英语专业论文

IntroductionAmerican diplomacy was influenced by the nature of society and its citizen behavior deeply,but the social nature and the style of American citizenship behavior was affected by American Christianity greatly, especially the thought of Puritan. Consequently, American foreign policy was controlled by Christian idea, and America also made Christian idea come true as their purpose of their government‘s diplomacy. At the very beginning, America was founded by a group of Protestants who moved to the new world from Europe for religious reasons, and carrying out their Protestant idea as their purpose to build America. So America was a country founded on Protestant ideology at the very beginning. It drove by the idea of Protestant and aimed to practice Protestant idea. The Protestant value was the root of American value, and also the leading force in American diplomacy nowadays. Under the influence of religion, America is not a normal secular country. Generally speaking, a secular country will maintain a benefit principle in diplomacy, but to American diplomacy we must take the religious element into consideration, so that we can clearly get why many American diplomacy are not always correspond with benefit principle. In foreign affairs, they always make human rights as a very important charge to other countries. In the foreign activities, American always require the other side to improve human rights essentially, even in top meeting the state leader will put forward the issue of human rights serious-minded and unmannered. To American, the human right was a gift from god, and should be respected in any country, and god gives American a duty to defend human right. From the beginning of America, American people got a strong feeling of responsibility, because they think god give the new world to them and they are the chosen people of god, so they have to make god‘s glory full of world. American people are very proud of American democracy and freedom, they think their democracy and freedom style is the best, got from god, so they are eagerly to spread their belief and idea to any other country, let people from other country share their democracy and freedom. In Americ an people‘s mind, the god chose them and they must complete the mission god gave them. One day the world will have only one belief, and that isbelief in god, Jehovah will be the only god. So America always showed up religious feature in foreign affairs, and that is why America took Socialist country as its biggest enemy for a very long time. For the conflict between Christianity and Socialism, America suppressed socialist states since socialism born to now. Essentially, the differences decide America to take an opposing attitude to socialist state, and that is one reason that America starts the Cold War against the Soviet Union. After 9·11, the new Christian Right arose again in America, it began to affect American foreign policy with its unique theory. During the Bush administration, based on the idea of the new Christian right, American government made a lot of change in foreign policy, especially attitude towards terrorism and war. (且东，2006:65 )Because the new Christian believe in unilateralism, so American government got support from religion on strengthening military force, and the powerful military force make the expansion of American democracy be possible. On the other side, unilateralism made American people have no trust on international organization, for that America had risen up motion to separate itself from the United Nations for a time. To American Christian right-wing, supporting Israel is an order from god, and that awareness produced great impact on American foreign policy after 911 and the middle-east peace and development progress. Generally, we must take the religion as an important reference when study American foreign policy. America is not only a secular nation, it is also a religious country which blessed by god.1.American Diplomacy Dominated by ChristianityWhen talking about America, many people look it as an extremely secular country habitually. And what is secularization? Secularization is a state which frees from religious impact on politics, economic, society and psychology of normal people. A secular country has some feature: firstly, separation of politics and religion, that is to say the government cannot take part in any religious actives, office man work for the government cannot be effected by religion in any official business, and in a secular country there is not state religion, people is free on religious belief because the government will not gear toward or suppress any religion. Secondly, people have absolute freedom on religion. Lastly, religion rules cannot fetter sociallife.（于歌，2006:11）On the surface, America has those three features, and Chinese government analyses American foreign policy based on benefit principle. We cannot say that our government‘s policy is not right, after all, the benefit pri nciple is a common principle used in the world. There is a rule in American constitution that America is a country religion separated from politics, and America people have a common idea that pursuit of fortune to make life better, the life is luxurious, the belief is free, all of that make people feel America is a extremely secular country. There is no doubt that the main culture in America is secularization, however, America is a very religious country beyond all doubt on the other side for that Protestantism is playing a key role in American politics, society and national psychology.According to Gallup‘s research in America, ―ninety five percent people called they believe in god, among them, Christian take eighty six percent, in Christian, sixty percent are Protestant, twenty eight percent are Catholic, and ten percent believe orthodox Christianity. Among adults, seventy percent of them belong to some church.