Comments on: Founders’ Bible Rewrites Exodus 18 to Fit Christian Nation Narrative

By: Jon Rowe

Jon Rowe — Wed, 30 May 2018 19:49:51 +0000

LOL. I meant “indispensable,” not “indefensible.”

By: Jon Rowe

Jon Rowe — Wed, 30 May 2018 19:49:51 +0000

“Now I will avow, that I then believe, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God; and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as human Nature and our terrestrial, mundane System.”

–Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, excerpt from a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

Warren, I seem to remember, has dealt with this quotation before. I seriously doubt Mr. Hagemeier understands the context. It’s actually a radically heterodox sentiment and refers to a theological system that I seriously doubt Hagemeier even would consider “Christianity.”

By: Patrocles

Patrocles — Wed, 30 May 2018 19:00:22 +0000

I suspect that the Puritans really believed that their democratic-republican system was adequate to Go’s will – so we perhaps ought to look how the Puritans interpreted Mose.

By: Tom Van Dyke

Tom Van Dyke — Wed, 30 May 2018 19:00:22 +0000

True, and the scriptural argument that the Bible is against monarchy [per the First Book of Samuel and the disaster of Saul as King*] rather than a God-guided system [the judges] is valid.

That Israel’s government was a democratic republic, not so much.

*”And he will take your fields and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shell have chosen, AND THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR YOU IN THAT DAY.”—1Sam8

By: Jon Rowe

Jon Rowe — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:18:01 +0000

“While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” – George Washington

In virtually all of Washington’s quotations “talking up” Christianity, it is invariably in the context of equating Christianity with character of being a “good person.” GW believed that “religion” in a general sense (not Christianity in particular) provided republics with the morality indefensible for self government.

GW isn’t saying this is a Christian Nation or that Christ is the only way to God. He never said anything of the sort because he didn’t believe it. George Washington valued Christianity because Christianity is a religion and GW valued “religion.”