The Faith of our Fathers
It is no longer a consideration that the majority of the population of the United States of America is Christian. 80% do claim that title, but it is no longer of the same meaning it once did. Barna has created a study that puts those who believe nine of the most basic, biblical, Christian beliefs to have dwindled down to about 7%. The lens many claim today of the founding era is that they were not religious men. More like today, they may have paid lip service to their religion, passed down by their parents, but it was unimportant to them, or even that many of them disagreed with many basic beliefs of the Bible, similar to today’s population.
This has been an impetus for many of the revisions and interpretations of the time period for quite some time now. In fact, I could very well argue that a lot of the change in America’s views on Christianity has changed in direct consequence of the revision of who the Founding Fathers were. I do argue that. The separation of Church and State has set a flow of motion that has degraded the essence of Christianity in the eyes of America.
The question is.... is it based on truth.
“The rising greatness of our country... is greatly tarnished by the general prevalence of deism which, with me, is but another name for vice and depravity... I hear it is said by the deists that I am one of their numbers; and indeed that some good people think I am no Christian. This thought gives me much more pain than the appellation Tory, because I think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics... Being a Christian... is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast.” ~Patrick Henry
“I anticipate nothing but suffering to the human race while the present system of paganism, deism, and atheism prevail in the world.” ~Benjamin Rush
This does not sound like an irreligious group of men. But it does sound like they did have differences of opinions back then. “A prevalence of deism”, which came in a most direct source - in Europe.
“The attempt by the rulers of a nation to destroy all religious opinion and to pervert a whole people to atheism is a phenomenon of profligacy... to establish atheism on the ruins of Christianity is to deprive mankind of its best consolations and most animating hopes and to make a gloomy desert of the universe.” ~Alexander Hamilton
This source that Alexander Hamilton is speaking of, this “rulers of a nation” is the rulers of the French Revolution.
“The idea of infidelity cannot be treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason.” ~John Adams
Needless to say, the founding fathers saw the French Revolution as detestable. Why? If it was a revolution for freedom, just as the American Revolution was.... But it wasn’t the same. The French Revolution was for liberty, but it was a godless revolution. That being the only foreseeable difference, the Founding Fathers saw the French Revolution as an abomination... because it was godless.
“I have a thorough contempt for all men... who appear to be the irreclaimable enemies of religion.” ~Samuel Adams
“The most important of all lessons is the denunciation of ruin to every State that rejects the precepts of religion. ~Gouverneur Morris
Shun, as a contagious pestilence... those especially whom you perceive to be infected with the principles of infidelity or enemies to the power of religion. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy to his country. ~John Witherspoon
What is this faith of our Fathers? It is not Deism. It is not Atheism. It is not irreverent or irrelevant. It is powerful and important. And it is your heritage.
Jared Williams
This has been an impetus for many of the revisions and interpretations of the time period for quite some time now. In fact, I could very well argue that a lot of the change in America’s views on Christianity has changed in direct consequence of the revision of who the Founding Fathers were. I do argue that. The separation of Church and State has set a flow of motion that has degraded the essence of Christianity in the eyes of America.
The question is.... is it based on truth.
“The rising greatness of our country... is greatly tarnished by the general prevalence of deism which, with me, is but another name for vice and depravity... I hear it is said by the deists that I am one of their numbers; and indeed that some good people think I am no Christian. This thought gives me much more pain than the appellation Tory, because I think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics... Being a Christian... is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast.” ~Patrick Henry
“I anticipate nothing but suffering to the human race while the present system of paganism, deism, and atheism prevail in the world.” ~Benjamin Rush
This does not sound like an irreligious group of men. But it does sound like they did have differences of opinions back then. “A prevalence of deism”, which came in a most direct source - in Europe.
“The attempt by the rulers of a nation to destroy all religious opinion and to pervert a whole people to atheism is a phenomenon of profligacy... to establish atheism on the ruins of Christianity is to deprive mankind of its best consolations and most animating hopes and to make a gloomy desert of the universe.” ~Alexander Hamilton
This source that Alexander Hamilton is speaking of, this “rulers of a nation” is the rulers of the French Revolution.
“The idea of infidelity cannot be treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason.” ~John Adams
Needless to say, the founding fathers saw the French Revolution as detestable. Why? If it was a revolution for freedom, just as the American Revolution was.... But it wasn’t the same. The French Revolution was for liberty, but it was a godless revolution. That being the only foreseeable difference, the Founding Fathers saw the French Revolution as an abomination... because it was godless.
“I have a thorough contempt for all men... who appear to be the irreclaimable enemies of religion.” ~Samuel Adams
“The most important of all lessons is the denunciation of ruin to every State that rejects the precepts of religion. ~Gouverneur Morris
Shun, as a contagious pestilence... those especially whom you perceive to be infected with the principles of infidelity or enemies to the power of religion. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy to his country. ~John Witherspoon
What is this faith of our Fathers? It is not Deism. It is not Atheism. It is not irreverent or irrelevant. It is powerful and important. And it is your heritage.
Jared Williams
