This release from a group called the Cincinnati Area Pastors briefly outlines their objections to The Jefferson Lies. As I understand it, there are more people involved in the group than are listed here. I have spoken at length to Ray McMillian. Most of the ministers in this group have carefully reviewed Barton’s claims about Jefferson and have contacted Thomas Nelson and parent company Harper Collins about their concerns. Mr. Barton cannot continue to complain that his critics are all leftists and secularists. These ministers are all serving in evangelical churches.
…….
PRESS RELEASE
Christian Leaders Urge Boycott of Thomas Nelson Publishers Over David Barton’s Book,
The Jefferson Lies
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:00 am – 11:30 am
Cincinnati area African-American, white, and Messianic-Jewish pastors and church leaders are meeting at New Jerusalem Baptist Church (26 W. North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45216) to announce their boycott of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Their reasons are rooted in their opposition to the recently published book, The Jefferson Lies, by David Barton.
Bishop Dwight Wilkins, president of The Amos Project, said, “We have privately approached Thomas Nelson about our concerns, with no resolution.” The pastors/church leaders pointed to four major concerns the group has with The Jefferson Lies:
- It glosses over Thomas Jefferson’s unorthodox and heretical beliefs about Jesus Christ;
- It minimizes and justifies Thomas Jefferson’s racism;
- It excuses Thomas Jefferson’s practice of enslaving African-Americans.
- The Jefferson Lies is riddled with factual distortions and falsehoods.
Rev. Damon Lynch said, “David Barton falsely claims that Thomas Jefferson was unable to free his slaves.” In fact, Jefferson was allowed to free his slave under Virginia law, but failed to do it. The Jefferson Lies glosses over Jefferson’s real record on slaveholding, and minimizes Jefferson’s racist views.
Rabbi Michael Wolf charges that David Barton also minimizes Jefferson’s unorthodox views of Christ, his negative views of the Jews, and his contempt for the God of Abraham.
Historian, Dr. Troy Jackson, says, “This book is inaccurate, this book is offensive, and this book is dangerous.”
Presbyter Chris Beard said, “We are protesting as concerned believers in the evangelical Christian community, who believe that many are being misled by David Barton’s teachings.” Rev. Ray McMillian added, “You can’t be serious about racial unity in the church, while holding up Jefferson as a hero and champion of freedom.”
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Media desiring to attend the press conference should contact Rev. Damon Lynch, New Jerusalem Baptist Church, 513.821.0704, or Rev. Chris Beard, Peoples Church, 513.673.7405, [email protected]. (not .com) More information will be provided at that time.
In the Cinci area? I hope they have a good turn out.
Of course he can! In fact, it’s essential for his ideology that he does.
Warren, you’re a really nice chap, decent and honest, but I’m afraid that you still see the Religious Right through rose-coloured glasses. Many are merely mistaken or misled, but many quite deliberately follow a Higher Truth than mere factual accuracy.
Larry,
While on your “Visonquest”, I challenge you to read the following 23 page careful point by point analysis at http://www.jeffersonhour.com/Barton%20Review.html . Most won’t read all 23 pages let alone form a coherent analysis of what they have read. Let me know what you think. Many other “doubting Thomases” formerly “in the tank” for Barton saw the law after reading Dr.s Throckmorton and Coulter’s response along with that of link I gave above ,
Mark
cont’d…then they will force him to retract his judgmental assertion.
Zoe,
Many in the Religious Right ignore fact to follow a book written by humans over 2000 years ago in a time where males ruled, women were “seen and not heard in the church” and minorities were not seen as human but as property and spoils of war. I applaud these pastors for showing the hypocrisy of Mr. Barton. Jefferson was a deist who refused to believe the Trinity was true that Jesus was God in three persons. You cannot be a Christian and refuse to believe that Jesus died for sinners and rose again on the third day. It defies the very doctrinal definition of the term “Christian”.
Mark
Oh, but rest assured he will protest this. He just get on his radio program and say insipidly that they are not real Christians(at least to his myopic worldview).