‖（/content/200901/0110100T2009.html）From that record we can see the quantity of people who believed in god in America is the highest of the world. Protestant take an absolute superiority in United States, from the record, it‘s not hard to see what an important role Christianity play in American politics.Till now, we can still see ―IN GOD WE TRUST‖ on US dollar. Every US president must put his hands on the bible and swear to the god at his inauguration. And pledge of been patriotic in America is ―I swear allegiance and pledge eternal loyalty to the Star-Spangled Banner and the United States of America it stand for, the nation, belong to god‖. That behavior is hardly to see in other countries nowadays, all of that show one thing, it is American has a strong emotion on god.Since the founding of the America, the mainstream group in American society is the so called ―WASP‖, and the ‗WASP‖ play ed a leading role in American politics, economic and culture all the time. The ―WASP‖ w as people who have white Anglo-Saxon descent, and believe Protestant at the same time. These people controlled America for hundreds years, at the same time American mainstream ideology and value was coming from the ―W ASP‖. That is why Protestant can influence American foreign policy for such a long time.Washington, the first president of United States, who built the country of America, kissed the Bible and swore with his hands putting on the Bible at his inauguration. After the pledge, he said: ―I swear, I pray god‘s blessing.‖（华盛顿，1781）After that, every president in American history swore with their hands putting on the Bible and pray for god‘s bless at their inaugural. Washington is a Protestant, and most of American presidents are Protestants, among them only one has no religion belief. That is to say, the people stand on the top of America deeply affected by Christianity, under such a condition, American diplomacy cannot shake off the impact of Christianity. Many US presidents were famous for devout Christian belief, and some of them left the world a profound effect for Christian belief. For example: everyone knows that on US dollar printed ― IN GOD WE TRUST‖, that is president Eisenhower‘s ord er, and no president say we cannot do that after him. President Lincoln signed a declaration making Thanks Giving Day a legal holiday. President Adams gave orders to engrave prayer on restaurant of the white house, ―I pray to god, give the best blessing to everyone in this house and everyone will live here later, I wish only honest and wise man man age the country here.‖（亚当斯,1797）Till now, the prayer is still there.All of that show one thing, America is a very religious country, in America its politics, especially foreign policy deeply affected by religion. To understand America, we must research the root of the country, and take religion into consideration, only in that way we can know the magical nation better.2.The Savior Feelings of American2.1 American—God’s ChoiceAfter ten years‘sailing, the Mayflower arrived the new world and these Protestants on the ship built the colony Marseille, under the leading of Pastorvince Laopu, these Protestants made a declaration of moving to the new world. In the declaration, words from Matthew was quoted: ―the city we will build will be a City upon the Hill, people from all the world be about to focus their attention upon us.‖(马太福音:144) The so called City upon the Hill is a citywill light up the whole world, will lead people to god. In Marseille there is one words Jesus said to his follower: ―Y ou are the light of the world, city built upon a hill cannot be hidden.‖(圣经：365) Here, the light is bringing hope to people, is a mission Jesus gave to his follower. Th e Protestant think they are god‘s follower either, so they have the duty to introduce god‘s light to the whole world，let everyone accept god. That is to say, the city upon the hill Protestant want to build is a city of light, guide the whole world people to god. At the same time, Protestant think that the legitimacy basis of building a new country in the new land come from god, and it‘s god‘s order to buil d America. Till now, America still has a strong passion on leading the whole world to god. All of that show America gets a Christ complex for a long time, they also have a feeling that American is the nation chosen by god, and they have god‘s order, and the mission will throughout all its life.In the mind of Protestant, god give everyone life, and everyone has the right to enjoy his life. America is the model other countries should learn from, because it has the most advanced democracy, that is also what American be proud of all the time. To American, god choose them, they have to make everyone accept the glory of god. So in American diplomacy they always tries to interfere with the internal affairs of other countries, hope to bring American style human rights to other countries.2.2 American Facing SocialismAs everyone knows, since socialist state was founded, it suffered a series of challenge. One of them is hostility from all capitalistic states of the world, among them America gave socialist states the greatest pressure. And socialist states looked America as their biggest enemy either. Why does n‘t America like socialism?Socialist believes secularization theory and atheism; they think there is no god. To Christian it is not obeying to the bible, having no interests on spirit. Socialism is a totally different theory from Christianity, American people cannot tolerate other people deny their belief and they even think the atheism of