Founding Fathers did NOT want USA to be Christian nation

[JesusFreakMathGeek6]

@rufuguru Thermodynamics is in scripture and along with a lot of advanced science.

[JesusFreakMathGeek6]

@rufuguru So what do you think about apes having 48 chromosomes and humans 46? Like I have said I do enjoy science and study it a lot, as a matter of fact homology has been proven wrong.

[rufuguru]

@JesusFreakMathGeek6 Apes and humans would share a common ancestor, it's not that humans came from apes like so many creationists erroneously state. You haven't stated how anything in scripture is in any way supporting science. You don't sound like you know anything about thermodynamics.

[rufuguru]

@JesusFreakMathGeek6 Time and again, Biologists have disputed the significance of Chromosome similarities. It's more how one allele reacts to another. The chromosomes themselves are insignificant compared to their interactions with each other.

[rufuguru]

@JesusFreakMathGeek6 You can look up "Top 10 Creationist Arguments" and "Top 10 Creationist Arguments Part 2" to get the best summery of why christians shouldn't bring religion any where near science.

[caveatemp]

"In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor ... have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?" Benjamin Franklin as recorded by James Madison

[caveatemp]

@rufuguru First, are you really 18? Second, do you realize the cognitively dissonant statements you just made? "I choose to believe in nothing" and "I accept that I don't know"



[rufuguru]

@caveatemp Yes, Article 1 section 8 does say that, but the Supreme court has the power to declare constitutionality of Congressional laws and acts.

[splicedenergy]

@jettrink60 That wasn't the topic of discussion duh

[VelociRaptor93]

Boredjoewo Yes, and Obvious Democrats such as yourself would like to would use religion to give charity to the so called poor with our tax dollars to secure life long dependency votes. What about Left Wing Fundamentalist who are just as dangerous or more so. Maybe that is why they did not want government involved in religion but did not want to prevent it. I have a Meir 34,000 a year total family income but I dont depend on liberals or gov. to give me what I have.

[caveatemp]

His definition of deism goes too far. Creation is infused with extraordinary intelligence and spirituality? He obviously has not read the comment sections in youtube. It's no secret that Jefferson was not a Christian and of course none of the founders wanted a theocracy. Where "liberals" get it wrong is in thinking the separation of church and state is to keep religion out of politics. It's the reverse. The settlers were fleeing religious persecution by the state.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp Would not a religious influence in politics be a possible gateway to theocracy?

[caveatemp]

@robvlob We are a theocracy in one sense. We have certain inalienable rights granted by God, who is the ultimate authority. We just don't have ecclesiastical authorities defining the law. The true problem is when we stray from the Constitution, not when we get more religious influence. The Constitution, if followed, would never allow us to turn into another British empire. The Constitution is there primarily to limit government, not expand it.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp "We have certain inalienable rights granted by God.." and what rights would that be that a governing body could not take away from you one way or another?

"We just don't have ecclesiastical authorities defining the law." Good, otherwise we would be a bigoted intolerant theocracy, and this is why religious influence should stay out of government.

Allowing religious influence to run rife in government would be a stray from the constitution.

[caveatemp]

@robvlob Does the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" ring a bell?

Having ecclesiastical authorities in governmental positions would not in itself make us a theocracy. As long as they were bound to the Constitution we would remain a republic. Religious influence is not equivalent to being unconstitutional. You could just as easily have a group of atheists in government and stray from the Constitution. You sound like a bigot with your false equivocation of the two.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp So the "god given rights" can't be taken away by some governing body, the authority of those rights anyway?

Ecclesiastical authority should be kept within a church where it belongs it should have little if any power in a secular society.

So are you all for Muslim, Hindu, Jewish influences in government? Why not sharia law &/or go back to burning witches?

Most religious dogmatic laws would be unconstitutional

I'm a bigot for linking a component of a theocracy with a theocracy?

