Like many of history's archetypal religious leaders, Jesus Christ lived a non-violent philosophy and taught universal affection through statements such as "Love thine enemy." Encouraging forgiveness, mutual support, self-sacrifice and reciprocity, Jesus taught us to "do unto others as we would have them do unto us" and to "turn the other cheek" to those who would harm us.

In a nationwide survey of 113,000 Americans in 1990, more than 75% of Americans identified themselves as Christians. Although America's founding documents appear to preclude the official advancement of Christianity, they do establish a democratic republic allegedly led by her People. Therefore, one would expect America's actions to comply with the teachings of "The Prince of Peace."

Jesus taught that it was right to pay taxes. Yet it seems that at least 90% of Americans complain about taxes - some even cheat. Though Jesus' churches, ministers, pastors, bishops and popes usually pay no taxes, they may become annoyed at the suggestion that they should "give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's." While only 75% of Americans might be expected to follow Jesus with their wallets on April 15th, shouldn't 100% of Christ's churches be following the teachings of their namesake, perhaps only refusing to pay the portion of their taxes destined to fund war, nuclear weapons and capital punishment?

His teachings and actions during arrest before execution suggest that Jesus would probably not take up arms against others - no matter what. Like Jesus (apparently), some people are pacifists - who, despite the power to kill, would allow others to kill them before they would kill another human being.

In a Christian nation, wouldn't about 75% (or at least some significant proportion) of Americans be reluctant to support the use of violence in international relations, be unwilling to participate in activities that might contribute to the death of another human being and be completely unable to act as soldiers? Wouldn't some proportion of Americans refuse to design, create, manufacture, market or even own machines designed to kill human beings? Wouldn't huge segments of the population vehemently (or at least modestly) oppose procedures that dispense wholesale death to innocents, such as conventional or, especially, nuclear war?

Perhaps more than any politician in history, George W. Bush has rested upon (and benefited mightily) from his Christian "donors," connections and pronouncements, repeatedly invoking alleged "Christian" ideals (such as prohibiting gay marriage) and "faith-based" policies (abstinence-only sex education, for example). However, while Jesus was clearly a man of peace, George W. Bush is clearly a man of war. How can a man who allegedly worships the "world's first non-violent revolutionary" threaten a nuclear strike or start, and stubbornly prolong, a horrific, illegitimate war based on "bad intelligence" (apparently willful misrepresentations)?

If America were a Christian nation, she probably would not spend more money than all other nations on earth combined on weapons and "defense," her treasury might overflow with tax revenues from her churches and her armies could be waging peace, love and non-violence throughout the world. Instead, America appears to be accumulating massive debt, waging aggressive war, threatening unprovoked attacks, systematically revoking "God given" freedoms and torturing people suspected of merely thinking of committing a crime.

While televangelists and politicos often state that America is a Christian nation, precious little evidence exists in support of their claim.