Misrepresenting Our Religious History
While not bragging, I have to say that I think I am a pretty patient person. I’m not one to get riled up quickly or over things I feel are trivial and quite honestly, most things in life are trivial. Some are not and I’ve had a slow burn going over time related to the increasingly frequent statements that proclaim our Founding Father’s beliefs to be atheism, deism, or some other belief system other than Judeo-Christian beliefs.
This quote is from a “.gov” site:
Thomas Jefferson:
"I shall need, too, the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers, as Israel of old, from their native land and planted them in a country flowing with all the necessaries and comforts of life; who has covered our infancy with His providence and our riper years with His wisdom and power, and to whose goodness I ask you to join in supplications with me that He will so enlighten the minds of your servants, guide their councils, and prosper their measures that whatsoever they do shall result in your good, and shall secure to you the peace, friendship, and approbation of all nations."
The Congressional Prayer Caucus - Prayer in Congress
I really just have one question based on this quote alone. What “Being” would one always capitalize, offer “supplication” to, led “Israel of old” , and would offer wisdom to His “servants”?
What being, other than the God of the Judeo-Christian beliefs systems, could this be referring to? (note: if you post a comment, “flying spaghetti monster” and “Cthulhu” are not acceptable answers).
So what is comes down to is this, if you choose to reject God, that’s your prerogative. Christ said “I stand at the door and knock…”, not “I do dynamic entries…” I don’t think churches should go kicking in doors shouting “JESUS TEAM! GET ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY!!!” That decision is squarely the responsibility and free choice of every individual.
On the flipside I don’t think I can take any more lame attempts to represent our past as something it isn’t. If I read someone’s opinion that “The founders were Christians, but I feel we’ve grown out of that”, then at least they’re being honest. Is that too much to ask for from anyone? Christian, atheist, etc?
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