socialism is lure from Satan.On the other side, Christians don‘t believe that the dream of communism can come true,they only believe millennium will come that one day, and millennium is not practice to socialist either. So the contradiction between Christianity and Socialism is destined. People trusting in god believe everyone is guilty since he born, it is not possible for such a group of people to build a kingdom of heaven like communism, the kingdom of heaven can be only set up by god. But communism is a dream founded upon human nature; they believe man can do everything if people struggle hard, people will hav e the ability to do god‘s job. In other words, communisms treats man as some kind of god. Christian cannot accept that idea, it is lure from Satan, people who believe socialism is pagan, must be wiped out. Just like president Ronald Wilson Reagan said: that is an immemorial lure, since the Garden of Eden appeared it exists, it trying to let people believe they are some kind of god. Reagan‘s words represent most American Christians‘ opinion.For that reason, Christians can never accept socialism, the fundamental divergence decide America has no good image on socialist states. America was strongly affected by Christ, people living in America has a concept of the chosen people of god. For religion factors America cannot tolerate the exist of socialism, so just a few years after World War two America start Cold War with the Soviet Union. Since 1947, America never stopped his step on the way of suppressing socialist states. Even till nowadays, America still take a hostility toward the only several socialist states like China and Cuba. That is not only rival on politics, but also rival on ideology. We can say that the Cold War between USA and the Soviet Union is a confrontation between Christian and Socialism.For many reasons, Americans hold the foreign policy of against socialist states for more than half a century. That is not only the need of politics, religion made its contribution too. There is no doubt that religion play a very important role in American diplomatic principle against socialist countries.2.3 American Walking toward Hegemonism in the Glory of GodAmerica is a country which is good at combining religion and patriotism together, it make his people have a firm faith that the strength of America comes from bless of god, andgod gives America life and make it form its unique value. God‘s grace let America have no psychological burden in contact with other countries, they can export American style democracy and value into other coun tries without any consideration of other countries‘ national condition and tradition, just because they are the chosen of god, what they do is on the mission of god.2.3.1 “IN GOD WE TRUST”In America there is a very popular slogan which is ―in god‘s name‖. From that we can see the influence of Christian in America. As long as Mayflower arrived at the new land, American people have a feeling of city upon the hill, and that is not groundless. When the 102 Protestants arrived the new world after 66 days‘ sailing, they had a belief that the new world was their new Jerusalem, in their mind, what they suffered in E urope was god‘s test, and the new world is a place of hope and god lead them there after the test, so they are the chosen people of god. And that is the root of unilateralism in American Protestant. At the same time, because the inborn superiority, American people got a sense of manifest destiny under the influence of religion, that is to say it has been written that America has to save the world. I think that is one cause of the shaping of American Exceptionalism.Since America was blessed by god, they have a feeling of superiority that there is no country can compare with them, American people must take on the god given mission to popularize American democracy, freedom and value around the world. And that is what America did for the recent years, in foreign affairs, America always trying to transform the value and living condition of people who living in other countries. And Iraq is a good example, America wants to remove Saddam Hussein and bring democracy to Iraqis. Although there are many other reasons for the Iraq war, we cannot deny the contribution religion makes. Christ‘s aim is not bad, but it‘s some theory push America on the way to hegemonism, such as the idea of Amercian Exceptionalism and unilateralism. The existence of such mighty religious theory make America stepped on the way of unilateralism when he popularized its democracy. Especially in the last ten years, American government made the popularization ofits democracy as the key point of its work, during Bush administration period; USA published one report on other countries‘ human rights condition in every one year, find out other countries‘ fault and blames them.2.3.2 American Great Soft Power through ReligionIn the today‘s world, soft power is the most important power of one nation; it could be divided into three stratifications: ―human nature level, the interior politics level and the international politics level‖. (何晓跃，2007:52) Joseph Nye proposed the conception of soft power, and he defined soft power as a capability to effect other people‘s selection, such as attractive culture, ideology and regime system. On another words, the soft power is a capability to spread your idea, draw somebody over your side and make others wish to follow you. From the definition of soft power we can see how America benefits from Christ, because the greatest influence of Christ on America is about ideology.After the Cold War, George Herbert Walker Bush announced a new plan ―The New World Order‖, after him Clinton declared another plan named ―Participation Extension Strategy‖. To some degree, these two plans are important expression of American Soft Power. Just like Joseph Nye said, ―On resource of American soft power is its value, to some degree America is regarded as the lighthouse of freedom, human rights, and democracy, and followed by many other countries.