I must point out that many of out founding fathers were not Christian. They were deist or athiest. Examples are Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, both on the commitee that authored the Declaration of Independence. By categorizing them all as white male Christians is incorrect.
Here is the description of Deism from the History Channel web site: "Deism, a European religious and philosophical movement, was influential in eighteenth-century American thought. It described a world order based on human reason rather than divine revelation. God was viewed as the "first cause" who had established an ordered universe controlled by immutable laws that functioned without miracles or other divine intervention. Human beings had to rely on reason to know God's existence and their own moral duties. This radical development in religious thought was prompted by new philosophical methods, frustration with doctrinal controversies, new political and social theories, and a revolution in the empirical sciences led by Isaac Newton. Although deism appealed to the individualism and optimism of many eighteenth-century American political and social thinkers, it was popular only among upper-class intellectuals. American deists ranged from the moderate anticlericism, rational morality, and political liberalism of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin to the much less common militant deism of Ethan Allen and Thomas Paine, who called for an abolition of traditional religion. The one unifying factor in the different versions of deism was a readiness to question traditional revealed religion." Another point of trivia is that Ethan Allen was considered the most profane man on the continent when he was alive. He had been run out of Boston into the Green Mountains and Virginia before that. Russel > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: 2002/06/26 Wed PM 04:31:58 EDT > To: CF-Community <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: RE: RE: RE: CNN Breaking News > > Kevin- > > that's a very good point (about God in this document). > > Would be willing to bet that the group of predominately > male white Christians who made the Declaration of > Independence were doing so with a certain amount of > emotion - "impel" is the word they used, so invoking God > to put the most weight behind it from their perspective. > > In fact, while they included their God, they excluded > all women. Should we change that also?? ;-) > > Am wondering if one of the folks on the list who is more > scholarly than I about governmental history could reply > on when the separation of church and state was written, > and by which group, as compared to this document. > > -Ben > > > So should we change this document too so the mention of God is not > > officially in it. > > > > When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people > > to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, > > and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal > > station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a > > decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should > > declare the causes which impel them to the separation. > > > > We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, > > that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, > > that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. > > > > > > This country was founded by God Fearing people, do you think they would > > approve of this? > > > > > > What about our money, In God we trust??? > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Beth Fleischer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 2:44 PM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: Re: RE: RE: CNN Breaking News > > > > > Then guess what, you don't have to say it. I don't agree with forcing > > > someone to say it, but at least stand and show respect for the > > > flag and > > > what it represents. > > > > The flag doesn't represent a country under god, it represents a > > country. And in our country one has the freedom to not show respect > > for this country. I am proud of that. > > > > You are welcome to optionally say "under god" if you like, but it > > shouldnt' be officially in the pledge. > > > > > > > > You turned out fine though, didn't you? ;) > > > > > > Actually I turned out with a great caution for you folks who think this > > country has anything to do with god on an offical level. > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Your ad could be here. Monies from ads go to support these lists and provide more resources for the community. http://www.fusionauthority.com/ads.cfm Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
