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For instance, John Adams claimed Christianity but explicitly denied the trinity, the doctrine of Hell, endorsed multiple paths to God and was a universalist. Not a single mainstream Christian denomination today would consider him anything other than a heretic bound for damnation. To turn around and claim him as evidence of a Christian nation, especially given that he EXPLICITLY said himself that it was not, is disingenuous at best and an outright lie at worst.

I'd like to see evidence that John Adams had those doubts. In the meanwhile, I've been finishing McCullough's biography from Adams, and I would like to point out this passage:

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A departure from Jefferson's prevailing silence in Congress came late that summer when he stood in opposition to a proposal for a fast day, and in so doing appeared to cast aspersions on Christianity, to which Adams reacted sharply. Benjamin Rush reminded Adams of the incident in a letter written years later.

You rose and defended the motion, and in reply to Mr. Jefferson's objections to Christianity you said you were sorry to hear such sentiments from a gentleman whom you so highly respected and with whom you agreed upon so many subjects, and that it was the only instance you had ever known of a man of sound sense and real genius that was an enemy to Christianity.

The McCullough biography is replete with evidence of Adams' faith. By the way, as I mentioned earlier, the Washington inaugural as described by McCullough:

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Washington said he was ready. Adams bowed and led the way to the outer balcony, in full view of the throng in the streets. People were cheering and waving from below, and from windows and rooftops as far as the eye could see. Washington bowed once, then a second time.

Fourteen years earlier, it had been Adams who called on the Continental Congress to make the tall Virginian commander-in-chief of the army. Now he stood at Washington's side as Washington, his right hand on the Bible, repeated the oath of office as read by Chancellor Robert R. Livingston of New York, who had also been a member of the Continental Congress.

In a low voice Washington solemnly swore to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." Then, as not specified in the Constitution, he added, "So help me God," and kissed the Bible, thereby establishing his own first presidential tradition.

"It is done," Livingston said, and turning to the crowd, cried out, "Long live George Washington, President of the United States."

With the crowd in raptures, cannon pounding, church bells clanging, Washington bowed still again and then, Adams at his side, moved back to deliver his inaugural address to a seated Congress.

For the record, I understand why David Barton is looked down upon, but McCullough is damn near unimpeachable. And there's a lot of intellectual dishonesty on both sides. I don't think Barton is completely honest but I don't think the crowd that likes to over-stress the Founders' Deism and pluck their own quotes out of context are any better.