Founding What?

2006-04-22T20:59:00.000-04:00

Recently, while discussing the topic of Separation of Church and State, someone made the follow observation:

That the Founding Fathers never intended to truly separate the Christian Religion from having a strong influence on the conduct of the United States government. The basis for this argument was that at the time the Bill of Rights was written everyone was a Christian in the US. That the Founding Fathers were also all Christians and would certainly have looked on the Bible as a major source of morality, ethics and law; and only meant to protect the rights of the various Christian sects from persecution by each other.

Now on the surface this may seem a reasonable argument, if you are willing to assume that every person living in the United State at the time was a believer in the divinity of Christ. Of course, that was hardly the case and does not hold up to historical scrutiny, but it is really not central to the argument. The real question is whether the Founding Fathers were, in fact, dogmatic Christians who believed in religious freedom as long as that religion was Christian.

I have to admit that my curiosity got the best of me. I had to have an answer and what I found is very interesting. Not only did I discover, quite easily, plenty of evidence that the Founders were strongly opposed to any kind of religious interference in the affairs of state; I also unearthed strong evidence that some of them were possibly agnostic, if not atheist.

Here are a few enlightening quotes:

"Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies." - Thomas Jefferson

"The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." - Benjamin Franklin

"Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson

"As to Jesus ... I have ... some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the truth with less trouble." – Benjamin Franklin

"The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity." - John Adams

"Lighthouses are more helpful than churches." - Benjamin Franklin

"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprize [sic], every expanded prospect." – James Madison

When it comes to the interference of religion in government, Jefferson was particularly adamant:

"The legitimate powers of government, extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." – Thomas Jefferson

"Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? Fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as public reasons. And why subject it to coercion? To produce uniformity. But is uniformity of opinion desirable? No more than of face and stature." – Thomas Jefferson

"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government." - Thomas Jefferson

The Fathers also displayed a surprising lack of respect for religion and those that believed fervently. Although, Franklin certainly sees its value as a means of controlling the populace:

"Think how great a proportion of Mankind, consists of weak and ignorant Men and Women, and of inexperienc'd Youth of both Sexes, who have need of the Motives of Religion to restrain them from Vice, to support their Virtue, and retain them in the Practice of it till it becomes habitual, which is the great Point for its Security." – Benjamin Franklin

"In no instance have . . . the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people." - James Madison

"Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth." – Thomas Jefferson

Washington, I think, expresses most succinctly the great ideal intended by the Founders:

"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong...." – George Washington

In the end none of this really matters. Because people are not going to pay much attention to a bunch of men that have been dead for two hundred years, no matter how much they may exalt their names in historical propaganda.

Perhaps the best quote that I unearthed in my research is the following by Jefferson. Ironically, it sounds vaguely similar to another quote by this fellow named Jesus; something about throwing stones:

"It behoves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others; or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own." – Thomas Jefferson

Nobody

2006-04-21T17:58:00.000-04:00

I guess it is easy to feel like nobody these days... after all any ole' anorexic skank with a die job and a toy dog can be a celeb today. So why not the rest of us? I suppose there are two good reasons for this: One, without talent, it requires a complete loss of dignity and self respect; two, without any start up capital, it also requires much more effort than I am willing to put into it.

The reality is that I was brought up in a family with a fair amount of talent, but it was never fostered. There was little emphasis on education beyond maintaining a B average if we wanted to drive the family car. When I was accepted to several really good universities there was no effort to ensure that I was able to benefit from what they had to offer. Instead I joined the work force while putting myself through local colleges. Eventually I dropped out of three of them, bored to tears.

I did become an actor for awhile, even moved to New York and Los Angeles to pursue that dreary dream. Of course, that career path required the same sacrifices as mentioned above. So that didn't last too long. Now I am in sales, which is the same as acting without the need for years of waiting tables on the slim chance of getting discovered by a big time producer. Actually, I did get discovered a couple of times, by porn producers, but wasn't real keen on the idea of an alternative chance at fame.

You know, I just don't get it with pornstars. What in a person allows them to say to themselves, "Hey, I think I wanna be a porn star." The fact that, however unlikely, my mother could potentually see it, is more than enough reason for me to never consider it as an option. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything; porn is the right of all mankind, strait or gay. Ever since the first caveman painted himself doin' cavewoman on stone walls with ocre and charcoal, man has been creating and enjoying porn. Hell, the ruins of Pompeii were keep hidden from the genral public for years because of the lude grafitti covering the town. I just don't know how anyone could ever get it on in so public a manner.

Then again, Paris and Pamela certainly use it their advantage. The really amazing thing about it is that they know exactly what they are doing and are fine with it. Personally, I think Pamela Anderson is brillant. You say her name in front of almost any strait man and his eyes glaze over and then he starts beating things against his chest. She has them all by the balls and I think it is fucking hilarious! Paris, on the other hand, really makes me queazy. So how many skanky ho's can you name in one minute:

Paris
Lindsey
Nicole
Jessica
Victoria
Janet
Jennifer

Not as many as I would have thought... oh well, it's been a long day and I'm a bit tired. In fact, I think I will go lie on the sofa and see if E! True Hollywood Story is on...

PS - Check out P!nk's website, (see link), and watch the 'Stupid Girls' video.

PSS - It's HMs Birthday. Many happy returns!

Lord No

Founding What?

Nobody