I would say a Judeo-Christian nation, certainly. Our law, our moral code, our very founding, were based on Judeo-Christian principles. Those who disagree will have to explain quite a bit about what the founders believed and valued. We are certainly not a Hindu nation, or even an atheistic one.

This is not to say that only Jews and Chistians can take part in the American dream - quite the opposite. Our national identity is one of inclusion. E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.

Are we still? Yes. Will we always be? I don't know. I suppose it depends on how well we can maintain our allegiance to the idea of liberty and unity. Judeo-Christian belief says that we are to serve one God. If we replace him and the free will to strive and acheive that he gave us, with allegiance to the state, and if we turn our backs on those among us who need our help, because they are too great a bother, then we will have ceased to be what our founders believed we could be - a thriving nation of people capable of governing themselves. I do not believe a godless people are capable of that. They would place all their faith and power in the state to serve it, and be ruled by it.

There is a trend in the last several decades to place less emphasis on liberty, as though it is a given - it is not - and more emphasis on equality, just for the sake of it. I'm not sure I understand why it is so highly valued. To make things equal, something has to be taken from one, who may have worked hard to attain it, and given to another, who may not value it.

Even those among us who claim not to be religious would have a hard time formulating a moral code worth living by that is entirely independent of Judeo-Christian values and ethics. Its in our blood. For that reason, I am optimistic.