[caveatemp]

@robvlob These God authored rights will be "taken away" when the Constitution is usurped. I agree with you about authority. When it is taken away from the people by the State or the Church you will have tyranny. The nation was founded by theists and deists. That's a fact. It stands to reason if theists and deists served today we would be more in line with the Constitution. Your bigotry is in equating religious influence with usurping of the Constitution. It depends on the religion.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp So in other words its man which controls government that gives us these rights that they can take away? Not some entity that isn't demonstrable?

Sure as long as theists kept their religion out of politics.

Is It okay for Christianity to push the government closer to a theocracy but not others? That is bigotry. Stating that religious authority in government can lead to a theocracy is fact, not bigotry.

Which religions?

[caveatemp]

@robvlob It's the Constitution which puts limits on the government. The rights are God given. That's what the theistic/deistic founders believed. They said so in the Declaration of Independence. A tyrannical government can infringe upon your rights but the rights are still ours and they must be asserted. Are you expressing intolerance towards Christians in government? Are you obstinately convinced of the superiority or correctness of your own opinions on this? That is bigotry defined.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp Religion should not be involved in government period!!!! Get it? It doesn't matter which one!! Electricians should not plumb. Mechanics should not perform surgery, religions should not govern. No bigotry or intolerance just a heaping helping common sense about keeping religion out of government & visa versa

I'm fine with anyone of any faith in any office provided they don't govern through/with their religion.

[caveatemp]

@robvlob A religion is simply a world view. What you are saying, in essence, is that those who serve in government can not have any world view except yours. I assume that would be atheistic/secular humanist?

It's still bigotry. Having a religious world view does not preclude one from serving in government. Our government can make no law infringing our right to religion. That is in the 1st Amendment. You should really read the Constitution. You truly do not understand what you are talking about.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp The wall of separation between church & state that Jefferson spoke of is only a one way wall? A persons religion should not preclude them from government, it just when laws are pushed by the religious in support of that religion. IE anti blasphemy laws, laws prohibiting those with out a belief in a god(still on the books in some states just not enforced) laws based on gods word or based on the dogma of that religion. If Muslims passed laws based on their religion is it okay?

[caveatemp]

@robvlob A law that is unconstitutional is null and void and should be struck down. Many laws are unconstitutional. We haven't had constitutional money in ages. That's a much bigger problem than anti blasphemy laws. The only thing I know about Sharia law is that they don't allow usury. I would jump for joy if an anti-usury law was passed and actually enforced. Religious influence should be the least of your worries. The secular State has killed hundreds of millions in the last century.

[robvlob]

@caveatemp So a law that could possibly imprison people for a possibly victimless crime isn't as bad as unconstitutional money? Apostasy is punishable by death under sharia law. There are more nations that governments are currently mostly secular, than not.

[missdoogledog]

@robvlob Our prisons are filled with people convicted of victimless crimes. That's bad. A fiat money system enslaves everyone and bankrupts the nation. I can't defend Islam. I am a Christian. Give me an example of a working law that forces Christian values on you. Roe v. Wade is one that goes radically against Christian values. Give me one that has as much impact as that, not some archaic state law that would never be enforced, and forces you to accept Christian values against your will.

[caveatemp]

@robvlob Our prisons are filled with people convicted of victimless crimes. That's bad. A fiat money system enslaves everyone and bankrupts the nation. I can't defend Islam. I am a Christian. Give me an example of a working law that forces Christian values on you. Roe v. Wade is one that goes radically against Christian values. Give me one that has as much impact as that, not some archaic state law that would never be enforced, and forces you to accept Christian values against your will.

[caveatemp]

@caveatemp Sorry about the duplicate. My wife was signed in on the same computer.

[max2right]

@caveatemp How about you read the Constitution. You neglected to mention that It also precludes the establishment of any religion. “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 civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes" T Jefferson

[caveatemp]

@max2right The 1st amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. Give me an example of a US law that goes against this aspect of the constitution.

[max2right]

@caveatemp As far as i know there are none. What's your point?

[caveatemp]

@max2right So if a government sponsored school wants to get religious in any manner, with any religion (Buddhism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, etc.) a constitutional liberal or conservative should have no problem with it-- unless the government makes a law concerning the religious practice. 

