But here's an excert from his Gettysburg Address:
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
This nation, under God. Doesn't sound like an atheist to me.
2006-12-28 07:28:08 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Einstein referred to "god" too but he was an atheist. It's not necessarily what it seems, kiddo.
2006-12-28 07:32:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm a Humanist, and I'm not convinced that President Lincoln was an atheist throughout his entire life, but it may be so. There are hints that he was a skeptic and freethinker (see link below). He was said to have written a book expressing his atheistic ideas, but that book no longer exists. It's said to have been burned. Several close associates claimed, both during Lincoln's life and after his assassination, that Lincoln was an atheist and made his position crystal clear in private. One such testimony, or even a few, could be written off as people projecting their own views onto a public figure, but it's less likely that so many could get it wrong or have reason to lie.
If Lincoln was an atheist, why would he infuse his public speeches with such inspiring religious language? The answer is simple: Lincoln was a politician living in an age of religious enthusiasm. It was his intent to inspire, so he used the language of the time, language that would speak to the masses.
2006-12-28 15:38:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We can all say what we think things are but, thoughts are nothing without knowledge. Just accept the fact that atheist can be good hardworking people that can have just as much care for mankind as any other religion. Talking about the nation under god is just figurative speech it's in our anthem.
Not putting in that phrase at that time meant not getting respect from the religious community. That was a different time what you said or didn't say could mean everything.
2006-12-28 15:50:00 · answer #3 · answered by obscure 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considerable uncertainty arises... when Lincoln's own religion is examined... it is obvious that Christianity exerted a profound influence on his life. His father was a member of Regular Baptist churches in Kentucky and Indiana. Lincoln himself read the Bible throughout his life, quoted from it extensively... during his years as president he did regularly attend the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington. On the other hand, Lincoln never joined a church nor ever made a clear profession of standard Christian beliefs... Lincoln's friend Jesse Fell [suggested that Lincoln's views on Christian theology] were not orthodox... It is probable that Lincoln was turned against organized Christianity by his experiences as a young man in New Salem, Illinois, where excessive emotion and bitter sectarian quarrels marked yearly camp meetings and the ministry of traveling preachers. Yet although Lincoln was not a church member, he did ponder the eternal significance of his own circumstances...
2006-12-28 15:35:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
He was somewhere between a deist and an atheist. I personally read him as an agnostic and he spoke about religion mostly because they were his strongest anti-slavery allies.
He kept it pretty quite because he was in politics, but his wife and friends all agree that he was not a Christian in any way. Just Google it and you can read about it yourself. Little one line quotes like that are too easily taken out of context.
2006-12-28 15:36:17 · answer #5 · answered by Alex 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who's the Dude?
2006-12-28 15:31:44 · answer #6 · answered by Husain B. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lincoln was indeed an athiest.
"His views tend to waver between athiesm and thiesm but he had mentioned many times that he was not a Christian and could never be one."
2006-12-28 15:35:13 · answer #7 · answered by *Cara* 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
So what?
Bush talks about God all the time
its so they can trick people into thinking they are good
2006-12-28 15:31:41 · answer #8 · answered by Josephus 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You missed the periods in the original. G.O.D. stood for Good Orderly Direction. It was a common acronym. He was talking about how the country needs direction.
2006-12-28 15:31:39 · answer #9 · answered by Michael 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Um...atheist... I don't think so. Probably not a Christian though.
2006-12-28 15:45:00 · answer #10 · answered by sundeevah 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