I think it is a sad day when the so-called Christian community resorts to what appears to me to be nothing less than blackmail and fleshly political manipulation and pressure to try to silence the message of a fellow believer who has shown himself in multiple previous instances to be accurate in his documentation, assertions and opinions regarding our nation’s history and that of its founders. If the critics of “The Jefferson Lies” have indisputable, factual historical documentation to back up their claims of Mr. Barton’s “inaccuracies” (whereby they have effectively coerced Thomas Nelson to give in and cowtow to their political noise, by pulling the plug on Mr. Barton’s book) rather than just mere vague and general assertions, then please let them gather it, put it all into some kind of organized written or electonic format with footnotes, cross-references and bibliography (or a readily available website with embedded links to other reliable websites to back up their assertions with objective sources) available for all to read and examine for themselves (as Mr. Barton has done with his book, as well in his previous releases), and allow the readers to make up their own minds by comparing what Mr. Barton has written and documented, compared to their “scholarly research.” My guess is that not one of the critics will be willing or even capable of doing so, lest they be exposed as having done to this author what they themselves have accused him of, due to their own biases and unwillingness to submit their hearts and minds to the absolute Truth of God’s Word, and the reality of history, no matter how hard or difficult either might be on their flesh. I kindly challenge the retractors and critics to please fulfill the above-stated request, and then perhaps all critically- and objective-minded Christians (which is what Paul and all the other Apostles in the Scriptures have commanded all believers to be) will be convinced of the rightness of their position, and not forced to accept it because of their ability to silence those with whom they disagree.
Larry,
While on your “Visonquest”, I challenge you to read the following 23 page careful point by point analysis at http://www.jeffersonhour.com/Barton%20Review.html . Most won’t read all 23 pages let alone form a coherent analysis of what they have read. Let me know what you think. Many other “doubting Thomases” formerly “in the tank” for Barton saw the law after reading Dr.s Throckmorton and Coulter’s response along with that of link I gave above ,
Mark
I think it is a sad day when the so-called Christian community resorts to what appears to me to be nothing less than blackmail and fleshly political manipulation and pressure to try to silence the message of a fellow believer who has shown himself in multiple previous instances to be accurate in his documentation, assertions and opinions regarding our nation’s history and that of its founders. If the critics of “The Jefferson Lies” have indisputable, factual historical documentation to back up their claims of Mr. Barton’s “inaccuracies” (whereby they have effectively coerced Thomas Nelson to give in and cowtow to their political noise, by pulling the plug on Mr. Barton’s book) rather than just mere vague and general assertions, then please let them gather it, put it all into some kind of organized written or electonic format with footnotes, cross-references and bibliography (or a readily available website with embedded links to other reliable websites to back up their assertions with objective sources) available for all to read and examine for themselves (as Mr. Barton has done with his book, as well in his previous releases), and allow the readers to make up their own minds by comparing what Mr. Barton has written and documented, compared to their “scholarly research.” My guess is that not one of the critics will be willing or even capable of doing so, lest they be exposed as having done to this author what they themselves have accused him of, due to their own biases and unwillingness to submit their hearts and minds to the absolute Truth of God’s Word, and the reality of history, no matter how hard or difficult either might be on their flesh. I kindly challenge the retractors and critics to please fulfill the above-stated request, and then perhaps all critically- and objective-minded Christians (which is what Paul and all the other Apostles in the Scriptures have commanded all believers to be) will be convinced of the rightness of their position, and not forced to accept it because of their ability to silence those with whom they disagree.
Larry – We have done that. You can get a copy in your preferred format here: http://www.gettingjeffersonright.com. It has everything you are asking for and more. Now if you are serious in your challenge, you will go get it and then report back to us what you find.
Zoe,
Many in the Religious Right ignore fact to follow a book written by humans over 2000 years ago in a time where males ruled, women were “seen and not heard in the church” and minorities were not seen as human but as property and spoils of war. I applaud these pastors for showing the hypocrisy of Mr. Barton. Jefferson was a deist who refused to believe the Trinity was true that Jesus was God in three persons. You cannot be a Christian and refuse to believe that Jesus died for sinners and rose again on the third day. It defies the very doctrinal definition of the term “Christian”.
Mark
Of course he can! In fact, it’s essential for his ideology that he does.
Warren, you’re a really nice chap, decent and honest, but I’m afraid that you still see the Religious Right through rose-coloured glasses. Many are merely mistaken or misled, but many quite deliberately follow a Higher Truth than mere factual accuracy.
cont’d…then they will force him to retract his judgmental assertion.
Oh, but rest assured he will protest this. He just get on his radio program and say insipidly that they are not real Christians(at least to his myopic worldview).