What Would the Founders Do?

Richard Brookhiser, a senior editor to the National Review, has written a new
book.

Now, before you categorize Mr. Brookhiser, take a look at his view on medical
marijuana. He supports it. Not only that, but he admits to having actually
inhaled. Having testicular cancer and undergoing chemotherapy eventually made
him an advocate. Life does tend to harden ones views when practicalities intervene.

That's why, when reading his book, I found it interesting that this conservative
actually states America was not founded as a Christian nation. Mind you, it's true and I've talked about this often, even as a Christian myself, also having written before about faith and our Founders, but to hear a conservative of today say so is quite shocking. Truth isn't usually their strong suit.

That said, you've got to wonder if a statement like that would find some of our own lecturing faithful mute.

As a rebel member of the frozen-chosen, considering myself both spiritual and
religious, I've never had a problem with letting others believe or not, whatever,
and I've been uncomfortable from the start with our current president's obvious
proselytizing, which is always for political reasons. I take Kennedy's
viewpoint on God and government, which is Jeffersonian: “The guiding principle and prayer
of this nation has been, is now, and ever shall be 'In God We Trust.'”
Kennedy also
said: “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state
is absolute…”

The same cannot be said for today's conservatives. Believe or be banished seems
to be their motto.

Brookhiser covers the Tripoli treaty, wherein it states that America was “not,
in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”

As Thomas Jefferson said so eloquently and correctly, which I have offered
here many times…

“But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. Had not the Roman government permitted free enquiry, Christianity could never have been introduced. Had not free enquiry been indulged, at the aera of the reformation, the corruptions of Christianity could not have been purged away. If it be restrained now, the present corruptions will be protected, and new ones encouraged. Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.” “Notes on the State of Virginia” Thomas Jefferson

In his new book, Brookhiser offers more.

… The United Staes was not founded on the Christian religion. The First Amendment, forbidding a national religious establishment, had been ratified in 1791. The year before, President Washington wrote the congregation of Touro Synagogue in Newport that America did not practice “toleration”: it was not “by indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. … All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.” In 1793, he wrote the Swedenborgian New Church in Baltimore “that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart.” That amendment and these statements are a better guide to the founders' views than a treaty with pirates. Washington had invoked Christ in one critical public statement, his 1783 circular to the states as the Revolution was winding down. This, as far as Washington knew at the time, was his farewell address, his last significant official communication with the state governments and the people of America. He ended it with a prayer that God (a more particular name than Providence) would “dispose us all, to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean (conduct) ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristicks of the divine author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.” The Touro Synagogue would be pleased that he quoted Micah 6:8 on the importance of justice and mercy. But neither they nor any Musselmans who happened to be in America would consider Jesus Christ the author of their religions. Washington was not asking Americans to think of Jesus in a religious context, however–as Savior, or Son of God. He was asking them to imitate Jesus' qualities–charity, humility, peacefulness. Washington had seen little enough of “pacific temper” during the war, and he would see little more when he came back into public life as president. But some sufficient residue had to exist, or the country would fly apart. Whatever Washington believed about Christ, the Christ of his statement is a political figure, the model citizen. … … If the founders did not make America a Christian nation, many of them thought it should be a religious nation. In their view religions sustained the civic culture of the state. … The background of these concerns was the French Revolution. … Other founders thought free government was threatened by religion, not revolution. … The First Amendment, as (Thomas Jefferson) explained, after quoting it “buil(t) a wall of separation between church and state.” … … No wonder Jefferson has a pious dread of politicized religion and religious politicking. The “irritable tribe of priests,” Jefferson wrote Benjamin Rush, feared his election, and they were right to do so, “for I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” What Would the Founders Do?, by Richard Brookhiser (selected sections between pages 63-73)

Brookhiser's book is a very interesting read, made more so by the fact that
it comes about at a time when another conservative, George W. Bush, is not only
ramming religion and his view of “values” down our throats, but his particular brand of religion, too; all the while
simultaneously dismantling the democracy the Founders envisioned. It is also an excellent reference on reality amidst today's insanity.

The Founders wouldn't recognize America under George W. Bush. Franklin would likely mock this particular George into irrelevance.