. It's something we should keep in mind today more than two centuries after this treaty was ratified, at a time of our nation's infancy.

David Gurowsky

Bradenton

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "U.S. stated in 1797 treaty that we're not a Christian nation ."