America is a Christian nation, and should be ruled by the Bible.

1."In America's democracy where majority rules, why does this not apply to religion?"Here my opponent asserts that in our American democracy, the majority rules. Since the majority rules and said majority is Christian, then America should rule according to the Bible.There are two points of criticism to be offered here.1.Majority rules?Our founding fathers certainly did not believe that simple majority rules across the board. This is clearly shown in the history and structure of out House and Senate. The southern states demanded that representation in the new democracy was based on a simple majority, with representation based upon the population of any given state. The north, on the other hand, believed that this was entirely unfair and demanded equal representation for all states, regardless of population.To explain this thoroughly, I will delve into the folds of History.In 1777 the first continental congress ratified the Articles of Confederation, outlining the fundamental workings of the new government. They operated under these Articles for ten years, until the government threatened to collapse upon itself (this should be a lesson for libertarians, but that is a separate topic)[1]. In 1787 the Constitutional Convention gathered in Philadelphia to reconstruct the government. It was here that they drafted the constitution and founded the government we have today[2].Up to this point, everything I have mentioned has been common knowledge. It is here that most people lose track of history and are completely unaware of the greatest debate and division of our Founding Fathers.The largest battle at the Constitutional Convention was over the peoples representation. There were two side to this debate, and both had a huge following among the signers of the document[3].James Madison largely devised the Virginia Plan,[4] a comprehensive outline of the proposed new system. A key feature of the Virginia plan was a two house representation system in which each state would have designated representatives. The number of representatives for each state would be determined by the population in that state. The higher a certain population was, the more representation it had in the Federal Government[5]. Please note that even this, which is as close as America ever got to "Majority Rules" is not simply majority rules. In this proposed system, the majority has the stronger voice and more votes, but the minority still has representation and and can still block legislation pushed by the majority.This did not sit well with the delegates of many northern states, and so they proposed their own plan for the government, and called it the New Jersey Plan.[6] This plan opposed Madison's Virginia plan in two key factors. This plan featured only one legislative house, the senate, in which each state got one representative and one vote, regardless of population[7]. In this plan, representation was based on unit, and gave no regard to majority.After analyzing these two plans, it becomes abundantly clear that simple "Majority rules" was never even considered as a form of government by our Founding Fathers.The subject was debate for two weeks, each side vehemently disagreeing with the other. Eventually, Alexander Hamilton proposed the Great Compromise of 1787 in which he combined the two plans into the system we still have today. The system features two houses of legislature, one with equal representation for each state, and one with representation proportional to population.[8]2. "The Bible ... is a book that helps lives and strengthens morals, a book that unites majority of the nation, majority of the world, under one belief. Under one rule."Here, I am placed into a predicament. I agreed in the beginning of this debate that I would not devalue the Bible. I could present factual and well sourced information that would illustrate the Bible as something contrary to the picture painted by my opponent, but I but I feel that enough people are blinded to the faults of the book that even fact would be devaluing to them. Instead I will illustrate why the Bible should not be a template for government from another angle. One of the central doctrines found in the U.S. Constitution is that of separation between Church and State. This is found in the First Amendment to our Constitution, the first of ten rights added to the Constitution by Thomas Jefferson. It reads as follows:"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." [9]- The First Amendment to the U.S. ConstitutionOne might argue that the First Amendment simply prevents the Government from banning a religion or religious practises, and does not say that the government needs to entirely separate itself from religion. This argument would hold true had Jefferson not explain exactly what he meant by this Amendment."Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties."[10]- Thomas JeffersonIn conclusion, my opponents arguments of "majority rules" and that America should rule "by the Bible" do not stand up to Historical fact. Simple "majority rules" was never an option for our government. Ruling by the Bible is illegal and in direct contradiction to our nation's greatest values.Sources:1. Library of Congresshttp://www.loc.gov... 2. The U.S. National Archiveshttp://www.archives.gov... 3. The U.S. Dept. of State, Office of the Historianhttp://history.state.gov... 4. The U.S. NIAHCShttp://www.ourdocuments.gov... 5. Yale Law Schoolhttp://avalon.law.yale.edu... 6. Thin quest Library http://library.thinkquest.org... 7. The Bill of Rights Institutehttps://billofrightsinstitute.org... 8. The U.S. Senatehttp://www.senate.gov...9.The U.S. National Archiveshttp://www.archives.gov... 10. Library of Congresshttp://www.loc.gov...