Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: billbears
"The Framers were not revolting over religion or severe oppression."

"In 1762, the king vetoed the charter for America's first missionary society; he also suppressed other religious freedoms and even prevented Americans from printing an English language Bible. How did Americans respond? They took action; and almost unknown today is the fact that Declaration signers such as Samuel Adams and Charles Carroll cited religious freedom as the reason they became involved in the American Revolution. And significantly, even though Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin (two of the least religious signers) are typically the only signers studied today, almost half of the signers of the Declaration (24 of 56) held what today would be considered seminary or Bible school degrees. Clearly, for many Founders, religious issues were an important motivation behind their separation from Great Britain; but that motivation is largely ignored today."

"One of the major causes was taxation"

True. But it wasn't the main reason, even though we were taught that in school (was in my school days anyway).

"An obvious example of the secularization of history occurs each year around the Fourth of July. Americans are taught that “taxation without representation” was the reason America separated from Great Britain; yet “taxation without representation” was only reason number seventeen out of the twenty-seven reasons given in the Declaration of Independence - it was not even in the top half, yet it's all that most ever hear. Never mentioned today are the numerous grievances condemning judicial activism - or those addressing moral or religious or other issues."

God: Missing in Action from American History
26 posted on 07/05/2007 6:22:27 PM PDT by loboinok (Gun control is hitting what you aim at!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies ]


To: loboinok
Well no offense to the good Framers (of who M.E. Bradford said I believe 53 of the 55 Framers were regular church goers and I have no reason to doubt) but I imagine the Stamp Act of 1765 had something to do with prevention of a Bible. Not to mention any Bible printed in the colonies would most likely be translated not showing due respect towards monarchs as the KJV was. Less to do with religious freedom in the true sense and more to do with preservation of the monarchy's control in these United States

As for Carroll, he was a Catholic wasn't he? Of course the anger from him has to be tempered somewhat by the longstanding feud between Catholicism and Protestantism, going on at least since Good Queen Bess

Adams on the other hand was quite clear as early as 1768 his reasoning for joining the cause.

Americans are taught that “taxation without representation” was the reason America separated from Great Britain; yet “taxation without representation” was only reason number seventeen out of the twenty-seven reasons given in the Declaration of Independence - it was not even in the top half, yet it's all that most ever hear

And yet 5 of the top 7 deal in some fashion with representation before the King.

29 posted on 07/05/2007 6:51:42 PM PDT by billbears (Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. --Santayana)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson