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To: what's up
You seem to assume the Founders had some kind of all-seeing power to know what Paine would do and say in coming decades.

The assertion seems to be that it's an inevitable consequence of his religious beliefs. If you do not hold the correct religious beliefs, you either are or will inevitably become hostile to the cause of preservation of the republic.

34 posted on 09/03/2009 12:22:00 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: tacticalogic
If you do not hold the correct religious beliefs, you either are or will inevitably become hostile to the cause of preservation of the republic.

Not necessarily. If an atheist (example Boris Pasternak in Russia) speaks out against Stalin then he's an ally for those agitating for freedom.

However, you are correct that the Founding Fathers DID generally believe that religious beliefs will result in a better society than atheism. Even Jefferson espoused this. But Paine was condemned on his later actions, not his beliefs. Why wouldn't he have been condemned? He acted stupidly.

35 posted on 09/03/2009 12:38:47 PM PDT by what's up
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