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp the 14th amendment extends the entire Bill of Rights to all US citizens. The Supreme Court has applied the establishment clause to, not only laws, but also actions of the government, on any level including schools, that might favor one religion over another. The US was founded on religious freedom and diversity, meaning the government must be neutral to be fair. Most Supreme court cases are ruled in favor of the neutrality side.

[caveatemp]

@rufuguru The 14th Amendment also allowed corporations to be 'persons'. Each and every problem we face today is the direct and inevitable result of yesterday's brilliant solutions. (Henry Bergman)

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp That's why the it was designed to be amended, so that we may correct the flaws in the constitution or other amendments. If we want to correct the 14th amendment's extension of constitutional person-hood to corporations, then we must re amend the constitution. The US government can and should remain neutral in order to maintain religious diversity and equality. Putting a sign that says, "There is no God" in a court is Pro-Atheist, taking the commandments out is neutral.

[caveatemp]

@rufuguru Those pesky commandments! Nobody obeys them anyway. Especially not in the US government. Let's start a new war. Who's for killing some innocents with drones in Syria?

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp Lol, it's pretty funny ya, I know. I'll be the first to say that I'm surprised how many people don't even know what the 10 commandments are. The false ones that they put in court houses and in city parks aren't bad, but they send the wrong message. The founding fathers, James Madison notably, did not want our government to support or deny any religion. Me being an atheist, I generally don't care, but I recognize that it is unfair to other religions.

[caveatemp]

@rufuguru Ok, let's get those Egyptian obelisks out of Washington, District of Criminals. I don't subscribe to their ancient mystery religion. Let's bulldoze the hall of Skull and Bones while we're at it. On second thought, if supporting religions unfairly is the issue we'll probably have to level the whole damn city.

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp Historically valuable items kept in museums or private companies are perfectly fine. But a court house is supposed to represent equality before the law. Placing the 10 commandments (even if they aren't the right ones) in a court house spreads a message of favoritism and establishment. That is unconstitutional.

[caveatemp]

@rufuguru You're either an idiot or an operative. 18 years old, eh? I'm not talking about museum pieces. I'm talking about the city of Washington DC. The layout of the city, the monuments, the murals. They are all explicitly Egyptian/Babylonian mystery religion. This is undue influence of one particular religion in our nation's capitol. You don't find this unconstitutional?

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp Well, first of all most people don't even recognize Egyptian and Babylonian mythology to be a religion. Secondly, if you think it's infringing upon your first amendment rights, then you have the right to protest and challenge the constitutionality of it. Maybe you don't have the money to, but if you contact Freedom From Religion, they might be able to give you help if they agree with you. I don't live in DC, so it would be wrong for me to protest something in DC

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp Anybody with two thumbs can see that me protesting something that isn't even in my city is just wrong. If you live in DC, than go ahead and protest. You have the right to peacefully assemble. I'm not taking sides, but in this country the majority rules as long as the rights of the minority are not infringed upon. Therefore, if the majority of DC believe that those monuments should be there, and the minority believe their rights are maintained, than you really have no case.

[rufuguru]

@caveatemp And if you honestly want them to take down the Washington Monument and change the layout of the city because you believe in that pathetic conspiracy theory, be my guest and gather the other 20 people who believe that and tell congress about it.

[justjulie37]

@robvlob Yeah, what you said ! Why is that so hard for Christians to understand?

[lutzdify]

Part 2: Also, Benjamin Franklin was also a proud deist: he said at times that the main tenants of Christianity were silly if not outright ridiculous. Don't believe me on this? Type "Benjamin Franklin Deist" and see for yourself.

[lutzdify]

@squarestackolardems The part on being considered right-wing bible is only partly true. As for Washinton's farewell address in 1797; yes it does contain references to God. However, it must be noted that a number of his writings has a deistic tone to it; this is even more so for Thomas Jefferson!! Deism, unlike atheism, doesn't outright reject the possiblilty of there being a God; it ultimately acknowledges there being a God or Gods, but has a heaping helping of philosophy and logic thrown in.

