Founding Fathers have near-mythical status in the US: Why?

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2003-03-08 09:53pm

Darth Wong wrote:Keep in mind that some politicians were smart enough to profess faith even while secretly despising religion. When you look at personal correspondence of men like Lincoln and Jefferson, it's quite obvious that they are not religious and in some cases, they may even be openly HOSTILE to religion (Jefferson's comments are particularly harsh).

If someone says something like "May God watch over us our nation" in public but "the Christian religion is a ridiculous myth" in personal correspondence, would you think he's a Christian, or just a politician?

In that vein, remember the quote from the movie Spartacus in the scene when Sen. Gracchus (Charles Laughton) is buying a chicken for sacrifice at the Temple of Mars to the surprise of Gaius Julius Caesar (John Gavin), to which Gracchus wryly explains: "Privately, I believe in none of the gods. Neither do you. Publicly, I believe in every one of them."

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-03-08 11:17pm

Was Winston Churchill Christian?

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-03-09 12:24am

Admiral Johnason wrote:Was Winston Churchill Christian?

What, publically, or privately?

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-03-09 12:45am

Both.

Here's something to wrap your mind around. Did you know that the reason the Stalin became a commie was because he was kick out of Siminary?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-03-09 12:46am

Colonel Olrik wrote:Our founding father wore mail and handled a big sword, declared war to castela, defeated an army ten times its force and imprisioned his mother.

Beat that

Muskets own mail and swords

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2003-03-09 06:03pm

I absolutely despise Channel One. It's blatant advertising (think about it; an almost-guaranteed audience of millions of teenagers) interspersed with shitty news reports you could get from any local news station (only less timely) and preachy documentaries about teen pregnancy/drug use/etc. that are produced in a sleazier manner (OK, for this shot, we'll be using choppy, slow-motion black and white film and using cheap computer effects to bring some text in displaying some nice statistics) than the tabloid TV shows shown just before prime-time.

As for the original topic, I think it's just the American ego at work, although I don't think the Founders are really that revered.