There is currently an ongoing attack against Christianity by intelligent atheists [who are attempting to destroy all religious belief] and Muslims who want to bring the world under sharia law [if they are following their holy book, which I personally do not believe to be holy since it continues to spawn brutality and violence]. The intelligent atheists, many of whom are professors on university campuses who condescendingly portray Christian Faith as ignorant and passe, sway young minds who are unaccustomed to thinking things through deeply and who are impressed or intimidated by the pseudo-intelligence of scientific babble that leads to no conclusive evidence, for instance, of any organism ever changing kind, that is, from a fish to a mammal, etc. Atheism also gives no account of the beginning of the cosmos, and no rational evidence of how non-living matter could generate something as awesome as consciousness. They fight for a philosophy that robs humans of meaning. They misrepresent the Bible. I know this as one who has been a lifelong student of the Bible, and having grown up in a family that was sustained and perpetually liberated by, specifically, the teachings of Christ and the New Testament.When I hear those critics, I am struck with the fact that they are talking about a "bible" that I do not know and a religion that is foreign to me and anyone of faith that I know. I know that there are those who twist the Scripture and use it to abuse and enslave; but such is true of any philosophy on earth. And it is true because of the sinful nature of humans which is exposed in an unparalleled manner in the Bible and by the life and teachings of Christ.
I am alarmed by this attack because it seems evident that our nation has experienced unprecedented prosperity and freedom specifically because of the Christian faith which teaches tolerance and love for ones' enemies [Matthew 5:44]. The Bible teaches us not to return evil for evil, nor to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good [Romans 12]. It teaches hospitality to foreigners and kindness to strangers. The violent passages in the Old Testament were for a specific time in the evolution of the Faith. They are now spiritualized; and this is clearly evidenced by the fact that there are currently no Jewish or Christian terrorists who are forcing conversion by fear or trying to forcefully conquer any nations or lands. Jews are not evangelistic at all; and Christians try to win the heart, not by fear, but by love. No rational Christians or Jews understand God as giving violent marching orders against any people group. This cannot be said of Islam. The Qu'ran is a different type of book. It's violent commands are clearly contemporary and perennial. Its violent jihadists are acting in accordance with its teachings, and so-called "moderates" are always, therefore, in jeopardy of evolving into "extremists"; or in raising children who choose to follow the Qu'ran more closely than their "moderate" parents.
If we suppress the Christian faith--if it is not upheld and supported by the institutions of learning--then we clear the field for the invasion of Islam, which requires its children to memorize the Qu'ran at an early age, teaches hatred of the Jews, subjugation of infidels and murder of apostates. Already antisemitism is growing in Muslim-invaded nations. Atheism has nothing that can withstand the onslaught of violent religion. Only a religion that teaches compassion and transforms the heart [Christianity] can do so. An example is to recognize the relative safety of a person to live a gay [or atheist] lifestyle in a Christian vs. a Muslim nation. Atheists and homosexuals would be wise to support rather than attack the Christian Faith. The Christian Faith is a barrier between them and the ruthless intolerance of Islam. Christianity has provided a unifying foundation for our nation and made it possible for us to live harmoniously with diversity. I cannot envision any atheistic substitute for this beneficent effect. Islam will, however provide this unifying effect under sharia law, but only after the bloody uprooting of two centuries Christian roots; or perhaps like mold growing on the decay of the once-vital, life-enhancing, freedom of the Christian Faith.
As to whether America was founded upon Christian principles and was birthed in the fertile soil of the Christian faith, the link below is to a scholarly article, complete with numerous footnoted references on the subject. One who is sincerely interested in answering this question would do well to read it; and I recommend it, based upon the current alarming trends, whether conscious or unconscious, to revise Christianity out of American history.
https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/did-america-have-christian-founding#_ftn10