[robvlob]

@lutzdify Atheism in general is not an outright rejection of the possibility of a god although some notably strong,positive,hard atheists take that position they are not near as prevalent as weak,negative,soft atheists which don't reject the possibility they just don't believe there are any gods(not just Yahweh)

[lutzdify]

@squarestackolardems: What do you mean by that? If Thomas Jefferson were just as Consevervative as People like Rush Limbaugh or the Puritans, our government would be a lot like that of Yemen or *Shudder* Iran!!!

[Domodeath]

Some old man in the sky? What religion is that? Its not Christianity or Judaism.

[jfsfrnd]

2-through the United States; and as every sect believes its own form the true one, every one perhaps hoped for his own, but especially the Episcopalians and Congregationalists. The returning good sense of our country threatens abortion to their hopes, and they believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly: for I have sworn, upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

[jfsfrnd]

1-THOMAS JEFFERSON TO DOCTOR RUSH, Sept 23, 1800

Their hostility is on too interesting ground to be softened. The delusion into which the X. Y. Z. plot showed it possible to push the people; the successful experiment made under the prevalence of that delusion on the clause of the constitution, which, while it secured the freedom of the press, covered also the freedom of religion, had given to the clergy a very favorite hope of obtaining an establishment of a particular form of Christianity

[bRizzle2009100]

Thom has no idea what he is talking about. He claimed Benjamin Rush was a deist and he was actually one of THE most religious and evangelical of the founding fathers. It's not hard to find Dr. Rush's beliefs, he was very vocal about them. If he cant get that simple piece of history right, then how can anyone on this page trust anything that comes out of his mouth? The sad thing is, some still do bc he says what they want to here.

[bRizzle2009100]

Thom, Benjamin Rush a deist?

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ prescribes the wisest rules for just conduct in every situation of life. Happy they who are enabled to obey them in all situations! . . . My only hope of salvation is in the infinite tran¬scendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the Cross. Noth¬ing but His blood will wash away my sins [Acts 22:16]. I rely exclusively upon it. Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly! [Revelation 22:20]" - Dr. Rush

Idt so lol.

[cfh99nyc]

"As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen..." -George Washington, Treaty of Tripoli, article 11. 1797 A.D.

[rokkernumber2]

Some people: give them a moment with a microphone and the first thing they'll say is "I am a complete idiot," usually in more words. This man in his first sentence proves what Einstein said. "The only difference between genius and idiocy, is that genius has a limit."

[sabethafiredept]

@rokkernumber2 I like Einstein, he was agnostic.

[crusso4708]

Hey Dummy-the first bible was printed for the public schools by the US goverment.

View and learn!

[TheKilgoretrout]

@crusso4708 Wrong. Congress never ordered, authorized, or appropriated any money for the printing of a bible. Congress agreed to certify the accuracy of the printing. When Atkin lost money on the printing because he couldn't sell all the copies he printed, he asked congress to make up for his losses, which Congress denied. See Chris Rodda's video Congress Did Not Print a Bible for the Use of Schools watch?v=LHhYfkDZjp0 which debunks this myth. Read and learn

[TheEmilio16]

I really don't care what they were. If every one of them were a Christian, that does not mean that you or I have to be.

[orlandu9543]

Fisher Ames did not write the First Amendment. It was written by James Madison. Now, he did not come up with the idea of the text by himself, but his mentor - Thomas Jefferson - did; along with eleven others who agreed with it. And how can one person say they believe in God, yet not the divinity of Jesus? Jesus said to his disciples, "no one can come to the Father except thru me."

[cmsalvagio]

As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

[Imaginefree69]

@cmsalvagio

"..the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion.."

Allow me to post the citation for that quote:

- Treaty of Tripoli, signed by President John Adams,

passed by the third UNANIMOUS vote of the American congress

[ARKSOLDIER7]

i can't believe som of the people who think America was formed an atheist nation

[VesusSheist]

@ARKSOLDIER7 No, America was not founded as an atheist nation. It was founded as a SECULAR nation. You can practice whatever religion you like, just keep it out of our government. Secularism fosters progress.

