Bill O'Reilly: religious hypocrite?

[bGIveNs33]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider

Originally posted by: bGIveNs33
For the most part, our founding fathers were Diests. I highly doubt the "God" they refer to is the Christian God.

-Billy

Nice urban legend, but wrong.

A few were Deists, but the majority believed in the Christian faith. Just how it is.

"I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of...Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all."

Thomas Paine
The Age of Reason

RE: Revelations
"The Christian priesthood, finding the doctrines of Christ levelled to every understanding and too plain to need explanation, saw, in the mysticisms of Plato, materials with which they might build up an artificial system which might, from its indistinctness, admit everlasting controversy, give employment for their order, and introduce it to profit, power, and pre-eminence. The doctrines which flowed from the lips of Jesus himself are within the comprehension of a child; but thousands of volumes have not yet explained the Platonisms engrafted on them: and for this obvious reason that nonsense can never be explained."

Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, an Intimate History

In the Continental Congress-
"As to Jesus of Nazareth, my Opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and his Religion...has received various corrupting Changes, and I have, with most of the present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his Divinity; tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the Truth with less trouble."

Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin, A Biography in his Own Words


The Treaty of Tripoli passed by the Senate in 1797

"As the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."


I could then quote the same amount from different sources claiming that the founding fathers were Christians. It is my belief that they were Deist.

-Billy

 

[JupiterJones]

I could then quote the same amount from different sources claiming that the founding fathers were Christians. It is my belief that they were Deist.

Then your belief has no rational basis. You have near exhausted the list of Diestic founding fathers. And the fact the Franklin prayed for the assistance of Divine Providence demonstrates his particular brand of Diesm does not fit the modern model.

 

[robisc]

Keep God in there!

Just my $.02

 

[bGIveNs33]

I posted that list of quotes to show that the religious beliefs of our founding fathers is uncertain. No one(no, not even Hayabusarider) knows what was going on in their heads. I didn't post that list to say "hey, thats why I believe the way I do". The reason I believe they were Diest(well, most of them) is not just because of a couple quotes(probably misquotes at that). Give me a little more credit than that. That time period was the winding up of the Enlightenment period, which is evident in most of the writings from that era. Today, a Deist is coined as someone who believes in a "god" or higher being, but thats about it. Back then, they believed the believed in the "God of Reason", and they had certain beliefs. Some, in fact have been thought to have reached the same level as "their" God. The pyramid on the dollar bill(I know they didn't put it there), can be inerpreted as a Diest symbol. But all this is just MY belief. Yours can differ. I am very offended when you claim my belief is irrational. You don't even know me. I grew up in the church and still attend... just what kind of pastor are you anyway?

-Billy