‖（约瑟夫·奈尔, 2008:251）Except the economic strength, what made America so attractive? I think American dream is a good answer to that question.“Every time we were told that we can‘t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: yes we can.‖（杰斐逊，1776:1）That is the spirit of American. Freedom, justice, individualism, American-style democracy and legal system, these are the key figures of American Creed. Since the country was built, the ideology of Protestant began to transform into American creed, and American people gave it an honorable respect, because all of that came from god. The great thought make one man strong and the great culture make one country strong.God gives America a mission, and America transform it into the ambition of changing the world, to some degree it made America a new empire which is zealous of expansion.America has a problem on change its savior mentality, it cannot stop itself on evaluation other countries with its own value. The chosen people of god gave American people a motive power to change the world, and the American creed transformed from Protestant‘s doctrine gave America a soft power to change the world. America like to name itself as the world judge and crusade against other countries on moral, distinguish friend from foe grounded on democracy and autarchy according to American value. So America stepped on the way of hegemonism actually, even though it announced that they are just trying to lead the world toward god and make the world better. Because the soft power gave America a possibility of expansion, so we can say that religion support America on hegemonism.2.3.3 America as an Exceptional CountryThe puritanism make a great contribution to American, the Revolution priest‘s preach and speech was one spirit resource of American people‘s fighting against the English. The American Revolution is not only about politics but also about religion. After the revolution, although American law didn‘t set up a religious status in society, the Christianity still dominated the development of American culture, became the core ideology of American Anglo-Saxon culture. So we can say that puritanism brought up America. In a word, American people believe America is the only country built according to god‘s order, and the feeling of the chosen people of god became American people‘s common understanding, with the addition of the mission consciousness came from puritan spirit, American Exceptionalism got its thought foothold. So to American people, America is an exceptional country, should not limited by anything.At the same time, since the effect of unilateralism of Christ right wings, America thought itself as an exceptional country compared with other countries, so America should not be restricted by other countries, international organization, treaty and alliance. So America always got his own way and quite regardless of all the comments in diplomacy. For example, unilaterally quit Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM TREATY), start the Iraq war without any authorization of the United Nations in 2003. All of that madeAmerica stepped on the way of hegemonism in diplomacy.3.A Country Wandering in the War3.1 Religion’s Influence on Promoting the War3.1.1 America’s Attitude toward Terrorism under the Influence of Christ Right Wings after 911In western history, almost all the Religious War were reflection of the religious tie of European, war is a solemn ceremony to make Christian ideology accepted by pagans. For example, the Crusades, everyone knows that is a war against Islam. Christ never afraid of war, they think war is a useful way to reach their goal. War made Christ a nightmare in pagans. In nowadays, although the world is stepped into a peaceful period, but war especially war involving religion elements still exist in the world, Such as the Israeli-Palestinian war and terrorist attack. And that is all concerned with America, and that is why?We have mentioned that unilateralism had changed American foreign policy after 911, and that is why Bush administration government raised a series of policy such as get the drop on and take military means. There is no doubt that 911 irritated America and American protestant, and Christ right wings have the sense of unilateralism and strengthening military force, so 911 give the Christ right wings a chance to intervene American foreign policy.The incident of 911 made American Protestants clearly recognize the danger of pagan. In history Christ can loosen the dogs of war for contradiction between them and pagans, now they can start another war with pagans. American Protestant inherited that tradition, just like priest Maxin Gail said ―peace and safety is the result of justice and should be shared by all, in the tradition of church, peace not mean there is no war, it is justice.