America vs Religion + Awesome Founding Father Quotes

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2005-07-05 04:06pm

applejack wrote: But if quotes like Thomas Jefferson's remark about Christianity being a superstition is any indication, some of the Founding Fathers were hostile to Faith as well. The trend of the day amongst many of the Founding Fathers it seems was using Reason to understand God.

Perhaps, but remember that some of these phrases can be taken a tad out of context. It's easy to merge an argument against religion into an argument against faith. For many the two are one and the same.

I think most of them were more into the last sentence you say. "Using reason to understand God", a truely noble cause (even if you don't believe in God, it serves science in genera if followed with a level head). I agree, that's probably what they did, rather than all outright hating belief itself.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-09-25 04:29am

Successive idiot thread hijacks split to http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic.php?t=77767 and http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic.php?t=77766

Silver Jedi · Post by **Silver Jedi** » 2005-12-14 05:45pm

Something a little more recent, that I think sums up the sprit of the first ammendment nicely:

Ronald Regan wrote:We in the United States, above all, must remember that lesson, for we were founded as a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. And so we must remain. Our very unity has been strengthened by our pluralism. We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free, and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief.

to Members of the Congregation of Temple Hillel and Jewish Community Leaders in Valley Stream, New York, 26 October 1984

Granted, he's not a founding father, but still.

Haruko · Post by **Haruko** » 2006-01-05 05:04pm

Awesome list of Founder quotes: http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/ ... tions.html

They're very well-sourced. I only wish it contained an elaborate list for many more Founders, including the lesser known.

Haruko · Post by **Haruko** » 2006-01-19 02:45am

Anyone know of where I may find listed a large collection of well-sourced quotes of Alexander Hamilton as layed out for other Founders or Revolutionaries at the site I linked above?

I tried searching through Google, but I haven't found anything satisfactory towards my above stated aim.