George Washington and Religion.

George Washington actually had little to say about religion. But some rightwing radicals (notice I purposely leave out the word Christians), are trying their own harmful and misguided form of history revisionism. And some are even trying to wipe Thomas Jefferson from our history books because of his support for the separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson! The author of the Declaration of Independence! Ring a bell?

Anyway the debate is an old and tired one. So I will just close off with some old quotes from that time, that maybe these people have missed perhaps.

The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion... (Treaty of Tripoli, and John Adams [1797])

We the General Assembly of Virginia do enact that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.
— Virginia Statute for Religious Liberty

And finally, President Washington himself:

The United States of America should have a foundation free from the influence of clergy.

George Washington​

And BTW this thread is in no way a jab against religious beliefs. Religion is an important part of my life. I hope it is yours too.

 

The deist Thomas Paine, though not a president like Jefferson or Washington, was an influential American leader who also advocated the separation of state and religion on the grounds that the government should be based on reason and not faith, and that the only valid role of government in religious affairs was to protect freedom of religion.

I think this established rationalism in the U.S on a firm foundation, and helped the prevention of sectarian wars and conflict within Christianity (that took place on a regular basis in europe) in the U.S. by diluting sectarian differences before the authority of a secular government.

Paine is also credited with coining the term 'United States of America'.

 

But don't forget what else Adams said
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
The founders by and large (and I say that because they were not monolithic) did believe that religion should stay out of government in as much as you shouldn't have to belong to any specific church and the government could not compel any religion on you (the establishment clause) but then there is the other side, that government could not interfere with the practice of religion (the free exercise clause). The issue is when someone tries to ignore half the equation. There are some religious people who would like a theocracy, there are also some atheistic organizations that want to rid the US of religion. This is the distinction between freedom of religion, and Freedom FROM religion (the latter being an idea I hear more and more lately).
One more thing to note, originally, it was only seen as applying to the Federal government (it says congress shall make no laws,it does not say the states shall make now lase) so even into the early 1800s, there were state religions.

 

george washington and religion have one thing in common, neither are likely to have anything to do with whatever gods or god-like beings might also happen to exist.

 

Mencken wrote long, long ago that Washington knew far more profanity than Scripture & used it more.

 

I don't now of any organizations that want to abolish religion directly, but there have been incidents like this. True that a public school mandating prayer would go against religious freedom, however, students choosing to meet as a group, in public, on school grounds does not and is what the free exercise clause is all about. Students return to school after suspended for praying
A street preacher is free speech, as is a nativity scene in your front yard. It would also be free speech to protest against them.
Right here is some information on the fact that a number of states still had state religions after the 1st Amendment was ratified.
Established Churches in Early America

 

"They can't just let any group of students sit down in the cafeteria and start to worship or prey to Jesus, Mohammad, Horus, Thor, Buddha, or the devil as this exposes other students who may not have that same religion to that action and may lead to subtle coercion. In other words proselytizing." Why not. Proselytizing is protected by the first amendment, yes, even in public schools. That's a perfect example of having freedom OF religion not freedom FROM religion. To prohibit proselytizing would go against the free exercise clause. You have a right to not believe someone else's religion, you do not have a right to prevent them from expressing their religion. As for the idea that they were disciplined for not getting it approved, you should not have to get free speech approved, as long as you aren't interfering with other people getting around.