What do you think of these quotes?

Question

“Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by difference of sentiment in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought most to be deprecated. I was in hopes that the enlightened and liberal policy which has marked the present age would at least have reconciled Christians of every denomination, so far that we should never again see their religious disputes carried to such a pitch as to endanger the peace of society.”
-- George Washington, letter to Sir Edward Newenham, Oct. 20, 1792.

“Until this awful blasphemy [the Incarnation] is got rid of, there never will be any liberal science in the world.”
-- John Adams, letter, Jan. 22, 1825, Works of J. Adams


“Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. . . . Do not be frightened from this inquiry by any fear of its consequences. If it ends in a belief that there is no God, you will find inducements to virtue in the comfort and pleasantness you feel in its exercise, and the love of others which it will procure you.”
-- Thomas Jefferson's letter to nephew Peter Carr, written from Paris, Aug. 10, 1787



“I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother, and almost all my best friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine.”
-- Charles Darwin, Autobiography



“Mr. Lincoln was never a member of any Church, nor did he believe in the divinity of Christ, or the inspiration of the Scriptures in the sense understood by evangelical Christians.

When a boy, he showed no sign of that piety which his many biographers ascribe to his manhood. When he went to church at all, he went to mock, and came away to mimic.

When he came to New Salem, he consorted with Freethinkers, joined with them in deriding the gospel story of Jesus, read Volney and Paine, and then wrote a deliberate and labored essay, wherein he reached conclusions similar to theirs.”
-- Colonel Ward H. Lamon (a religionist and Lincoln's longtime friend), Life of Abraham Lincoln, pp. 486, 487, 157 (1872), cited by Franklin Steiner in The Religious Beliefs of Our Presidents

Answer 1

I would hate to be quoted!
As a believer, I think Jefferson, the unbeliever, makes a good point.
I believe Lincoln was converted some time in the last year or two of his presidency. Unless that is just a popular myth.
None of the quotes surprise me. However they may surprise those who have been taught the founding fathers were all believers. Some of those might just say the quotes aren't true!
None of it need affect what we believe or do ot believe. I don-t believe what the pope says, I don't believe what Bush says, and I don't necessarily believe everything any famous evangelical Christian (my faith) will say. My belief is based on the Bible and my personal relationship with God.
EDIT:
I'm not really sure why you included Darwin - he is not usually held up as a Christian believer, is he? (If your point is, as it seems, to debunk the idea that he is a believer).
One of your respondents seems to think your comments will be extremely upsetting for believers. I don't see why.

Answer 2

In an article for the News of The World, Pietersen said: “At the moment, being part of the England squad is a pretty damn lonely place to be. We don’t need anybody to tell us how dreadful we were on Friday or how it’s vital we salvage something from these last two games. We realise that every time we get together as a group. It’s our responsibility to put it right, nobody else’s. There’s nobody who can dig England out of this hole except ourselves.” “Now, though, it might be that I have to change my approach a little. Everything that has gone on this winter has just intensified the pressure and the expectation and it’s become mentally gruelling and tough to keep doing the same things,” he adds. also, to confirm from a second source "At the moment, being part of the England squad is a pretty damn lonely place to be ... the only game we've won this winter was down to the fact the West Indies couldn't add up properly." Kevin Pietersen reiterates the misery he currently feels as England's tour of the Caribbean draws to a close -Mar 29, 2009

Answer 3

well here are more qoutes for you.

John Adams and John Hancock:
We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus! [April 18, 1775]

John Adams:
“ The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
• “[July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." --October 11, 1798

"I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen." December 25, 1813 letter to Thomas Jefferson

"Without Religion this World would be Something not fit to be mentioned in polite Company, I mean Hell." [John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, April 19, 1817] |

Thomas Jefferson



“The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend to all the happiness of man.”
“Of all the systems of morality, ancient or modern which have come under my observation, none appears to me so pure as that of Jesus.”

