Was George Washington a Christian or an Atheist?

Question

Please give examples or proof if you have it.

Answer 1

U.S. History Organization

The nearest to an authentication of the Potts story of Washington's prayer in the woods seems to be supplied by the "Diary and Remembrances" of the Rev. Nathaniel Randolph Snowden, an ordained Presbyterian minister, graduate of Princeton with a degree from Dickinson College. The original is owned by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Mr. Snowden was born in Philadelphia January 17, 1770 and died November 12, 1851. His writings cover a period from youth to 1846. In his records may be found these observations, in Mr. Snowden's own handwriting:

"I knew personally the celebrated Quaker Potts who saw Gen'l Washington alone in the woods at prayer. I got it from himself, myself. Weems mentioned it in his history of Washington, but I got it from the man myself, as follows:
"I was riding with him (Mr. Potts) in Montgomery County, Penn'a near to the Valley Forge, where the army lay during the war of ye Revolution. Mr. Potts was a Senator in our State & a Whig. I told him I was agreeably surprised to find him a friend to his country as the Quakers were mostly Tories. He said, 'It was so and I was a rank Tory once, for I never believed that America c'd proceed against Great Britain whose fleets and armies covered the land and ocean, but something very extraordinary converted me to the Good Faith!" "What was that," I inquired? 'Do you see that woods, & that plain. It was about a quarter of a mile off from the place we were riding, as it happened.' 'There,' said he, 'laid the army of Washington. It was a most distressing time of ye war, and all were for giving up the Ship but that great and good man. In that woods pointing to a close in view, I heard a plaintive sound as, of a man at prayer. I tied my horse to a sapling & went quietly into the woods & to my astonishment I saw the great George Washington on his knees alone, with his sword on one side and his ****** hat on the other. He was at Prayer to the God of the Armies, beseeching to interpose with his Divine aid, as it was ye Crisis, & the cause of the country, of humanity & of the world.

'Such a prayer I never heard from the lips of man. I left him alone praying.

'I went home & told my wife. I saw a sight and heard today what I never saw or heard before, and just related to her what I had seen & heard & observed. We never thought a man c'd be a soldier & a Christian, but if there is one in the world, it is Washington. She also was astonished. We thought it was the cause of God, & America could prevail.' "He then to me put out his right hand & said 'I turned right about and became a Whig.'"

Mr. Snowden, as if to emphasize the piety of Washington sets forth in his records that he often saw Washington, that he accompanied seventy other clergymen to visit him on the anniversary of his birth February 22, 1792. Then Mr. Snowden adds:

"I felt much impressed in his presence and reflected upon the hand and wonderful Providence of God in raising him up and qualifying him with so many rare qualities and virtues for the good of this country and the world. Washington was not only brave and talented, but a truly excellent and pious man of God and of prayer. He always retired before a battle and in any emergency for prayer and direction."

"When the army lay at Morristown, the Rev. Dr. Jones, administered the sacrament of ye Lord's supper. Washington came forward at ye head of all his officers and took his seat at ye 1st table, & took of ye bread and wine, the Symbols of Christ's broken body and shed blood, to do this in remembrance of ye L J C & thus professed himself a Christian & a disciple of the blessed Jesus."

Answer 2

George Washington Atheist

Answer 3

Yes, George Washington professed to be a Christian and gave us many evidences that he was in fact one. For example, before battles, General Washington prayed. He commanded his soldiers to act as good Christian men. Search the referenced URL for the term Christian to see for yourself.
The American liberals of today detest the fact that the Father of the great democratic United States of America was a Christian - they love to point out the fact that agnostics like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were not Christian.

Nevertheless, Washington has the "Father" title, now doesn't he? This points to the fact that atheism is nothing more than anti-American.

Answer 4

If Old George was an Atheist, he must be spinning in his grave.
On the Washington quarters his bust appears with the words, "In God We Trust."

Officially, George attended an Episcopal Church (Anglican) apparently, yet was not a communicant. More recognized as a Deist, George tended towards political correctness and inclusiveness towards all religious beliefs.

George might be most accurately described as an Agnostic:
Open to all, and not really searching for any one particular faith system.

