A Word From Our Founding Fathers

Here are a few of the American Founder’s views on religion: (Happy 4th!)

1. “Question with boldness even the existence of a god.” – Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787)
2. “Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.” – Thomas Paine (The Age of Reason, 1794-1795.)
3. The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind … to filch wealth and power to themselves.  [They], in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ.
   Thomas Jefferson
4. The Christian god can easily be pictured as virtually the same god as the many ancient gods of past civilizations.  The Christian god is a three headed monster; cruel, vengeful and capricious.  If one wishes to know more of this raging, three headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of people who say they serve him.  They are always of two classes; fools and hypocrites.  To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.
   Thomas Jefferson
5. …I beg you be persuaded that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution. George Washington, to United Baptists Churches of Virginia, May, 1789 from The Washington papers edited by Saul Padover
6.  Let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religions. George Washington
7. Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.
   Thomas Paine