Was this Country formed by Diests? (Jesus, Deists, America, agnostic)

[Rex]

Jefferson, Franklin are thought to be Diests, and there is no mention of Jesus in the Constitution, just the reference to GOD.

What do you think?

[LeaderNotFollower]

Ben Franklin once said:
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper."

I don't know if this proves Franklin was a Diest, but it does sample his geniusness. You know if you opened Franklin's closet, you would have seen about 10 sets of the same outfit all hanging in there. He claimed he didn't like to waste time styling himself up, but would rather spend that time in thought. I'm just glad the country's founding was in the hands of people like Franklin and not some religious fanatics.

But yes I believe a great deal of the founding fathers were Diests. How and why have we strayed so far?

[DrM]

There were numerous Deists in the "first" family. Jeffrerson, the author of the Declration of Independence at age 33, purposely left out references to any religious belief. This was very important to the signers of the initial documents since religious persecution was one of the reasons for "escaping" to this country. . . . . . .Hence, no national religion here.

But yes I believe a great deal of the founding fathers were Diests. How and why have we strayed so far?

Great question.

[jewscout]

Yes many of the founding fathers would have been classified as Deist in their religious leanings. Our concept of America being a "christian" nation i think comes out of the revivalist movement of the early 19th century.

[Davidium]

Originally Posted by jewscout

Yes many of the founding fathers would have been classified as Deist in their religious leanings. Our concept of America being a "christian" nation i think comes out of the revivalist movement of the early 19th century.

All irony intended, I respond with a loud "AMEN"

Now, not all of the founding fathers were Deists, and some were more Deistical than others. John Adams, for instance was a Unitarian with Deist leanings. Jefferson was an Agnostic with Deist leanings. Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Ethan Allen were avowed Deists (though Franklin was throughout his life a pragmatist, he would do whatever was necessary at the time. Note his espionage activity on behalf of America, France, and even England at different times, just to keep all the bases covered ) Washington was, in many ways a Christian Deist along the same lines of Matthew Tindal in England.

If someone is interested, I will get put in the library a series of essays on the religious leanings of our founding fathers... I have them somewhere but have never placed them in the Dynamic Deism library....

I once wrote in a service I gave on Deism that "If you know more about the founding fathers religious views than you do about their political views, then you might be a Deist!"

Reason and Respect in all you say and do,

David Pyle

[Aaron CT]

Yes, davidium is correct... Most of the founding fathers were either Deists or espoused to deistic thinking...

[ΩRôghênΩ]

yes i agree that many of the founding fathers were deistic but wasnt jefferson an agnostic?

[Ody]

Originally Posted by Rex

Franklin are thought to be Diests,
What do you think?

He was a quaker.