‖ （马辛·盖尔，1981:126）So after 911, under the pushing of Christ America began to spare no effort in promoting global counter-terrorism strategy, because they believe that what they did is justice.Based on the above reasons, America praise unilateralism highly all the time, and pay great attention to strengthening military to defend American international status and security. In fight with terrorism America put forward the guideline of preemptive war against terrorist organizations and nations seeking WMD and the idea of regime change in so called rogue states. The most typical examples are the war against Taliban in Afghanistan and the Iraq war aimed to subvert the Iraqi regime. Based on above words, The Christian ideology‘s inciting and its promoting on Bush administration government's diplomatic services procedure are hardly blameless for America stepping on the way of war insistently.3.1.2 Friend of America—IsraelAfter the Cold War, America find one of its new main enemy, Arab, that is caused by many reasons, but religion reason is the most important one. Christ right wings have a good relation with Judaism for a long time, and on the other side, Christian have a prejudice to Arab all the time, so America supported Israeli with all what it can do in the war between Israeli and Arab.In the Bible, story put down in writing is all about Israel‘s ancestor, although many historians think that story cannot be corroborated, but it accepted by almost all people who believe in god. On the other side, the Crusades was a war against Islam aimed to take Jerusalem back, from that we can see what an impression Christianity got on Arab. Jerusalem is Christian holy land, but it held by Arab, and the conflict between Israel and Arab is Jerusalem. American people think that they live in a world the Bible described, the Israel come back to the Middle East and rebuild the state of Israel is what the Bible has predicted, so the more America support to Israel the more they get from god.Especially in recent years, the supporting of Christ right wings to Israeli reached a new height. Kot, pre-chairman of Christ, founded a ne w organization named ―Represent Israel‖ with Aix Stein who is one Judaist. Another typical example is Christian writer Hagi, who had declared that ―Since god cre ated and blessed Israeli, all the countries against Israel is opposing god‖.（哈吉，1976:201）During Bush administration period America paid a highattention on the mid-east, supported Israel with no principle, and stand by Salon with its unilateral action plan in public. All of that is concerned with American Christ. Because the need of anti-terrorism war, Bush proposed a plan on the Middle East peace process, support Palestine to build their country. But Evangelicals of the Christ right wings were dissatisfied about that, and they made a strong reaction on the Middle East Peace Process. They criticized Bush that his plan is against god‘s wish and would irritated god. In 2005, under the pressure of Evangelical, Bush announced that Palestine cannot complete the aim of building state. That is Christ‘s victory, and from that event we can see how powerful on the influence of Christ on American diplomacy.After 911, pro-Israeli forces rose up and US government geared toward Israel more than before, and defined the Palestinian militant group as terrorism. That has not only made no progress on Middle East peace process, on the contrary it made the situation of Middle East worse. So maybe the original idea of America is good, but Christ did not object to the war against Islam.3.2 Religion’s Influence on the World Peace ProgressAlthough American Christ made a great contribution to involving America in war, but it not only pushing America toward war, it also has a great function on promoting world peace. It looks like an absurd theory, but that is t ruth. In Obama‘s speech he said，―And so I want to be very clear: We sent our troops to Iraq to do away with Saddam Hussein‘s regime—and you got the job done. We kept our troops in Iraq to help establish a sovereign government—and you got the job done. And we will leave the Iraq with a hard –earned opportunity to live a better life—that is your achievement; that is the prospect that you have made possible.‖The reason Christianity supported America to start Iraq war is helping Iraqis found a sovereign, stable, and self-reliant country, when the goal get achieved, religion moral don‘t allow American government to continue the war. As a devout believer of god, Obama did so,and that action wined him a Nobel Peace Prize, as most Chinese people think he doesn‘t deserve it, but actually he did and we can‘t deny that.On the other side, although 911 challenged Christian moral standard seriously, but sound of refusing violence can still heard in America. In august 2001, one magazine named American Catholics published a report on the conversation between priest Michael Baxter and the interviewer. In the report, Michael expressed his view on church, he think churc h‘s job is teaching people to decide their action and weather go to the war against other country depend on their belief and conscience. And he also made a clear declaration that military is a very bad way to deal with terrorism. Another priest Zavala said the same words too，―The Iraq war gave us a lesson that violence can make only violence, our urgent mission is finding out a totally new orientation for national policy, and this new orientation involve no violence and pursuit justice, make unremitting endeavor for all god‘s people.‖（扎瓦拉）Although the sound is not so strong enough in America, the US government cannot ignore it. And as time going, people holding that opinion will be more and more. With the trying of some church and god‘s believer who love peace, Christ can play a more and more important role in the progress against war, they can make a great contribution to world peace, and peace is possible.ConclusionAs the only super power of the world, America is the leading force in global politics, for American politicians have religion beliefs themselves, the government always runs into religion factors in foreign affairs. Because America has a strong religious social base, America has a great cohesion for its people. In Barack Obama‘s Victory Speech he said: ―Tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.‖(奥巴马)。