Mind Your P's and Quotes
  by Steven Mahone

Many in our society will readily attribute the greatness of our nation to a Judeo-Christian influence which is presumably the foundation from which all of our laws and morals are derived. These advocates are almost always evangelical Christians and they are eager to quote many of our Founding Fathers to support their conclusions … when, of course, the quotes suit their particular agenda.

In fact, we are a nation founded upon principles that were the result of thoughtful and decent men - some of whom were Christian, some were deists, and some professed no religion at all. Regardless of their own religious convictions, these men drafted a secular document that governs all of us based upon ideals that apply equally to everyone.

In the true spirit of quote "mining", here are a few examples of what our founders really thought as they crafted the birth of a nation:

I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition (Christianity) one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. [Thomas Jefferson, private letter to Dr. Woods]

If not an absolute atheist, he had no belief in a future existence. All his ideas of obligation or retribution were bounded by the present life. [President John Quincy Adams on Thomas Jefferson, 1831]

The number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state. [James Madison, 1819]

... I beg you be persuaded that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution. [George Washington, to United Baptists Churches of Virginia, 1789]

Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law. [Thomas Jefferson, 1814]

When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not care to support it, so that its professors are obliged to call for the help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one. [Ben Franklin, 1754]

[About the Trinity] Tom, had you and I been 40 days with Moses, and beheld the great God, and even if God himself had tried to tell us that three was one . . . and one equals three, you and I would never have believed it. We would never fall victims to such lies. [John Adams, private letter to Thomas Jefferson]

I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies. [Benjamin Franklin]

And in what might be construed as a bit of a cheap-shot, compare these two quotes and consider the accomplishments that resulted from each man's philosophical mindset:

Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith ... we need believing people. [Adolf Hitler, 1933]

An alliance or coalition between Government and religion cannot be too carefully guarded against ... religion and government will exist in greater purity, without (rather) than with the aid of government. [James Madison, 1822]

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