Texas GOP says U.S. is Christian nation

AUSTIN, Texas, June 13 (UPI) -- The Texas Republican Party has voted to reaffirm a plank that celebrates the United States as "a Christian nation."

"The Republican Party of Texas affirms that the United States of America is a Christian nation, and the public acknowledgment of God is undeniable in our history," said the platform, approved during a meeting earlier this month in Austin.

The statement said: "Our nation was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible. The party affirms freedom of religion, and rejects efforts of courts and secular activists who seek to remove and deny such a rich heritage from our public lives."

The Washington Times reported Sunday the Republican National Committee has refused to criticize the Texas party faithful.

The national party "doesn't control the state parties' platforms," said RNC Communications Director Jim Dyke. "Each state party determines what their state platform will say."

But others have been strongly critical of the move.

"This is part and parcel of who the GOP and their conservative base are," said David Harris, spokesman for the National Jewish Democratic Committee. "While this is nothing new, it certainly raises to new excesses the lengths this Republican Party is going to in order to tear down the wall separating church and state."