"I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus." [Letter to Benjamin Rush April 21, 1803]

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.” [Notes on the State of Virginia, 1781]

“It [the Bible] is a document in proof that I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus."
[Jan 9, 1816 Letter to Charles Thomson]

Answer 4

What do you think of this one?

Nonsense, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist—
Attributed to John Sedgwick (1813 - 1864) U.S. general, 1864. His last words, in response to a suggestion that he should not show himself over the parapet during the Battle of the Wilderness.

Answer 5

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Letter To Henry L. Pierce and Others" (April 6, 1859), p. 376.

There are a lot more to oppose your views. I can find them but there is not enough room here.
Sorry but your quotes are not accurately portrayed.

Get A Grip.

Answer 6

Christians will hate these quotes and denounce them - oh, and take them as a personal attack, and an attack on their religion, not as a questioning of their beliefs (which is what they are). They will refuse to even think about them for a moment (especially the one from that evil devil Darwin). However, I thank you for an interesting bit of research in bringing these quotes together.

Answer 7

Geo. Washington in a speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs 5-12-1779 "What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ."

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible."

"It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God to obey His will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors."

Quote by Nelly Custis-Lewis, Washington's adopted daughter)
"Is it necessary that anyone should ask, "Did General Washington avow himself to be a believer in Christianity? As well may we question his patriotism, his heroic devotion to his country. His mottos were "Deeds, not words" and "For God and my Country."

Have you read George Washington's personal prayers? He wrote a 24 page manuscript book of them 4-21-23-1752.

Have you seen the pictures of Washington kneeling and praying beside his horse?

John Adams in his diary 26 July 1796:
"The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity."

Address to the Military, 11 October 1798:
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the srongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

Have you ever read some of the Constitutions of the States?

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, Third President of the US and author of the Northwest Ordinance.
"The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend to all the happiness of man." "Of All the systems of morality, ancient or modern which have come under my observation, none appears to me so pure as that of Jesus." "I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus." (Letter to Benjamin Rush 1803 one of the signers of the Constitution)

"God who gave us life gave us liberty, And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the mind of the people that these liberties are a gift from God. that they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever. (On the State of Virginia 1781)

"It (the Bible) is a document in proof that I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus." (Jan. 9, 1816 letter to Charles Thomson)

I wouldn't give you two cents for everything that Charles Darwin ever said.

Lincoln is a double minded man when it came to God. On beliefnet John Meacham wrote that according to Treasurery Secretary Salmon P. Chase's diary that Lincoln made a deal with the Almighty and issued a Proclamation of Emancipation. Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles said that Lincoln called them together and said, he had made a voew a covenant, that if God gave them the victory in the approaching battle (which had just been fought) he would consider it his duty to move forward in the cause of emancipation. He said God had decided this question in favor of the slave.

At New York's Cooper Union on February 27, 1860 Lincoln said, "Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it." Lincoln quoted the 19th Psalm with this statement "the judgmens of the Lord are rue and righteous altogether." He was saying that America was being summoned to account for its sins against the human beings it had long enslaved.
Lincoln knew the Word of God well and Lincoln used it to his advantage. Eleven days laer, answering a congratulatory message about his speech, Lincoln said he understood that the address was not going to be "immediately popular," but he was confident he had done right. "men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them" Lincoln wrote. "To deny it, however, in this case, is to deny that there is a God governing the world. It is a truth which I thought needed to be told......." Lincoln used the Bible to great advantage for himself, but only God knows the heart of any man and I believe Lincoln wanted it this way.

You have a right to all of your opinions, but then so do I. May the Lord forgive you for misleading His people.

Answer 8

hi dad here you sound well read but have you read the basic instructions before leaving earth
the bible BY GOD THE WORD AND JESUS CHRISTread gensis to maps index luv dad

Answer 9

I think some are going to refuse to believe that the Founding Fathers weren't Christian.

Answer 10

They seem to be highly opinionated illusively structured religion bashing quotes. Not much use for any arguer really.