CTR
No disrespect to the Founders, but their distrust of organized religion has more to do with Enlightenment politics than a sincere desire to know Jesus. The idea of revolution is based upon an adolescent hostility towards any form of authority, and our American Revolution was no exception. Scripture and Tradition make it plain that the Christian cannot be a revolutionary; he is instead to submit to all Earthly authority as to God, for all authority on Earth is established by God. Should an Earthly authority demand more than the Christian can give, it is the Christian’s duty to simply refuse to comply, and to submit meekly to whatever consequences entail — but never to raise a hand against Caesar. This, not revolution, is the example set by the saints and martyrs.
Peter: "We did not follow cleverly invented stories..."
Of course, they would have hated the religion Joseph Smith invented even more, as the things they didn’t like are stronger in Mormonism than in the religions of their day.
Over 200 years ago it was just as easy to spot a phony preacher that hijacks Jesus as it is now. And there are plenty of hijackers out there these days.
I find it odd that when the Mormons wished to setup their own territory and state where they could practice their faith like unto the Quakers and Puritans who left the oppression of the English and European systems of state religions, They were told that they would have to conform to the religious beliefs of the sate, by doing away with multiple wifes. Our forefathers gave their blood for the right to worship different and yet the state that was created has now become like the system that the forefathers fought and gave their blood to set us free from.
Jefferson also thought the Bible just didn't measure up so he “edited” it into The Jefferson Bible, keeping only what he approved of, getting rid of miracle and such.
Jefferson harbored much more than just an antipathy toward the clergy.
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Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
The majority of the population was calvinist at the time of the revolution — including the puritans, the presybeterians dutch reformed, german reformed, french Huguenot and Swedish churches.
Joseph Smith came from what was later known as the burnt over district.
They had religious awakenings in New York that were very widespread and very shallow. The churches created had all kinds of wierd heresies. They caught on quickly and just as quickly died away.
Hence the term burnt over district.
Some of the founding fathers may have been deists, but I doubt they were polytheists.
Jefferson was a religious man, but it was his own religion. I would hardly place a bunch of trust in what he thought. It would be like someone believing Rev Wright had some special insight into the Bible because he preached 30 years. He preached error, but preached none the less.
Here on FR, we seem to get entertainment from reading what Jefferson thought about religion, and then in the next breath, say he was a deist, or even atheist. He read the Bible, quoted Scriptures, and even had Scriptures carved on some of his landmarks and statues. That doesn't make him a Biblical scholar. He believed what Jefferson believed and left out the rest. He wasn't a pagan, but was hardly an authority on Spiritual things. I can't understand why people choose to quote him.
that you’d post something so divisive, immediately after Christmas should cause all of us great pause for your motives
Are you trying to freelance again?
I don't know where you got this from or who wrote it for you, but maybe you need to stick with simply being an echo, parroting the line as best you can...
It is funny that in the end, you could only find two founders who make your point (not really but its Christmas so Ill be generous). Defending Smith takes leaps that would be the envy of Evel Knievel, and sadly seem to under cut our nations greatness and that of its leaders.
Given that Jefferson and Franklin were not Christians,
your article starts on a shaky foundation.
As a puff piece to try to make whacko Joseph Smith, treasure
seeker, occult practioner, philanderer, polygamous horndog, and cult founder seem “normal”, it falls short.
1. Wheres the link Resty?
2. Joseph Smith did not live during the period as Jefferson and Franklin.
"The truth is that Calvinism has introduced into the Christian religion more new absurdities than its leaders had purged it of old ones."
Wow! How was Jefferson able to read Free Republic way back then? ;)
I would find myself in good company with Jefferson and Franklin. Intelligent men and women can barely tolerate the smallness of those who anoint themselves as heralds of the Messiah. The one thing that is most striking that much of modern organized religion does not grasp is that God does the calling and not once in the bible did he call men who behaved as fools. All were flawed but none were ignorant. I do not need another man who smells far too sweetly to be polite and speaks far too measured though often not so erudite to assess the worthiness of my soul. That said fictional religious additions such as the book of Mormon make the the phoniness of many clergy appear tame.