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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices

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To: tejek who wrote (363634)12/19/2007 2:01:55 PM
From: Brumar89  Read Replies (1) of 1573812
 
There is far more evidence that most of the FF were either Deists, Agnostic, or mildly Christian than the devout Christians claimed by today's religious right. For an example, some history and quotes from Thomas Jefferson:

First, we know Jefferson was one of the most religiously liberal of the FF's - in his beliefs he was a Unitarian. Where you make a mistake, is in thinking all the other FF's were equally unorthodox. As I've previously pointed out, only Franklin was a Deist and Adams and Jefferson were two of the three Unitarians among those who produced the Declaration of Ind. and the Constitution.

Second, in the case of Jefferson, he had an overall favorable opinion of Christianity despite being unorthodox in his beliefs and opinions. Furthermore, he was a regular church-goer himself:

Manasseh Cutler to Joseph Torrey, January 3, 1803. [page one] -- [page two] -- [page three] -- [page four]
In this letter Manasseh Cutler informs Joseph Torrey that Thomas Jefferson "and his family have constantly attended public worship in the Hall" of the House of Representatives.

Margaret Bayard Smith (1778-1844), a writer and social critic and wife of Samuel Harrison Smith, publisher of the National Intelligencer, of Jefferson's attendance at church services in the House of Representatives: "Jefferson during his whole administration was a most regular attendant. The seat he chose the first day sabbath, and the adjoining one, which his private secretary occupied, were ever afterwards by the courtesy of the congregation, left for him."

Reminiscences. [left page] - [right page]
Margaret Bayard Smith, 1837. Manuscript volume. (Copyprint of verso)

loc.gov

Note that church services were held in the House of Representatives, not just in Jefferson's time but for many decades thereafter. This is significant in that it shows the intention of the FF's was not to ban religious expression from government facilities.

"After his retirement to Monticello, Jefferson continued to attend church services, riding into town on horseback carrying a small folding chair of his own invention. He described these services in a letter to Thomas Cooper: "The court house is our common temple. Here Episcopalians and Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists, meet together, join in hymning their Maker, listen with attention and devotion to each other's preachers and all mix in society in perfect harmony.""
books.google.com
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