On the 12th of February, 1809 nearly 200 years ago - a young, poor illiterate woman in Virginia named Nancy Hanks Lincoln, gave birth to a son in a log cabin built along the banks of the south fork of Nolin Creek, near what is now Hodgenville, Kentucky. That baby, whom she named Abraham, grew to become one of our greatest, and most tragic, national leaders.
Lincoln was the only American President not to have declared himself a member of any particular faith. This fact has given rise to much speculation. In fact, there are those who believe honest Abe was Jewish.
His name was Abraham. His great grandfather was named Mordechai. He was neither raised in a church nor did he ever belong to a church.
When he was assassinated, whole Jewish communities sat shiva. Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, who created Reform Judaism, eulogized the fallen President.
When questioned on his religious beliefs, Abe recommended every American study, learn & follow Exodus chapter 20, known as the 10 Commandments.
2006-07-05 02:31:36 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
hum.. that's something that I didn't know. Interesting is right. Pretty cool.
2006-07-05 02:35:05 · answer #1 · answered by Adalina 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are some serious assumptions made in your statements. It is interesting nonetheless. Remember that Bible names were pretty much the norm back then. I have an ancestor named Ezekiel who had a son named Jeremiah. They did not belong to any churches either. That doesn't make them Jews. President Lincoln's recommendation to study the 10 Commandments are still in line with someone who is Christian trying to be inclussive. The fact that Jewish communities sat shiva and a Rabbi eulogized him only means respect from a thankful nation. Given all that. Kudos for doing your homework. Very interesting... !
2006-07-05 02:39:53 · answer #2 · answered by Professor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was not Jewish. If I recall from his biography, he was a presbyterian.
He was a great leader. That is why the Jewish community mourned for him, and Isaac Wise eulogised him.
There were many of the time who had biblical names, so the name Abraham was nothing more than one of the common names of the time.
The 10 commandments were a Sunday school requirement for most christian Americans.
2006-07-05 04:32:55 · answer #3 · answered by Chief BaggageSmasher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interesting. It would seem that there would be SOME record of it. Does the White House have records of grocery expenses, etc? I don't know much about Jewish burial customs, would his wife have respected them, I can't remember if she was still alive.
(I don't mean to be disrespectful, but would Jews then put pictures of him up on their walls? I ask this because when I was a child, Kennedy was president, and my Irish-Catholic grandparents had his picture on the wall next to another religious picture, or a cross. I can't remember exactly, but it seemed like a shrine to me. I actually thought he was a saint. I knew he was president, but I didn't know exactly what a saint was.
And the Poles (my mother's ethnicity) thought of John Paul II as "their pope." It seems strange to me, how can you get higher than a pope? But they seem to regard him as such.
2006-07-05 03:01:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is quite an interesting story, and who knows, it may be true. There have been many great men who have served as president of this country, as well as some dirty rotten scoundrels like we currently have in office. I won't mention any names. ;) I hope America wakes up and quits letting the Bushites scare them into giving up their rights in the name of "defending us against terrorism." Baloney! How many terrorist attacks have we faced? ONE. How much terror has this administration caused the people who were fighting back the only way they knew how against a far superior power? You can't fight terror with weapons, and you sure can't fight it by giving up your freedom! What the world needs now, is love, sweet love, as the song goes. I am gathering some musicians to fight ALL this evil, hatred, greed, Bushism, (hmmm... who is more like Hitler? Saddam or Bush?) violence, hunger, and other spiritual ills of the world. Spread your love. Light your fire and drive away the darkness. Join us in this spiritual fight! F R E E D O M! ! !
Cal-el
2006-07-05 02:41:51 · answer #5 · answered by Prodigal Son 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does it matter? We've had Presidents from all faiths and doctrines? People had fits when we elected Kennedy because he was Catholic, but he behaved as such. Once again proving that the religion claimed of our leader with few exceptions has influenced his office - but the political power has influenced the man.
2006-07-05 02:37:56 · answer #6 · answered by dph_40 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
And before he died he married Mary Magdalene and their children formed the IMF the CIA and the Mossad.
I saw that one on Springer.
2006-07-05 02:38:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is only one way we can be one hundred per cent sure of what you are saying - We have to see his thinggy - that will confirm it one way or the other.
2006-07-05 02:36:56 · answer #8 · answered by Ya-sai 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems he was an atheist who occasionally attended a Presbyterian church.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Presidential_religious_affiliations
2006-07-05 02:44:55 · answer #9 · answered by Left the building 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