George Washington, The Mason.
http://www.gwmemorial.org/washingtonTheMason.php
I don’t see how American Christians can get around this fact? And the more I look at the American Constitution, myself, the more I see the Freemason mind-set of the document! Though of course Jefferson was technically not a Mason, but surely he was affected here, with Ben Franklin, and other Masons, etc.
Any other thoughts are welcome! Remember, I am a Irish Brit. and not judging here, just thinking out-loud.
Concerning Thomas Jefferson, I quote this piece…
‘Dumas Malone in his six-volume biography of Jefferson has only one Masonic reference. He reported the Central College cornerstone laying, saying that President Monroe officiated, five visitors (including Presidents Madison and Jefferson) were present, the local Fraternity of Freemasons participated, and a large crowd attended. Still, all of Jefferson’s biographers have considered him an elusive paradox whose private and real nature may not yet have been penetrated.
Malone said that Jefferson was a half-dozen men rolled into one. He was known to his contemporaries as an apostle of Freedom, disciple of Enlightenment, searcher for Knowledge, pursuer of Wisdom through Reason, patron of Education and the Arts, Master Builder and Architect. He believed in God the Creator, and he was the opponent of any union of Church and State. Jefferson may not have been a card-carrying Mason, but his philosophy and actions certainly paralleled Masonic ideals and practices.’
*And we do have the Thomas Jefferson Bible also, hardly a piece of Evangelical Orthodoxy!
But then you have stuff like this…
http://www.mastermason.com/dresden/thomas_jefferson.htm
I’m not sure what your trying to say here Robert? Personally I don’t think Free Masonry is compatible with Christianity and denies the finished work of Christ.
@Craig: I am talking about the historical backdrop of America, and thus their historical make-up, and especially their Constitution. It is surely Deistic, and masonic! I am not talking directly about Christianity. Note my comment about Jefferson’s so-called edited Bible, which was a cut and paste job, and removed the reality and theology of the Atonement of Christ, certainly as vicarious. Indeed many of the American First Fathers were godly Christian men, but they were certainly affected by the Deism of their time, which we certainly see in the masonery. And many of these early American Fathers were Masons, simple and historical! Being a Mason does not necessarily negate being a Christian!
I think many American Christians are simply unaware of many of the Founders’ beliefs, and/or just want to attempt to emphasize the Christian nature of our nation.
Personally, I’m not too fond of Free Masonry. The interfaith pluralistic nature it takes is antithetical to Christianity. It’s certainly possible to be a Christian and be a Free Mason, but I don’t think it’s right even if it’s possible.
Indeed my point is the Deist nature of the early American Fathers, and too the fact that both the first American president George Washington, and many of the other Fathers (who signed the Constitution) were certainly Freemasons, though of course not all. But they were all affected by the ideas of Deism, it appears. And too the writer and maker/former of the American Constitution, Thomas Jefferson was certainly affected by both Deism and Freemasonry. The history just simply bares this out!
Therefore it would appear that America was founded upon ‘One Nation Under God’, but both that nation and God were a rather loose definition of the Judeo-Christian belief. I am looking at the Constitution, and the American Fathers and signers overall. Of course there were more closely biblical defined personal Christians also, but they were of course not the majority. This is my historical picture anway. What say you?
Yes. Washington was a Mason, but there is no doubt whatsoever that he held a personal faith in Jesus Christ, in my view this faith was saving. The age had many influences, and Masonry was only one of them. George Whitefield was a major influence on all of the Founders, but even apart from Whitefield, the message you would have heard from the pulpit in those days was thoroughly Christian, Reformed, opposed to all forms of statist religion and inclined toward a personal piety. Now as for Jefferson, since he was not big on going to church, it’s reasonable to say that he was a reprobate.
@Barton, first thanks to engage, I am a Irish Brit, but right now I am in America (last several years), and I love America! But, the Nation was not founded on Christianity, or the Lordship of Christ (theocracy) per se, but under belief in God, this is the essence at least of the American Constitution. I would only agree in a general way myself, about Christianity in the American Colonies. Note, I am personally Anglican Reformed myself, but here we are talking about history, etc. Of course later there was Edwards and his sermon, ‘Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God’, and some Revival! But then there was also Wesleyan Methodists. But then we cannot forget too the later Unitarianism! Indeed also the Quakers, etc.
Btw, just noting the American Congress appointed a committee to draft a statement setting out its reasons for declaring independence. With Thomas Jefferson of Virginia as its chairman, the committee included John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, and Ben Franklin. And most of the work of drafting this Declaration of Independence would fall to Jefferson, who worked close to Franklins house. When Jefferson finished his draft, he sent it over to Franklin to suggest any changes. Franklin changed very little, but one of his changes would ring down through the ages. Where Jefferson had written “We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable,” Franklin substituted the now almost literally immortal words “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” And indeed Franklin WAS a Freemason!
Btw, the so-called Christian ‘Great Awakening’ (American Colonies) started in the 1720 and went into the 1740′s I believe.