"What did our Founding Fathers believe?"

At the risk of sounding controversial

 I shall attempt to share a small part of what we have been studying in History. 

 

I have always believed that America was founded by Christian leaders.  Growing up, most of my learning has been through Christian schooling; and in our homeschooling we have used Christian resources.

We are currently studying the presidents of America and just going on-line and using 'wikipedia'.

To my shock:

Chrisitianity is not what I'm finding.

 

I was first made aware of this several years ago when we were at a conference in Nashville, Tn. 

We were near the residence of President Jackson so were able to enjoy a tour of his place. 

I had heard of his outstanding love letters written to his wife and how they were being used as a model for husbands to write love letters to their wives.

He also was portrayed as being a

good Christian husband and leader and I was looking forward to seeing his museum, etc.

 

I was shocked by how differently he was

portrayed by the secular world.

"Christian" was not the word they used.

"Adultery and Hot-tempered" were their words. 

His "wife" was a wife of another man with whom he was living in an adulterous relationship with. 

The world considered it a very scandalous affair. 

 He also was known for his hot temper and several men were killed when his temper was enraged

and in duels with him. 

He did not treat his slaves with kindness.

Where does "Chrisitan" fit into all of this? 

 I was quite puzzled.

 

Now as we are studying the early presidents a.k.a. "Our Founding Fathers", I am again quite puzzled.

 

Presidents Washington (1st), Jefferson (3rd), Madison (4th), and Monroe (5th) were Deists.

What are Deists?

Deists believe in one God, but do not believe in supernatural events such as miracles; they do not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture or in the Trinity.

 

Presidents John Adams (2nd) and

John Quincy Adams (6th) were Unitarians.

What are Unitarians?

Unitarians do not accept the Godhood of Jesus.  They do not believe in the Trinity.  They maintain that Jesus was a great man and a prophet of God, even a supernatural being, but not God Himself.

 

I am baffled. 

 I do believe that Christian principles were used

when our nation was established

but  it appears here that our "Founding Fathers" didn't even profess to be Christians.

Several of them are believed to have fathered a number of children through slave women and one is believed to have sold his own children.

John Quincy Adams took his oath of office on a book of laws instead of the Bible.

 

I was also disappointed in what I read about their families.  What kind of fathers were they?

I would encourage you to go look. 

 

Am I studying in the wrong places or

why do I feel so misguided?

 

The lesson for me is to check more carefully what my kids are being taught and what we are using for resources. 

 

Just because it says "Christian" doesn't make it "Christian".

 

Happy studying in the days ahead!