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Christian founders

What else would you expect to find in a book called "The Founders on Religion"?

To say the Founding Fathers where not Christian is like saying the New Testament isn’t about Christ and his teachings…

Hogwash!!

being American also includes the freedom to NOT be religious! I know this really bothers you fine "Christians" in this state who want to force your beliefs onto everyone else.

One and all the f fathers were... As written about in numerous books.

Jene: Let's just stick with George Washington for the moment. He was NOT an avid churchgoer. He went to church infrequently and never sat for communion. In addition, according to scholars at the George Washington Papers (who know his work the best), he mentioned Jesus only once or twice in 9,000 pages of his public and private letters. Finally, he refused to discuss religion, God, or Jesus on his deathbed, leaving his closest friends and relatives to question if he was religious at all. I ask, does this sound like a Christian to you? George Washington recognized the utility of religion in public life--he thought it promoted public virtue--but please don't confuse his public positions with evidence of his private beliefs. He was a politician, and he recognized that most Americans were Protestants. For the best scholarship on GW's beliefs, go to Peter Henriques, Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington (esp. chap. 9); Mary Thompson, "In the Hands of a Good Providence": Religion in the Life of George Washington; and Frank Grizzard, The Ways of Providence: Religion & George Washington. These are the BEST scholars on GW and religion.

I could care less what Religion the Founding Fathers were, or how often they went to church. You christians aren't goin' force your religion down mine or my childs throat...

The founders knew plenty about religion. They knew that in the entire history of Christianity governments that embraced religion had not once, not ever, behaved in a manner that protected the rule of law and promoted individual liberties. They came from a world dominated by religious persecution and exclusivity, where the rights of the common man were meaningless if a church authority declared it so.

The founders looked at the sorry history of religiously led governments and decided to create a new form of government where religion would not be permitted to demand special treatment for itself at the expense of the rights of others.

The surest way to destroy the rights of individual Americans is to declare that America should be led by religious principals.

The arguers come out to again demean the men who fought and died to facilitate the birth of this great nation. They were men of a sound understanding of many things spiritual and were led by the Holy Ghost to make a document that is supposed to stand up for centuries as guidance for this country. The Constitution is being terribly threatened and nearly shredded, though not by the ignorant, but by the knowledgeable and purposeful. Please be educated enough not to let them get away with it and please don't ignorantly be a part of it.

Fair enough, but so what? They fonded a nation with freedom for themselves to worship as they chose, which could only work if they included the same rights for those who chose differently. If we want to keep arguing that they inherently chose one above the others, remember that not a one of 'em was mormon.

Whatever the founders' religious views, they were careful to insure that citizens' views, or non-views, on religion were protected.

Uh, what's your point? To say that anti-religion people "fight 'tooth and toenail' to convince others of their view" is no different than those who believe. They too fight to convince others of their views, such as missionary programs. The Founding Fathers were Christians, but they also believed in letting people choose how they wanted to believe. Hopefully believers and non-believers alike will respect that principle.

Thats all you got? You can't even debate the writers views, so you make a snide remark and scamper off...

What do you want? cross's on every street corner?
In America, there are hundred of religions, and different Gods.
Do you really just want to pretend that your God is the only important one?
Even if you have your particular brand of church on every street corner, its no more important than the little chapple in Magna, or the American Indian's way of worship.

Other books on Washington recount his prayer and beliefs and also a transcendent vision that was given to him.

And those who believe in religion aren't at all interested in converting others to their point of view. Not at all, no siree.

I believe that the author is talking about a "cultural Christianity" more than a religious one. Everyone was exposed to it, but few chose to follow it by being a member of an organized religion.

The writings of the Founding Fathers of the United States show that the majority of them were Deists, not Christians.

Deists typically assert that God (or "The Supreme Architect") has a plan for the universe that is not altered either by God intervening in the affairs of human life or by suspending the natural laws of the universe.

Regarding George Washington's beliefs:

Historian Barry Schwartz writes: "George Washington's practice of Christianity was limited and superficial because he was not himself a Christian... He repeatedly declined the church's sacraments. Never did he take communion, and when his wife, Martha, did, he waited for her outside the sanctuary... Even on his deathbed, Washington asked for no ritual, uttered no prayer to Christ, and expressed no wish to be attended by His representative." [New York Press, 1987, pp. 174-175]

Paul F. Boller states in is anthology on Washington: "There is no mention of Jesus Christ anywhere in his extensive correspondence." [Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1963, pp. 14-15]

"Gouverneur Morris had often told me that General Washington believed no more of that system (Christianity) than did he himself."
-Thomas Jefferson, in his private journal, Feb. 1800

"Through his brilliant leadership, always accompanied by prayer, he led us to victory over the imperialists of Great Britain to a new nation."

You mean he led us to victory over the imperialist Church of England.

What is amazing is how Christians (and Mormons) who want to impose their beliefs on society at large dishonestly portray Washington and the other founders as believing Christians. Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, openly rejected the divinity of Christ. Franklin and many other founders also were either agnostic or deists, believing in God, but not Christianity. Washington is generally considered a member of this group. Most of them attended church, of course, because to do otherwise would be political suicide (much as it is today). Wake up and read some sources other than Christian apologists.