Treaty of Tripoli

[Jermyn Davidson]

What was that all about?
Does anyone know?

[hometown guy]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

What was that all about?
Does anyone know?

No

[Cindy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli

The Treaty of Tripoli (Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary) was the first treaty concluded between the United States of America and Tripolitania, signed at Tripoli on November 4, 1796 and at Algiers (for a third-party witness) on January 3, 1797. It was submitted to the Senate by President John Adams, receiving ratification unanimously from the U.S. Senate on June 7, 1797 and signed by Adams, taking effect as the law of the land on June 10, 1797.

The treaty was a routine diplomatic agreement but has attracted later attention because the English version included a clause about religion in the United States.

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 Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] 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.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Cindy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli

The Treaty of Tripoli (Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary) was the first treaty concluded between the United States of America and Tripolitania, signed at Tripoli on November 4, 1796 and at Algiers (for a third-party witness) on January 3, 1797. It was submitted to the Senate by President John Adams, receiving ratification unanimously from the U.S. Senate on June 7, 1797 and signed by Adams, taking effect as the law of the land on June 10, 1797.

The treaty was a routine diplomatic agreement but has attracted later attention because the English version included a clause about religion in the United States.

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 Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] 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.

Oh. So that is what the Treaty of Tripoli is about.
Things that make you go... hmmm.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Oh. So that is what the Treaty of Tripoli is about.
Things that make you go... hmmm.

Yep

[Jermyn Davidson]

Does anyone else care to comment on America's Treaty of Tripoli and its implications?

[Jermyn Davidson]

[Jermyn Davidson]

I am SHOCKED that no one wants to discuss the implications of one America's earliest treaties with a foreign country.

[Originalist]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I am SHOCKED that no one wants to discuss the implications of one America's earliest treaties with a foreign country.

It's simply reaffirming the First Amendment that forbids the U.S. the FEDERAL Government from forming an official, State religion. But notice the words carefully in this treaty. It does not say that the United States of America itself was not founded on Christian principles, or that the country itself is not a Christian nation in any sense. Rather, it specifically says that the GOVERNMENT of the United States was not founded as a "Christian government".

Furthermore, notice how it refers to the USA as plural entity,

and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] nation.......and not as one, aggregate nation.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Originalist

It's simply reaffirming the First Amendment that forbids the U.S. the FEDERAL Government from forming an official, State religion. But notice the words carefully in this treaty. It does not say that the United States of America itself was not founded on Christian principles, or that the country itself is not a Christian nation in any sense. Rather, it specifically says that the GOVERNMENT of the United States was not founded as a "Christian government".

Furthermore, notice how it refers to the USA as plural entity,

and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] nation.......and not as one, aggregate nation.

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..."

It is civil in most societies to not steal, murder, lie and etc. This treaty seems to me to blow the notion out of the water that America was founded as a Christian nation.