It is interesting how many people who claim to be Christian have a graven image on the wall. JOE, the difference being what? In my dusty book, Moses brings back ten commandments, one of them saying——
The United States of America was not established to be Christian, Christians established the USA to be FREE. And that includes freedom from flag worshipers, religious fanatics, and fanatics of every sort.
Say it loud, C. A. ! Regardless of how folks want to think our founding fathers were doing, making this country a religious one was NOT in their plans. Don’t believe me? Read the documents and letters from those men and you will see what they had in mind.
Jefferson believed that Jesus was perhaps the most profound Ethical Philosopher who ever lived, he just did not believe that Jesus was divine.
From a letter to Unitarian proponent Dr. Benjamin Rush, outlining what would eventually become “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth” (“The Jefferson Bible”):
I should proceed to a view of the life, character, and doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of the Incorrectness of his forebears’ ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of pure deism, and to juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to the standard of reason, justice, and philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief of a future state. This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, and even his inspiration. To do him justice, it would be necessary to remark the disadvantages his doctrines had to encounter, not having been committed to writing by himself, but by the most unlettered of men, by memory, long after they had heard from him, when much was forgotten, much misunderstood, and presented in every paradoxical shape. Yet such are the fragments remaining as to show a master workman, and that his system of morality was the most benevolent and sublime probably that has ever been taught, and consequently more perfect than those of any of the ancient philosophers. His character and doctrines have received still greater injury from those who pretend to be his special disciples, and who have disfigured and sophisticated his actions and precepts, from views of personal interest, so as to induce the unthinking part of mankind to throw off the whole system in disgust, and to pass sentence as an imposter on the most innocent, the most benevolent, and the most eloquent and sublime character that has ever been exhibited to man.
There’s a bumper sticker on a car in my neighborhood that reads, “when the fascists come for America, they’ll be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
I’m loving this new COMIC and all its CHARACTERS.
To simplify, when the pilgrims arrived, they came to the what we now call the USA for freedom to worship and freedom of persecution. (as it has been for the children of Abraham, the Jews, for thousands of years til present time)
I believe those were the articles…
When they got here, however, the pilgrims felt free to persecute others who didn’t share their narrow viewpoint. Look at what happened to Thomas Morton’s Merrymount Colony, or to the Quakers. The dissemination of Europeans throughout New England was largely driven by the fact that the different sects couldn’t stand one another.
And of course, down in Virginia, earlier English settlers had come primarily to turn a fast buck…
Ed’s name also appears many times in the records of the Plymouth Colony as either plaintiff or defendant in various lawsuits. He was on the losing side in the majority of these cases.
lewisbower about 14 years ago
It is interesting how many people who claim to be Christian have a graven image on the wall. JOE, the difference being what? In my dusty book, Moses brings back ten commandments, one of them saying——
Charles Brobst Premium Member about 14 years ago
The United States of America was not established to be Christian, Christians established the USA to be FREE. And that includes freedom from flag worshipers, religious fanatics, and fanatics of every sort.
joefish25 about 14 years ago
Say it loud, C. A. ! Regardless of how folks want to think our founding fathers were doing, making this country a religious one was NOT in their plans. Don’t believe me? Read the documents and letters from those men and you will see what they had in mind.
joefish25 about 14 years ago
you betcha, Joe. Not putting religion down. Just a desire for accuracy…
jpozenel about 14 years ago
People who have American flags as their avatar should not throw stones.
fritzoid Premium Member about 14 years ago
Jefferson believed that Jesus was perhaps the most profound Ethical Philosopher who ever lived, he just did not believe that Jesus was divine.
From a letter to Unitarian proponent Dr. Benjamin Rush, outlining what would eventually become “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth” (“The Jefferson Bible”):
I should proceed to a view of the life, character, and doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of the Incorrectness of his forebears’ ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of pure deism, and to juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to the standard of reason, justice, and philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief of a future state. This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, and even his inspiration. To do him justice, it would be necessary to remark the disadvantages his doctrines had to encounter, not having been committed to writing by himself, but by the most unlettered of men, by memory, long after they had heard from him, when much was forgotten, much misunderstood, and presented in every paradoxical shape. Yet such are the fragments remaining as to show a master workman, and that his system of morality was the most benevolent and sublime probably that has ever been taught, and consequently more perfect than those of any of the ancient philosophers. His character and doctrines have received still greater injury from those who pretend to be his special disciples, and who have disfigured and sophisticated his actions and precepts, from views of personal interest, so as to induce the unthinking part of mankind to throw off the whole system in disgust, and to pass sentence as an imposter on the most innocent, the most benevolent, and the most eloquent and sublime character that has ever been exhibited to man.
rotts about 14 years ago
Spammer twice flagged.
rotts about 14 years ago
There’s a bumper sticker on a car in my neighborhood that reads, “when the fascists come for America, they’ll be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
Pretty prophetic, I’d say.
jpozenel about 14 years ago
It’s hard to disagree with that rotts.
ineza Premium Member about 14 years ago
I’m loving this new COMIC and all its CHARACTERS. To simplify, when the pilgrims arrived, they came to the what we now call the USA for freedom to worship and freedom of persecution. (as it has been for the children of Abraham, the Jews, for thousands of years til present time) I believe those were the articles…
fritzoid Premium Member about 14 years ago
When they got here, however, the pilgrims felt free to persecute others who didn’t share their narrow viewpoint. Look at what happened to Thomas Morton’s Merrymount Colony, or to the Quakers. The dissemination of Europeans throughout New England was largely driven by the fact that the different sects couldn’t stand one another.
And of course, down in Virginia, earlier English settlers had come primarily to turn a fast buck…
jpozenel about 14 years ago
Ed’s name also appears many times in the records of the Plymouth Colony as either plaintiff or defendant in various lawsuits. He was on the losing side in the majority of these cases.
Sound familiar?