2007-06-04 08:08:08 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There were deists and christians and some who had serious doubts and were close to non-belief.
Franklin was a deist, Washington was an Episcolpalian but he did not believe in the act of communion and would leave the service at the start of it. Both Washington & Franklin were Freemasons and the Masons were the one who put Washington's inaugaration together and Washington took his oath of office on a Masonic bible.
2007-06-04 08:23:43 · answer #1 · answered by genaddt 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They were, for the most part, Deists.
The issue is confused, primarily due to the work of two men: Jared Sparks and David Barton.
Jared Sparks was a contemporary of George Washington, and headed the Library of Congress. He was removed from office upon the discovery that he would destroy or alter any letter, document, or writing that did not agree with his Christian views. As a result, almost all of Washington's personal letters and writings are gone.
David Barton, the founder of wallbuilders.org, relies heavily on Sparks' writings, and anything that does not say what Barton wants it to gets likewise altered to fit his views. Much of it is outright faked, made up and falsely attributed. He has been taken to task time and again, and all he says is "maybe some of my sources are less trustworthy than I would like."
A good example: Barton often quotes very religious sayings as "John Adams". however John Adams, the 2nd President and Founding Father, was a Deist and very anti-religion. John Q. Adams, his son, was a religious man, but not a founding father. he is the source of these quotes that Barton likes to attribute to Adams Sr. little deceptions and lies like that are Barton's forte'.
2007-06-04 08:34:32 · answer #2 · answered by Atheist Geek 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've read a few times on R&S that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, among others, considered themselves to be Deists, not Christians.
From the looks of their strict separation of church and state as well as their insistance that the Constitution NOT be goverened by dogmatic law, I think I would have to agree.
2007-06-04 08:11:04 · answer #3 · answered by danni_d21 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mostly deistic. Intellectuals of the time had already rejected the idea of a young earth.
Jefferson actually edited his own version of the bible. He thought the teachings of Christ were good, but thought it was lost because of all of the supernatural things that went along with the story. So, he copied a version that only left in the teachings of Christ, but removed the miracles.
2007-06-04 08:25:39 · answer #4 · answered by Chris J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Havent done enough research to have an opinion on this...but since the people who first came to the americas did so to be able practice their religion in their way.....I really doubt they would be happy that religion plays such a big part in our politics
2007-06-04 08:18:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most were Deists, with no actual connection to a church. Read what Thomas Jefferson wrote about religion.
2007-06-04 08:13:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
founding fathers? like the first people in the planet or in U.S.?? anyway I've never heard of them having a religion, they just were against witches, lol.
2007-06-04 08:11:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know a bunch of them were deists. Not sure about the others.
2007-06-04 08:11:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure there is more than one answer, but many, many of the founding fathers were Christians.
2007-06-04 08:12:11 · answer #9 · answered by fanofchan 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Most were Deists and FreeMasons and some were Christian.
2007-06-04 13:54:15 · answer #10 · answered by Dave aka Spider Monkey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