Possibly not... but they were part of the process and being considered at the fore front:
In his seminal Letter on Toleration (1689), John Locke insisted that Muslims and all others who believed in God be tolerated in England. Campaigning for religious freedom in Virginia, Jefferson followed Locke, his idol, in demanding recognition of the religious rights of the "Mahamdan," the Jew and the "pagan." Supporting Jefferson was his old ally, Richard Henry Lee, who had made a motion in Congress on June 7, 1776, that the American colonies declare independence. "True freedom," Lee asserted, "embraces the Mahomitan and the Gentoo (Hindu) as well as the Christian religion." In his autobiography, Jefferson recounted with satisfaction that in the struggle to pass his landmark Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom (1786), the Virginia legislature "rejected by a great majority" an effort to limit the bill's scope "in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan." George Washington suggested a way for Muslims to "obtain proper relief" from a proposed Virginia bill, laying taxes to support Christian worship. On another occasion, the first president declared that he would welcome "Mohometans" to Mount Vernon if they were "good workmen" (see page 96). Officials in Massachusetts were equally insistent that their influential Constitution of 1780 afforded "the most ample liberty of conscience … to Deists, Mahometans, Jews and Christians," a point that Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons resoundingly affirmed in 1810. On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 12:46 PM, Keith In Tampa <[email protected]>wrote: > (LOL!!) > > I'll leave it for you and the rest of the membership to determine what > religious affiliation those who wrote the words I just quoted were > associated with, but rest assured, none of them wore dirty laundry on their > heads..... > > > > > On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 2:37 PM, Mark <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I see, in your answer, NO mention of a Christian (or any other religion) >> nation. It artfully left "Creator" and "Nature's God" (note it does not say >> "Mans' God") undefined and undefinable in a way to suit ANY one religion. >> >> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 12:31 PM, Keith In Tampa >> <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> No that is an incorrect assessment Mark. >>> >>> There is a distinction between Church and State, but clearly, (and I >>> quote): >>> >>> "[O]ur Nation was founded upon the separate and equal station to which >>> the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them". >>> >>> That, "these truths [are] self-evident, that all men are created equal, >>> that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that >>> among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." >>> >>> >>> http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm >>> >>> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 2:22 PM, Mark <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> But it is legally a secular society. There is no "making" to be done. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 12:12 PM, Keith In Tampa < >>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I support this organization's cause, especially after I read the >>>>> recent "feel good" secularist Iowa Opinion calling for the redefinition of >>>>> the word marriage. >>>>> >>>>> It's time to draw the line in the sand against any organization or >>>>> entity that continues in its attempt to make America a secular society. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 10:35 AM, THE ANNOINTED ONE < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Just read the web site..... What a hypocritical crock. >>>>>> >>>>>> On Apr 9, 8:01 am, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> > http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/021363.html >>>>>> >>>>>> www.filacoffee.com >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- Mark M. Kahle, , www.filacoffee.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
