Thomas Jefferson* and the ‘Separation of Church and State’-2

Franklin's Seal idea

Did TJ use the term ‘Separation of Church and State’ because he desired a secular society, scrubbed of any religion? Did TJ use the ‘Separation of Church and State’ because he was an atheist, and despised Christianity?
   Let’s examine the facts:
1.In 1773,** the Boston Tea Party protested against the British oppression. The British responded by setting June 1, 1774 as the date to blockade the Boston port destroying its trade and economy. “…upon hearing of this, TJ and a handful of patriots (Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Francis Lightfoot Lee, and a few others) arranged for a measure to be introduced in the Virginia legislature*** calling for a public day of fasting and prayer, “devoutly to implore the Divine interposition in behalf of an injured and oppressed people.””
    Incredibly, that same legislation called for the legislators to “proceed with the Speaker and the Mace to the Church…and that the Reverend Mr. Price be appointed to read prayers, and the Reverend Mr Gwatkin to preach a sermon suitable to the occasion.”
   If that was not enough, TJ wrote his local church in Monticello to arrange for a parallel day of prayer and fasting…which he actually attended!!! (Barton, pg168)
   In review, TJ introduced a bill to the Virginia legislature, not to the private sector, but the government sector…calling for the people to fast and pray. Then he found preachers to pray and preach. Then he inspired his home church to get involved, which he attended! Sounds like he violated his own separation of church and state…except for one small point--he never intended to promote liberalism’s re-definition, which is: ‘separation of God from the state’.

2.'In 1776, while serving in the Continental Congress, Jefferson was placed on a committee of five to draft the Declaration of Independence. He was the principal author of that document, and it incorporated four explicit, open acknowledgements of God…”:  (Barton, pg168)
           i.“Laws of nature and nature’s God”
           ii.“all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
               Creator”
           iii.“Supreme Judge of the world”
           iv.“protection of divine Providence”
“This document was actually a dual declaration: a declaration of independence from Great Britain, and a declaration of dependence on God” (Barton, pg168). Considering this is one of the two most important documents in American history--with other being the Constitution—considering these four points, it’s really hard to fit TJ with the charge of atheism!
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3.“On July 4, 1776, Jefferson was placed on a committee of three to draft an official seal for the American government. His own recommendation included a Bible account of “the children Israel in the wilderness, led by a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night” (Barton, pg 169).
    The three men assigned to this first committee to design the American seal were TJ, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. See the seals of TJ and Franklin below. Let’s be very candid, do these two seals by Jefferson and Franklin look like they originated from the minds of men who reject miracles? Do these seals describe men who believe God created the world, but left-it for humans to figure things out? I mean, both seals describe Israel in Egypt, which depict God intervening in the world through the miraculous…but Deists categorically reject the miraculous! Not only does this contradict the supposed deism of Jefferson and Franklin, but it is a direct contradiction of the liberal mindset that America is not a Christian nation!
​    Why would Jefferson and Franklin offer a seal with ideas taken from the Bible, if they believed the people to which they were presenting those ideas  were atheists or deists? Were they so dumb that they thought their Biblical, i.e.Christian seals would be approved among a group that rejected the Bible?

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Jefferson's Seal idea

   In conclusion, do the above facts present Jefferson as a man who hates Christianity? Who is an atheist? Do the facts describe a man who wants a secular society? Do the facts describe TJ addressing a secular, non-Christian people? On the contrary, to any objective person, these facts sound very much like TJ was a Christian government official, presenting his Christian colleagues, with biblical material to consider for their approval, because all those involved understood that “righteousness exalts a nation”(Pro14:34)! 

​   No…TJ’s use of the term ‘Separation of Church and State’ with the Danbury Baptists does not allow for its liberal re-definition: ‘Separation of God from the State’!
 
 
*Facts in this tidbit taken from historian David Barton’s incredible book “The Jefferson Lies”, which possesses over 2000 footnotes!!
**Over 25 years before TJ became president! This means he held these beliefs for decades!
***Please note this was organized including the government!
 
Quotebit
Unless you change how you are, you'll always have what you've got!
​                                        -Jim Rohn

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