imported post
Way off the original topic, but here are some founding fathers thoughts on religion:
James Madison:
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov't from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others."[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] James Madison, "James Madison on Religious Liberty",[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] edited by Robert S. Alley, ISBN 0-8975-298-X. pp. 237-238
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[/font][align=left][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not."[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] - "A Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785[/font]
[/align][align=left]John Adams
[/align][align=left][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved-- the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!"[/font]
[/align] [font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] -letter to Thomas Jefferson[/font]
[align=left][font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it."[/font] (No source attributed)
Thomas Jefferson
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[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot ... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon, unintelligible to all mankind, and therefore the safer engine for their purpose."[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] - to Horatio Spafford, March 17, 1814[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance, of which their political as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purpose."[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] - to Baron von Humboldt, 1813[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]"Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the Common Law."[/font]
[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"] -letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, 1814[/font]
There are a host of others, but the concept that the Founders were Christian is, to some, a stretch. There were several notable Deists (Jefferson and Franklin) who were instrumental in writing the foundation documents of our nation. In fact, if we read the ORIGINAL texts of the Declaration of Independence, there were a lot more issues than slavery that Jefferson had to fix.
Anyway....back to the original post...
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