Quote Originally Posted by .blank cd View Post
The founding fathers were quite clear on their stance on Christianity, here are a couple letters. Make sure you read them in context...



Here's some extra context. Remember, context is key

Notes on the State of Virginia

Read Thomas Paines "The Age of Reason". Thomas Paine was a British deist, an american revolutionary, and a political activist, notable for his criticism and ridicule of the Christian church.

I did not say that Thomas Jefferson was a Christian, although he claimed in 1803 that he was in a letter to Benjamin Rush. He was involved in his local Episcopal Church, but most people had to be in order to keep up with what was happening in their community. He was definitely a deist, and not an atheist. Interestingly, he believed in Jesus, and his teachings, but not exactly in the Christian God as a non-material being.
This particular passage is often misquoted, hence the complete text is needed to understand his meaning more clearly.
BTW- Are you aware that Thomas Jefferson originally support a ban on clerics from being able to hold any public office? When he got older, he said that they had the same rights as anyone else to hold public office.

Thomas Paine was a diest and believed in God, but definitely did not believe in the Bible/Christianity. He also did not believe in organized religion.