Current weather

  • Clear sky
  • 68°
    Clear sky

In a Christian nation, some would be taking path of least resistance


Posted: Friday, January 21, 2005

We write in response to James Robertson (Forum, Jan. 10) to object to his conclusions about the role of religion in public life for a number of reasons - some factual, some philosophical.

In the Thomas Jefferson quote referenced by Robertson, note that Jefferson does not refer to the "Christ," but confines himself to "Jesus" and the "doctrine of Jesus." Robertson is apparently not aware that Jefferson rewrote the gospels as "The Jefferson Bible," in which he did not include either the birth stories or the resurrection. (For more information on Jefferson and religion, visit the Web site

Jefferson was certainly a follower of Jesus the man and endorsed his teachings, but clearly did not believe in the Christ, the resurrected God-figure.

Furthermore, the Founding Fathers were often called "atheists" by their peers, and atheists they were. Most of them were believers in "Deism," which stated God created all that is, put the laws of nature in place, sat back and now only watches the universe function. The Deistic God does not interfere with the natural world, is not available to answer prayers and is, in essence, like a great watchmaker who, having made a watch, winds it and watches it run.

Theism, on the other hand, is a belief that God created everything, but is still active, is concerned about his creation and will act on it from time to time. This God is accessible and will interfere in the natural order of things.

So, if one is a deist, one is an atheist, in that one doesn't believe in theism. Deism is not orthodox Christianity, then or now.

How could the United States Congress, as Robertson suggests, have voted anything in 1782? It didn't exist. Perhaps the Continental Congress voted on something, but the Constitution was adopted in 1787 and ratified by the states in 1788.

Regarding Robertson's statement atheism and the like produced nothing but misery, history shows religious nations have been just as guilty of harming the populace as "humanistic" and "communistic" ones; e.g., the Crusades, the excesses of the Protestant Reformation, the Inquisition, Muslim killing of infidels and the like.

While we do not know of the existence of any humanistic nation in world history, there have been humanistic reforms which tended to produce better societies. Among these are the humanistic reforms within Christianity following the medieval period, the Enlightenment, Greek democracy, Confucianism in China and the like.

We also have some philosophical objections to Robertson's Forum.

It has been observed that, originally, separation of church and state in the United States was supported by Protestants due to fear Catholics would take over the state. Protestant and Catholic views seem to have come closer together on abortion and gay marriage but still diverge on evolution and papal authority. If Christianity became the state religion, as Robertson seems to want, it's unclear which Christian beliefs would be considered dogma, which would be heresy, and how non-Christians would be treated.

We are told the Puritans came to the New World to escape religious persecution. In fact, they did not mind religious persecution, and set up a state in which dissenters such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson were forced into exile or executed. Our nation expanded as Christian beliefs, such as the commandments not to steal or kill, were put on hold in order to take over Indian lands.

If our nation is great today - and it is - it is partly because our government has wisely decided religion is a private affair to be conducted in homes and churches.

Bringing the state into religion would not create a nation of believers. It would create a nation of liars who are resigned to professing a religion in which they may not believe as the path of least resistance.

• Boardman is a retired research chemist, Hamby is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister and Kassay is a retired educator.


  • 1 Press Place Athens Ga, 30601
  • Switchboard: 706-549-0123
  • Circulation and Delivery: 706-208-2300
  • Newsroom Tip: 706-208-2211
  • Obituary Clerk: 706-208-2355
  • Accounts Receivable: 706-549-0123
  • View the Staff Directory
  • or Send feedback