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Posted by Introspective I enjoyed reading your post and I am writing this response in an attempt to clarify and explain to the best of my ability some of the historical influences surrounding our founding fathers beliefs. Deism in early America incorporate the science of their day with social ethics and those who followed that school of thought believed humanity was part of the universal order of things and reason they believed well give them a greater understanding of humanities relationship to that order. The freemasons also shared those beliefs due to the popularity and understanding of Newtonian physics. The deists along with the freemasons which George Washington was a member of incorporated Newtonian physics into their belief system because they believed it held the key to understanding the mysteries of the universe. The freemasons at that time were also strong supporters of the Jeffersonian bible and encouraged their members to endorse the bible publicly. It is also believed by modern Historians that the freemasons and deists were using the Jeffersonian bible to encourage and educate the public on the deists principals. We must also take into account that Jeffersons beliefs had a profound influence on Christians in general due to the resurgence and deep interest in understanding the universe and humanities relationship to the universe as a whole. Deism provided them with a rational explanation in how there is an order to everything. At the same time there were some spiritualists like Swidenburg who took those same beliefs a step further and provided a whole new way of understanding the spiritual order of reality. Some spiritualist in Jeffersons time believed in evolved spiritual beings rather then the traditional beliefs in Angels. They also believed in a karmic and spiritual order to the universe which intrigued Benjamin Franklin to the point were he invited some of them to his home. He was interested in learning more about their beliefs in a spiritual karmic order to reality. I mentioned previously on this website that the first 6 Presidents in the United States supported the Jeffersonian bible including George Washington. I must also reiterate that Thomas Jefferson rewrote his bible and removed all the miracle accounts from the book because deism was an extremely popular school of thought at that time and although they believed in god they did not believe in the divinity of Jesus. People like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin who believed that reason can free humanity from religious bondage and enlighten them to a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationship to the universe as a whole had a profound impact on Christianity in the United States. Many Christians began to turn to alternative schools of thought and question the validity of their religious convictions. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Jeffersonian bible in the hope that it would be adopted by all Christians not just the Unitarians in his day. There were many so called cafeteria Christians in Jeffersons time just as there are many cafeteria Christians today they do not hold to all the churches beliefs and Christian dogma. They eclectically hold certain beliefs and dismiss others without leaving their church all together. That is what I mean by cafeteria Christians they make up most of the Christians in the United States today. Thomas Jefferson and his beliefs had a profound influence on those Christians and they began to question the validity of the Christian faith. Some of those Christians turned elsewhere for answers including Unitarianism. We can not deny the influence that Deism had in forming our new Democratic Government and the influence it had on Thomas Jeffersons strong conviction to place a wall of separation between Church and State. I am personally grateful that the separation of Church and State exists in our country due to how religion in the past particularly Christianity has suppressed intellectual freedom. I have outlined examples of this on this website in the past. I personally do not agree with Deism but as you can plainly see I am not a Christian either due to my own historical influences and education. However, I am a spiritual person with a pantheistic view and experience of God. I believe my existence and the existence of all things is Gods outreach of love. I am also a firm believer that it is best not to impose ones beliefs or will upon others but rather live your life as you would want others to live there lives in doing so others will emulate your way of life. I believe this was one of the guiding principals in establishing a Democratic Government for America by our founding fathers.
on 9/2/2004, 7:36 am
64.12.116.9
Deism and our Nations Founding Fathers.......
By being members of the Masonic Temple it is more then likely that President Washington, Madison and Monroe not only shared the beliefs of the freemasons they were most likely strong supporters of the deists principles. It is also reflected in their writings on Social Justice, moral ethics and the belief that humanity is part of a universal order. Thomas Jefferson believed in those ideals so strongly that they are reflected in his writing as well. Reason he believed and through proper education humanity will evolve to a greater understanding of his moral and ethical duty which is to live by example ethically and morally. He also believed that his Jeffersonian bible could be a moral literary source separate and apart from religious interference.
Introspective
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