Jefferson Review

"Your Liberty is Our Interest"

Home /  Archives / Links / Quotes / Book Reviews / Advertise /Contact us / Subscribe / Calendar

Franklin and Jefferson, Deists or Christians?

By Jeff “Mario” Smith, Guerilla Reporter

January 1^st in the year of our Lord 2007

Recently, while blogging on Kentucky Progress, a liberal responded to my statement that America was founded upon Christian principles established by God and handed down to humanity in the form of the Holy Bible. After attacking my character, a common tactic of the left when they have no argument against the truth, which is always, the “anonymous” poster claimed Jefferson and Franklin were deists. This is an oft repeated myth I hear almost daily.

DEIST, n. One who believes in the existence of a God, but denies revealed religion, but follows the light of nature and reason, as his only guides in doctrine and practice; a freethinker.

The definition above from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary shows that a deist denies Christ is the Messiah, and therefore does not partake of Christianity. The following quotes will set those straight who have fallen for the lie, taught in the American public indoctrination system masquerading as an education system, that Jefferson and Franklin were deists.

On Ben Franklin...

This should put to rest the argument that because Ben Franklin did not prefer a denominational church he was not a Christian and did not participate in the CHRISTian founding of our nation, which many choose, today, to believe, having been taught this through perverted textbooks which censor America’s Christian Heritage. Buy the DVD ”America’s Censored Heritage” from Dr. Michael Chapman for a concise history of America’s founding and the subsequent censoring of that heritage brought about by a leftist inspired and secular government controlled “education” system. Dr. Chapman is an antique book collector, among other things, and he owns copies of the actual books that America was founded upon which prove our Christian Heritage. He is a priceless resource.

It is true that Ben Franklin did not prefer going to a denominational church, but he quite clearly studied the Holy Bible and was a Christian.

Benjamin Franklin:

“God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice [Bible quote], is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings [The Holy Bible] that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel [Biblical History]” –Constitutional Convention of 1787

“In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered… do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?” [Constitutional Convention, Thursday June 28, 1787]

In Benjamin Franklin's 1749 plan of education for public schools in Pennsylvania, he insisted that schools teach "the excellency of the Christian religion [Holy Bible] above all others, ancient or modern." In fact, the Holy Bible was the textbook for our early schools, our first dictionaries defined words, our language, based upon the Holy Bible, and our other textbooks in our schools up to the beginning of the last century, used Bible truths in their texts.

In 1787 when Franklin helped found Benjamin Franklin University, it was dedicated as "a nursery of religion and learning, built on Christ, the Cornerstone." What more proof does someone need of Franklin’s Christianity than this?

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."

 

And the following quote is my favorite Jefferson quote because it describes Jefferson and Franklin and Madison and Washington and Rush and Paine and Hale and the Adams and all the rest of these great American Patriots as Founders, not framers. The Foundation of our great nation, the United States of America, One Nation Under God, is a foundation of God’s truth, the King James 1611 Bible.

The Foundation of a building cannot be changed and the building be left standing, but the frame can change at the whim of whatever architect gets his pesky little hands on it. Think about it! We must always refer to these great Patriots as Founders, not framers. Language is very important and the left uses language to slowly convert us all. Pay attention!

Thomas Jefferson said, “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.” (excerpts are inscribed on the walls of the Jefferson Memorial in the nations capital) [Source: Merrill . D. Peterson, ed., Jefferson Writings, (New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 1984), Vol. IV, p. 289. From Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, 1781.]

For those who still need convincing, here are some more well known quotes from the Founding of this great Christian Nation…

The First Charter of Virginia (granted by King James I, on April 10, 1606) It is the King James 1611 Bible upon which our nation was founded.
• We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God… Instructions for the Virginia Colony (1606)

The Mayflower Compact (authored by William Bradford) 1620 “Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together…”

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

Samuel Adams Powerpoint presentation on John, John Quincy, and Sam Adams
“He who made all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all… Our forefathers opened the Bible to all.” [“American Independence," August 1, 1776. Speech delivered at the State House in Philadelphia]

“ Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity… and leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system.” [October 4, 1790]

John Quincy Adams: “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?" “Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity"?
--1837, age 69, when he delivered a Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

“The Law given from Sinai [The Ten Commandments] was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code.” --John Quincy Adams. [Letters to his son. p. 61]

Charles Carroll - signer of the Declaration of Independence | Portrait of Charles Carroll
" Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments." [Source: To James McHenry on November 4, 1800.]

Alexander Hamilton: Hamilton began work with the Rev. James Bayard to form the Christian Constitutional Society to help spread over the world the two things which Hamilton said made America great: (1) Christianity (2) a Constitution formed under Christianity. “The Christian Constitutional Society, its object is first: The support of the Christian religion. Second: The support of the United States.”

On July 12, 1804 at his death, Hamilton said, “I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a sinner. I look to Him for mercy; pray for me.”

"For my own part, I sincerely esteem it [the Constitution] a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests." [1787 after the Constitutional Convention]

"I have carefully examined the evidences of the Christian religion, and if I was sitting as a juror upon its authenticity I would unhesitatingly give my verdict in its favor. I can prove its truth as clearly as any proposition ever submitted to the mind of man."

For at least three generations now, a true history of our Christian Heritage has not been taught in our public schools which are no longer about teaching knowledge, but are about indoctrination in the religion of secular humanism, a 501c3 tax-exempt religion, the ONLY religion allowed anywhere near our public school classrooms. I would call it indoctrination in the mental disorder of liberalism. As we continue to allow this to happen, more and more Americans will be propagandized and we will lose our Liberty declared by our Declaration of Independence and made into law by our Constitution blessed by God.

General George Washington and his ragtag, bloody footed, under armed, under fed, under dressed, sickly, wounded, freezing band of Patriots did not sacrifice everything and put it all on the line and defeat the British at Trenton for us to allow a bunch of liberals who buy into the socialist teachings of Marx and Engel to destroy our nation. Do not allow those who believe the lies and those who teach them to continue to ”educate” away our Liberty and our Heritage. Never let a lie live! Here is a good source for many of the quotes of our Founders which are censored from our countrymen today.

I have said it before and I will say it again, until we take back the education system in America from the left and start teaching the true history of our nation, we are doomed. Wake up America!

Weather (Louisville) / Mapquest /  White Pages / Business Search / CNN / Dictionary / E-card / MSN