Beware of the Founding Fathers

If members of the religious right are to “beware of science fiction” because prominent names in the field are atheists or agnostics, then they may wish to beware of the founding fathers as well. However, this may create a logical paradox for constitution-touting teabaggers and cause them to self-destruct (Warning: self-destruction resulting from logical paradoxes is a reference to a theme in atheist/agnostic/secularist/sacrilegious sci-fi).

“To talk of immaterial existences is to talk of nothings. To say that the human soul, angels, God, are immaterial, is to say they are nothings, or that there is no God, no angels, no soul. I cannot reason otherwise: but I believe I am supported in my creed of materialism by Locke, Tracy, and Stewart. At what age of the Christian church this heresy of immaterialism, this masked atheism, crept in, I do not know. But a heresy it certainly is.”
- Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Adams, August 15, 1820

“Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear…. But those facts in the Bible which contradict the laws of nature, must be examined with more care, and under a variety of faces…. If it ends in a belief that there is no God, you will find incitements to virtue in the comfort and pleasantness you feel in its exercise, and the love of others which it will procure you.”
- Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

“I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved — the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced! With the rational respect that is due to it, knavish priests have added prostitutions of it, that fill or might fill the blackest and bloodiest pages of human history.”
- John Adams, Letter to Thomas Jefferson, 3 September 1816

“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”
- US Treaty with Tripoli, 1796-1797. Signed by John Adams during George Washington’s second term as President.