[overpeer]

Besides... where god decided to appears was far far far away from USA, so we can probably think that if god exist, he doesn't give a fuck about USA. Get over it too.

[overpeer]

god doesn't exist, get over it.

if god would exist... he will swipe you, religious motherfuckers fundamentalist, from earth himself with a flamethrower.

[Mr88playmaker]

In America, our rights and freedoms are NOT granted by men. It is what makes us unique and exceptional among the nations. America is founded upon our DISTRUST in men. In America, we have rule of law NOT rule of men.

[Mr88playmaker]

Government does not grant our rights; GOD does. The reason God is in ALL 50 of the State Constitutions is because of the way our system of Government is structured under Him. It's about the practical nuts & bolts--logistics of how America works. Our rights are inalienable ONLY because they come to us each directly from GOD and NOT human Government.

[kaga13]

@Mr88playmaker GOD does nothing, our rights are concepts applied by government

[Mr88playmaker]

According to the framers of this nation, our freedoms and rights a 100 percent dependent upon our ability to believe in God, live according to his commandments, and keep him front and center in all areas of our life especially in (1) education and (2) Government.

"Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?"

- President Thomas Jefferson

No belief in God - no freedom

[kaga13]

@Mr88playmaker Jefferson did not believe in the christian god

[Mr88playmaker]

@kaga13

Jefferson did not frame or sign of the Constitution.

The 1st amendment was not written by Jefferson either. It was written by Fisher Ames. Jefferson believed one hundred percent in the Christian GOD and in no other. What he had a hard time with was the divinity of Jesus. he believed that Jesus was the messiah, the Son of God but Jefferson could not wrap his head around the idea of Jesus BEING God.

[kaga13]

@Mr88playmaker jefferson HATED christianity as can be seen in his personal writings, he was a moral diest

[Mr88playmaker]

@kaga13

"Almighty God ... We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful ... to do Thy will. ... Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, ...and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. ...suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

@kaga13

A Deist does NOT believe in a personal God.

A Deist does NOT believe in a God who governs in the affairs of men.

A Deist does NOT believe in a God who makes moral laws that men are judged by.

A Deist does NOT pray to God.

A Deist a person who believes in a uninvolved God who created the universe and walked away from it and left it to itself.

Jefferson believed in the God of the Bible. He feared God with trembling, and believed that Jesus is the Christ even Jefferson's Lord & Saviour.

[kaga13]

@Mr88playmaker Jefferson was a diest, you can keep spouting quotes by jefferson praying and whatnot, but it matter very very little, again his private letters show his HATRED of christianity and religion as a whole; yes Jefferson considered himself a christian in the truest sense, not an adherent of the religion christianity, but a follower of the moral views of jesus the MAN and NOT the god

[Mr88playmaker]

@kaga13

Jefferson was a very devout Christian. He attended church regularly at the State Capitol building, every week, several times per week, come rain or snow, and was in fact Chairman of the American Bible Society. Jefferson considered Jesus the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Christ. Jesus was Jefferson's personal Lord and Saviour. Jefferson could not reconcile scripture with the doctrine of the Trinity (that Jesus was also GOD Himself: one of the three persons of God). He hated the idea

[VesusSheist]

@Mr88playmaker If Jefferson believed that Jesus was the son of god, why did he remove all references to Jesus' divinity when he put together the Jefferson bible? Seriously, isn't lying against the 10 commandments?

[Mr88playmaker]

@VesusSheist

Jefferson believed that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ; and Jesus was Jefferson's personal Lord and Savior.

What Jefferson, and many people throughout history, and some even today, could NOT understand and accepts was the concept of the "TRINITY" (the 3 person Godhead) that makes Jesus ONE-WITH or the SAME AS God. Since Jesus never stated he was GOD, Jefferson believed that St. Paul had himself later high-jacked the Christian faith and "made Jesus God".

[Mr88playmaker]

Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

@kaga13 (QUOTE): "Jefferson was a diest...(END QUOTE)

A deist is one who does not believe in a personal God, a God of moral laws, a God who judges, a God one prays, who men and Governments are held accountable to & who Governs in the affairs of men.

