[nonsporting]

But it was the Enlightenment, not Revelation, which was the underlying philosophy of the founders. While Jefferson was a member of the Anglican Church, he, like Washington, Adams, Madison, and Franklin, was a Deist.

The Enlightenment may have been the underlying philosophy of other revolutionary forces, but not the American, which simply sought to retain their status quo against British exploitation. Contrast the French Revolution with the American fight for Independence.

John Eidsmoe's "Christianity and the Constitution" explores this claim that the founders were "deists." Deism holds that once the demiurge has set things in motion, he/it does not interfer with the established order. Prayer is meaningless to deists. Yet, our founders were men of prayer and repeatedly petitioned Providence to intercede in the afairs of men. That is not deism. That is Revealed Religion (Christianity).

We owe our legacy of freedom to men of faith and action. May God continue to bless America.

[tpaine]

Nonsporting wrote:

" -- our founders were men of prayer and repeatedly petitioned Providence to intercede in the afairs of men.

We owe our legacy of freedom to men of faith and action.

______________________________________


Yet these men of faith & action were wise enough to conclude our Constitution with a prohibition that no State or Federal offices shall ever have a religious Test as a requirement.

They then begain our BOR's with a prohibition that some of those same officals, Congress, " -- shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, -- "

Fancy that.