On this Memorial Day, I can’t begin to express how thankful I am to those who gave their lives to protect our nation’s liberty, freedom and justice for all. A country not founded as a Christian nation due to men like Thomas Jefferson, who were brave enough to stand up for reason and the freedom of thought unblinded by archaic theology and doctrine.
Believe or not believe in whatever you choose today.
And remember to thank those who earned you that freedom.
“Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.”
–Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1782
“And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.
But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors.”
–Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823
[reddit]
Tags: Agnostic, Atheist, Christian, Christianity, Church, Doctrine, Dogma, Faith, Fools, Freedom, Hypocrites, Memorial Day, Politics, Religion, Skeptic, Theism, Thomas Jefferson
May 25, 2009 at 4:29 am |
If you asked anyone in England about the founding fathers of American Independence they would say without hesitation that they were all extreme fundamentalist Protestants!! The ignorance in this country about America is only equalled by the ignorance of Americans about Britain!!!
May 25, 2009 at 4:31 am |
PS Would I be correct in hazarding a guess that most AMERICANS are also pretty ignorant about their own history?
June 4, 2009 at 1:38 am |
Where are all the outspoken atheist political leaders today? I would like to think we have evolved, but maybe we haven’t come very far. I blame a lot on the evangelical christians, who highjacked the political process in the early 1980’s. They have created a pseudo-theocracy in the US. It’s absolutely terrifying, since this is partly why europeans fled to the new world. For religious FREEDOM. Separation of church and state. To not have the church dictate your thoughts and actions.
June 4, 2009 at 1:55 am |
I can only think of one “outspoken atheist” who came close to being elected to political office, and that was Gore Vidal, about 40 years ago!! (He did come close to unseating the sitting Republican, but no one else seemingly took their cue from this!) Even here in Great Britain, where hardly anyone goes to church on a regular basis, the politicians all fall over themselves to proclaim their Christian beliefs (which quite obviously have absolutely no connection with “Christian behaviour”, I have to say!!!). It makes you want to vomit really.
June 4, 2009 at 3:25 am |
I agree. I personally suspect that Barack Obama is not really a christian. He’s too smart, too well-informed, too reasonable. It doesn’t really fit together. But he still had to profess his christianity, and even have a christian pastor speak at his inauguration, to impress the wing-nuts. Such a shame.
June 4, 2009 at 4:03 am
And how ironic that it was repeated unwise comments from his FORMER pastor that nearly fucked up his presidential bid altogether!!
June 4, 2009 at 7:39 am
I also agree. It is very obvious to me that Obama is using the Christian fasade for political reasons. He is too smart to be honest about something that would have prevented him from winning the presidency.
And yes living a lie, much like I do to avoid being judged, is a shame.
June 5, 2009 at 3:07 am |
I also live a lie. In a way. I am VERY careful to whom I confess my atheism. It would not be acceptable in most workplaces, for sure. And I have not told my parents either. They would be horrified and would spend their golden years fearing that I will burn in hell. And missionizing to me in a last-ditch effort.