Here are some more words from Thomas Jefferson ... (If he was an atheist, I'm Ben Franklin. Someone's opinion of how religion is practiced says nothing of their belief in a "Creator" or "Nature's God" ) To answer the opening question, Not A Chance. The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. âSuch has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
Jefferson was a diest. They believed there could have been a creator but that it is not active in our lives: And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerve in the brain of Jupiter. But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors. -Thomas Jefferson, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism
Jefferson was a diest. They believed there could have been a creator but that it is not active in our lives: Suspect that Jefferson and Romian Papst's not believed to God in he's privat thinking . To knew a lot . They used religion as mean . Clear by public statement to mass , which you manage with help of religion ,must use declarative statements with religion believe not with truth as " I manage you and me is good . My prosperity is related to your believe in religion "
Did you post a quote from Jefferson as evidence that an Atheist could or could not become president? I'm a bit confused, I think you are of the school-of-thought that places belief of God in the same catagory as a belief in Santa Claus... If so, why would you rely on the words of a Santa Claus believer?
In other words: âA little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.â Francis Bacon, Sr. (first quoted by drman on a different thread.)
Oh no!!! Not the turnip definition. In practice, all atheist who post here have a philosophical opinion on God, an idea about God that they learned, and have rejected. So their atheism is 100% a philosophical conclusion.
wrong -- a·the·ism /ˈeɪθiˌɪzəm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ey-thee-iz-uhm] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation ânoun 1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God. 2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. [Origin: 1580â90; < Gk áthe(os) godless + -ism] Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. --- when you have a doctrine or belief there is not God you not only have philosophy but your are exhibiting faith. agnosticism would be a lack of theism.
no - I think we have sufficient evidence of the creation of the Santa story by norwegians (or some countries) and the Coca Cola company. There may have been a gift giver but we know the story is embellished. we have no ability to state whether the universe was created or not. It could very well have been created by a superior being. ( As and aside you know I have cited top physicists who say the universe appears designed. They would not make that argument if we knew there was no creator of the universe.) Based on our current scientific understanding - it is an article of faith to say the universe was created by a superior being or God. It is also a faith based statement to say you know the universe was not created by a superior being or God.