Answer 5

The following comes from the Wikipedia:

Washington was baptized as an infant into the Church of England.[23][24] In 1765, when the Church of England was still the state religion,[25] he served on the vestry (lay council) for his local church. Throughout his life, he spoke of the value of righteousness, and of seeking and offering thanks for the "blessings of Heaven". He was also a firm believer in the importance of religion for republican government.[citation needed] He endorsed religion rhetorically and in his 1796 Farewell Address remarked on its importance in building moral character in American citizenry, believing morality undergirded all public order and successful popular government. In a letter to George Mason in 1785, he wrote that he was not among those alarmed by a bill "making people pay towards the support of that [religion] which they profess", but felt that it was "impolitic" to pass such a measure, and wished it had never been proposed, believing that it would disturb public tranquility.[26]

His adopted daughter, Nelly Custis Lewis, stated: "I have heard her [Nelly's mother, Eleanor Calvert Custis,] say that General Washington always received the sacrament with my grandmother [Martha Washington] before the revolution". After the revolution, Washington frequently accompanied his wife to Christian church services; however, there is no record of his ever taking communion, and he would regularly leave services before communion — with the other non-communicants (as was the custom of the day), until he ceased attending at all on communion Sundays. Historians and biographers continue to debate the degree to which he can be counted as a Christian, and the degree to which he was a deist.

Washington was an early supporter of religious toleration. In 1775, he ordered that his troops not show anti-Catholic sentiments by burning the pope in effigy on Guy Fawkes Night. When hiring workmen for Mount Vernon, he wrote to his agent, "If they be good workmen, they may be from Asia, Africa, or Europe; they may be Mohammedans (Muslims), Jews, or Christians of any sect, or they may be Atheists."[27]

Answer 6

Well, if you ask an Atheist then George Washington was Deist and Adolf Hitler was Christian.

If you ask a Christian then George Washington was Christian and Adolf Hitler was Atheist.

I have seen so much documented both ways on each of these people that I finally gave up trying to discover the honest answer. The true answer is likely lost in time thanks to people trying to re-write history. Thanks everybody!

Answer 7

Absolute Christian, although he didn't have too much time on his hands to spend at church. He was not very active in the church, but his wife Martha was.

It's also important to note that Washington was first and foremost a warrior. His duty to his country was to defeat the British Army. Washington was not one of the founders of our government.

It's also important to know that the web is FULL of athiest based falsehoods on Washington because he's an easy mark. DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ!

The fist link I've provided has his farewell speach AND an actual photo of it to prove it's authenticity. The athiests' cannot provide such proof. PERIOD.

Answer 8

It's a decent question if you're wanting to show that the United States was NOT founded as a Christian nation, even though a majority of Americans now (and probably then) are Christian. I've always heard that he was a Deist.

Answer 9

Christianity is not my religion." - A. Lincoln “The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason” - Benjamin Franklin “I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology”. - Thomas Jefferson "Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man." Thomas Jefferson “The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession”. - Abraham Lincoln “During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison “The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and whole carloads of other foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity”. - John Adams The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion." - John Adams Washington was obviously an aberation!

Answer 10

Neither, really.

“Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause. I had hoped that liberal and enlightened thought would have reconciled the Christians so that their [not our?] religious fights would not endanger the peace of Society.” Letter to Sir Edward Newenham, June 22, 1792


Rev. Dr. Abercrombie: “On sacramental Sundays, Gen. Washington, immediately after the desk and pulpit services, went out with the greater part of the Congregation.” Rev. Dr. Wilson: “After that [Dr. Abercrombie’s reproof], upon communion days, he absented himself altogether from the church.” Rev. Dr. Beverly Tucker: “The General was accustomed, on communion Sundays, to leave the church with her [Nelly Custis], sending the carriage back for Mrs. Washington.” Rev. Dr. Bird Wilson: “He never was a communicant in them [Dr. White’s churches].” Rev. William Jackson: “I find no one who ever communed with him.” * Rev. E.D. Neill: “The President was not a communicant.” * Rev. Jared Sparks: “This [his refusal to commune] may be admitted and regretted.” Gen. A.W. Greely: “There is no reliable evidence that he ever took communion.” St. Louis Globe: “There is nothing to show that he was ever a member of the church.” Washington himself (as quoted by Dr. Abercrombie): “I have never been a communicant.”

He seems to have been what is called a Deist. These people explain it more:

http://www.deism.com/washington.htm

Answer 11

He was born into the Church of England, but after the revolution he slowly drifted away from chruch and eventually stopped attending altogether.

It would be most accurate to say that he was neither Christian nor atheist - he was just indifferent.