Dec 10 2009
The Mischaracterization of Thomas Jefferson
Conservatives like to claim that ours is a Christian nation, founded by Christians on Christian principles. I beg to differ. For their time, the founders, on whole, were remarkably secular in attitude and philosophy. Many were deists — believing in a non-denominational creator who extends no hand into the workings of the world — which carried the reputation then as the atheist carries today.
Perhaps the most founding of our founders was Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was most certainly not a Christian, having written his own version of the New Testament, subtracting out all the supernatural elements. He considered Jesus to be a teacher/philosopher and nothing more. So no, a Christian he wasn’t.
In an exciting historical development, brought to my attention by a news release at ScienceDaily, I learned of a recently discovered letter written by Jefferson. I downloaded the image of the document and tried to better clean it up for printing with Photoshop to read.
With some difficulty I did read it. One of the things that struck me was that in this personal correspondence expressing condolence over the death of a compatriot, there was not a hint of religious sentiments or mention of a god. Any of you familiar with religious folk know that one of the times believers typically trot out their god-talk is during occasions of death and loss. Not Jefferson.
The a-religiosity of Jefferson, and the secular nature of the U.S. Constitution, is no coincidence.
This morning I found a transcript of the letter online, and have included that below the fold.
Sir Washington, Feb. 24. 08
I have to acknolege the reciept of your letter of the 16th. It gave me the first information of the death of our distinguished fellow-citizen, John Dickinson. A more estimable man, or truer patriot, could not have left us. Among the first of the advocates for the rights of his country when assailed by Great Britain, he continued to the last the orthodox advocate of the true principles of our new government: and his name will be consecrated in history as one of the great worthies of the revolution. We ought to be grateful for having been permitted to retain the benefit of his counsel to so good an old age; still, the moment of losing it, whenever it arrives, must be a moment of deep felt regret. For himself perhaps a longer period of life was less important, alloyed as the feeble enjoyments of that age are with so much pain: but to his country every addition to his moments was interesting. A junior companion of his labors in the early part of our revolution, it has been a great comfort to me to have retained his friendship to the last moments of his life. Sincerely condoling with his friends on this affecting loss, I beg leave to tender my salutations to yourself & assurances of my friendly respects.
Th. Jefferson
Mr. Joseph Bringhurst
[source]
