A Slide Show of Metaphysical Origins

Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep

forever. Thomas Jefferson

Tom Paine, Founding Father, Inveterate Free Thinker

Tom Paine wrote in Common Sense, ” The Cause for America is the Cause of All

Mankind”.

“ I believe in one God, and no more; I hope for happiness beyond this life.

"I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy."

Tom Paine, American radical.

King Charles sent emissaries to New England in the 1660s

The Message: ‘Quit burning witches and hanging Quaker Women.”

Many colonies had State sponsored religion.. If you need examples, look it up.

The picture shows a man in the stocks. He will live. The Woman is being drowned and will not. The religion of the Puritans was harsh and sadistic.

The Age of Reason

The philosophers of eighteenth century France saw “The Church” as an impediment to the affairs of MEN. Enlightenment thinkers initiated the ideas of Separation of Church and State. It was a radical idea embraced by our founders.

Deism is a metaphysical belief in the existence of a God knowable through Human Reason.

We the People . . .

Madison, Ethan Allen, and Jefferson were children of the Enlightenment. These guys spoke and read French and Latin.

Most of these Guys believed in a new structure of the Universe. They didn’t spend their days endlessly nitpicking a 2000 year old book looking for solutions for the days of their lives.

Indeed, that wasn’t rational. God, whatever it was, light the fuse; Blessed us with reason and the creative  intelligence to find our way home.

Their God was The God of The First Cause, Their Jesus was the Great Moral Teacher, not someone who forgave all our sins.

Famous American Deists

Ben Franklin, James Madison, Ethan Allen, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Dolly Madison

Ben Franklin

Deism was the raison d'etre in creating the religious freedom clause in the constitution.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.[4]

America, Oh, Sweet America

God Mend Thy Every flaw

Confirm Thy Soul in Self Control

Thy Liberty in Law