> -----Original Message----- > From: Sam [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 2:11 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: [QUAR] Re: McCain - US is a Christian Nation,a President > should be a Judeo Christian. > > No, he believed in Christ, he just had a problem with the Gosples.
In fact (as is true of most people) Jefferson had a very tumultuous relationship with God and religion. Trading quotes only shows the opinions he held at the time of the writing. The full picture is much more complex. It's also impossible to truly consider the man without considering the time in which he lived. You can't ever really say that Jefferson was an "atheist" simply because the society really didn't have a framework for understanding the concept. "Deist" is, pragmatically, nearly identical but philosophically very different. Jefferson's ideas evolved over time and oscillated. He was a true free-thinker if for no other reason than because he allowed new ideas and thoughts to fundamentally alter his view of the world. It bothers me when people claim that "Jefferson did this" or "Jefferson believed this" without any regard to the magnificent journey he took overall. Jefferson was a much more complex man than I've seen most people give him credit for... instead mining quotes from his prodigious collection of writings to bolster their viewpoints. While his fundamental belief may definitely have shifted nearly all of his writings on the topic show a marked distrust of organized religion and a strong desire to eliminate them as a governmental force. He also clearly wavered on the divinity of Christ. He also seemed to honestly believe in a creator, but in one that neither helped nor required help. Overall, from his body of writings, Jefferson definitely favored secular government. His writings on his personal feelings and religion may have oscillated, but in this there seems to be no doubt. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;203748912;27390454;j Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:262341 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
