"The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves...these clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ." -- Thomas Jefferson
"Christianity...[has become] the most perverted system that ever shone on man....Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and imposters led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus." --- Thomas Jefferson
"In every country and in every age the priest/pastor has been hostile to liberty; he is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own." – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States of America
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest/pastor-ridden people maintaining a free civil government." - Thomas Jefferson
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive.– Thomas Jefferson
The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home. – James Madison
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. -- James Madison
"In no instance have . . . the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people." - James Madison
"The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma."
-- Abraham Lincoln
'When the government fears the people it is a democracy....when the people fear their government it is tyranny...' --- Thomas Jefferson
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2007-09-13 10:39:47 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If we could take Human greed, and faults out of every politician then we would have a Perfect government! It isn't God that is the problem it is HUMAN! Even in nations that are ruled by Religious leaders the leader are still a HUMAN!
The USSR and CHINA outlawed religion did they have a better government? I think not, because the country was ran by HUMANS!
Now God isn't going to come down and run any country. We could however do as the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptians did and worship our leaders as gods but that didn't work either! Because they just said they were gods and were only HUMANS!
We could always do something like in the Si-Fi movies and have a COMPUTER of PURE logic run our country. Oh wait, that won't work either, the computer always ends up tiring to wipe out all humans because HUMANS are the problem.
2007-09-13 11:58:15 · answer #1 · answered by DrMichael 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
When seen clearly Jesus said about the same thing that all the other great religious leaders said. His insights were profound.
The viewpoints of Thomas Jefferson and others are why the country was set up to prevent Theocracy.
To fight Communism the US government gave far more credit to superficial religion than was wise and pays for it today in spirituality.
Still the contrast between truth and fundamentalism finds fundamentalism lacking.
Our latest national sins are fought at the insistence of domestic fundamentalism against foreign fundamentalism. Let us hope we turn with as much enthusiasm against our own fundamentalism. It's not a certainty that we will be kinder to our own fundamentalist if we do discover that they are of less political value in the future than they are now. Still they are allowed the illusion that they determine the course of the nation in matters not in competition with corporate interest.
Even Pat Robertson owns stock.
2007-09-13 10:58:32 · answer #2 · answered by gnosticv 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Interesting quote, Inlud: We must recognize that sometime infidels have been friends of religion and kept them in check. I have read the Jeffersonian Bible which reduces Jesus to a philosopher. Although I was somewhat insulted by it, yet, it must be understood that many had fled to the U.S. to escape religious bigotry. The Baptist Church has still resisted governmental influences because their predecessors were killed while just trying to be immersed. Adventists interpret the Bible to show a healing of the historical wound in religious dogma will again result in the enforcement of religious dogma by political sanctions. Just a few more terrorist attacks in the U.S. will make us realize we need to form a legal Christian nation, notwithstanding our Constitution. There is a "end of the days" Bible code that identifies the main culprit in this. Please e-mail me for that information. Shalom, peace in Jesus, Ben Yeshua
2016-05-18 22:59:01 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thomas Jefferson wasn't a believer in the Divinity of Christ anyway... And a surprising amount of Founding Fathers weren't practicing Christians (as opposed to what elementary school and Sunday school would have us believe).
And, yes it has.
Because just look at our President. Look at those who elected him for a 2nd term. When a nation can use God as an excuse to drop bombs, then yes we have become that which our Founding Fathers feared.
As a Christian myself, I agree with Jefferson and Madison on that.
2007-09-13 10:47:11 · answer #4 · answered by Catboy 3 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Frankly, I would ask Jefferson to support his argumentation better. Just because he says, "I BELIEVE...." something, doesn't necessarity make it TRUE or factual. Some of these statements are pretty darned GENERALIZED. The one from Lincoln doens't have anything to DO with a "priest ridden nation," it is merely his own opinion about Christian dogma.
Phrases such as..."the most perverted," "In every country," "in every age," "is always," "no example," "in no instance," ...these are all terms of generalization. Generalizations are .... um... generally not a good idea to base an argument upon.
Furthermore, as I see your listing, I see 10 quotations, and see 4 of them that don't have anything to do with religion whatsoever... and of the remaining 6, 3 do not have anything to do with religion and government.
So you are down to only 3 semi-valid statements, which, again, are generalizations and I would challenge those who said it to back up their argumentation with facts... which, of course, they cannot do since they are all dead now.
Have a blessed day.
2007-09-13 11:39:19 · answer #5 · answered by wyomugs 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Well, the Bible says every christian is the priest of the lord, how many true christian are there in your country?
2007-09-13 10:47:28 · answer #6 · answered by NIGHT_WATCH 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Following his brief inaugural address to the Congress, President George Washington and his party walked over to St. Paul's Church for divine services. His prayer that afternoon was: 'Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large.
2007-09-13 10:47:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Those quotes are rather brilliant. Please email me with the sources, assuming they all came from the same place...
Oh, and to answer your question, when we live in a time when the president can say with a straight face 'God told me to run for president' and 'God told me to invade Iraq' and not get ridiculed and tossed out on his butt, then yes. We live in a priest-ridden nation.
2007-09-13 10:46:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
I guess you would have to define "Priest Ridden". I personally do not feel chained down buy any hierarchy, God has set us free, to worship and walk by His spirit not by the rules and regulations prescribed by Man.
2007-09-13 12:09:18 · answer #9 · answered by doncrete 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No we have not.
Using Jefferson's own words
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest/pastor-ridden people maintaining a free civil government." - Thomas Jefferson
We still have a free civil government so by his own words we are not a priest/pastor ridden people.
2007-09-13 11:04:03 · answer #10 · answered by Someone who cares 7 · 2⤊ 4⤋