Jefferson was not a deist. Thomas Paine was the only one in the bunch. When the French began to teach science omitting the Creator, Paine wrote them an explosive letter of protest. France has had almost 20 Constitutions in the time we have had ONE.

[Mr88playmaker]

@kaga13

"That religion or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and, therefore, all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice CHRISTIAN forbearance, love, and charity towards each other."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

52 out of the 55 U.S. founders were devout Christians and church goers. Here is a list of the religion of all the 55 framers of the U.S. Constitution: Congregationalist Christian: 7 Dutch Reformed Christian: 2 Episcopalian Christian: 26 Lutheran Christian: 1 Methodist Christian: 2 Presbyterian Christian: 11 Quaker Christian: 3 Roman Catholic Christian: 2 Deist (belief in a Creator): 1 NOTE: Deists believe in a non-personal Creator. Jefferson was NOT the 1 deist.

[Mr88playmaker]

There are three models of Government competing for world domination:

(1) Communist / atheist: where government officials decide and dole out your temporal rights if any

(2) Sharia Law: where the Qu'ron governs

(3) Judeo-Christian model, where God grants our rights & liberties and THEREFORE they are unalienable, power resides in we the people, we are sovereign and the government is our servant.

[y2zgt]

@Mr88playmaker in correct, communist you do no have to atheist. In Sharia people govern and misinterpret the koran Judeo-christian would be the England the founding fathers wanted to leave. .

[Mr88playmaker]

The Communists understand that to install the communist model they must convince Americans that God must be removed or bypassed legally. What's left is --as Jefferson warned-- tyranny; human rulers who decide your rights if any. The communists know that logistically, GOD is their biggest obstacle and problem.

A unique nation such as ours whose model of Government is founded upon distrust in man ---must be transformed from within; beginning with the minds of its citizens.

[Mr88playmaker]

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."

—Nikita Khrushchev

"We will bury your grand-children without firing a shot"

-Khrushchev (on turning the West communist from within)

[Mr88playmaker]

"I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

"I am a Christian in the only sense in which He wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to His doctrines in preference to all others."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

"The practice of morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral principles of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in His discourses."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

"The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend all to the happiness of man."

--Thomas Jefferson

[Mr88playmaker]

"No nation has ever existed or been governed without religion. Nor can be. The Christian religion is the best religion that has been given to man and I, as Chief Magistrate of this nation, am bound to give it the sanction of my example. "

--Thomas Jefferson

[aaronmcclung]

Benjamin Rush was NOT a Deist. He was a Christian. It kills me how the left wing when they talk about the founding fathers being non-christian only talk about Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. What about the other 54 signers of the declaration of independence. I know 29 of them held degrees from seminary.

[namtesyalp]

Just plain dumb and a lie.hundreds of letters and other things written by the founders found them very religious and christian,They did not want a state supported religion which is what is happening now with state making themselves the decider of things

[lacrymologyst]

@namtesyalp christianity is dead. get the fuck over it already.

[PsychoTheSocial]

ARE YOU A COMMIE!!!

[Teralek]

@PsychoTheSocial Are you a NAZI!!!

[GoogleVideoMan]

Texas wants to take Tomas Jefferson out of the school history books and replace him with Ronald Regan.

[mikekinney288]

Glenn Beck would scream and cry at this PROVEN fact about Jefferson. I guess we are definitely in a dark new era, an era where proven facts, statistics, and historical documents are pushed aside so people on FOX news and its affiliates can insert their own warped version of events....and people believe them. Scary. Goebbels did the same thing for the Third Reich

[CO2Junkie]

If you pick up a copy of 'The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth' you will find in the preface, by Forrest Church, some interesting bits about Jefferson's religious beliefs later in life. People refer to him as a Deist, fine, but it's more informative to know that he argued for the doctrine of Unitarianism.

He seemed to hope that Unitarianism would become the dominant religion in the US. He predicted that - '...there is not a young man now living in the US who will not die a Unitarian'.