What prompted me to write this post was a recent story I saw on FOX News (I believe) about the Alabama judge with the 10 Commandments in the courthouse and that he was running for a judgeship again…..and of course all those who keep harping on religion during the election….and some fundamentalist that had to have a say on Mormonism……..
Also the Speaker of the House gave permission for a bunch of religious types to use the Hall at the Capital for a meeting and of course there was the usual suspects mouthing the usual insults and condemnations….but one Rev. got my attention when he said “separation of church and state is communist” (I am paraphrasing)……by using his logic Jefferson, who was a huge proponent of that separation, was a communist.
We hear all the clap trap from the religious right that has me a bit confused….all the candidates that want you to believe that our Founders wanted this country to be a Christian nation….ONLY!
I think they all believed in God but that was where the religious inferences stopped….contrary to popular belief…..one can believe in God without being a Christian…..keep in mind that……..check your copy of the Declaration of independence and the US Constitution…….(pause here for reflection)……The word Christ is not mentioned once…..
Thomas Jefferson spent considerable time investigating the Bible and the life of Jesus. He subsequently wrote, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, detailing his findings — findings that differ in major ways with typical Christian beliefs.
I found a couple of quotes from our Founders that would have one believe that it might not be too true…..the site is cybercollege.com……..
Want to hear what these people really said?
George Washington – “The father of our country”
The United States is in no sense founded upon the Christian doctrine.
I do not find in orthodox Christianity
one redeeming feature. The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his Father, in the womb of a virgin will be classified with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.
The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.
The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and… foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity.
During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and severity in the laity; in both superstition, bigotry, and persecution.
Belief in God does not necessarily make one a Christian!
Please…I am NOT saying that these men were not religious….only that they all seem to hold the same belief….and that belief was the separation between church and state.
Let me reiterate something……..Fundamentalists are not friends of democracy. And that includes our fundamentalists in the United States.
I find that people who read and contemplate the Bible often come to the conclusion that much of it was not meant to be taken literally. To them it is at best a source of inspiration, not a specific guide in every matter of daily life.
The ability of many others to see that differently may reflect that their views have been formed by the interpretations of those who want it to be viewed as “the inerrant word of God” rather than coming to any conclusion on their own.
Thus, most, in my opinion, are sheep. Followers not leaders. Susceptible to the hate many preach against those of other faiths and lifestyles. Jesus himself, if alive today may actually be viewed with contempt by the legalism many christians adhere to.
Morning Larry……well said. It just makes me livid…I usually do not post much on religion because we all have our beliefs and NO one is above another in my opinion…..I believe it was Gandhi that said “Christianity is a wonderful concept, too bad it has never been tried”……..
” Jesus himself, if alive today may actually be viewed with contempt by the legalism many christians adhere to.”
Nice quote Larry, well said. I am afraid that if Christ returned for the second coming, he would not be able to convince anyone of his legitimacy. If he called himself a republican, liberals would deny him, If he called himself a liberal, Republicans would deny him, if he called himself an Arab, Americans would deny him, and so on, and so on, and on , and on…. Christianity is so chopped up into little clique like sects, God would have to send 30 Christs just to please 50% of the people…… side note…. and the CIA would have him killed.
Amen
Thanx……this is the second time that I have reminded people that Christ is nowhere to be found in the founding documents…