In the IVth Crusade the western Christian countries, rather than defeating Islamic Egypt, decided to sack the Greek Christian city of Constantinople instead.
For which they were excommunicated by Pope Innocent III. Own goal?

Christian Nations

J ust like to mention to one or two American religious patriots (like Sarah Palin) who know even less about their own country’s birth and history than a simple person like oneself, and who insist that the United States is a “Christian nation” …

In the US Constitution  Article VI proscribes the use of any religious tests as a requisite qualification for public service. The First Amendment begins: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, the most influential of the Founding Fathers, wrote in a letter to John Adams:

“  The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as His father, in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.

and James Madison, fourth President of the United States, wrote

“  During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment of Christianity has been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.”

which leads us to what someone else (unknown) said, conjuring that most American of entertaining pastimes:

“  Humanity without religion is like a serial killer without a chainsaw.

 

And in case there are those who think that Australia is ‘a Christian country’,  the Australian Constitution says, at Section 116,

“ The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

(Just for a little break from all the B-Grade politics that is swirling around us here like grey water.)