|
Post by nightingale on Jan 3, 2007 18:41:18 GMT -5
WASHINGTON - Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, will use a Quran once owned by Thomas Jefferson during his ceremonial swearing-in Thursday.
Dear Cyber family...I am horrified that the newly elected Congressman is being allowed to use the Quran at the swearing-in ceremony...What happen to using the bible...and something else that shocked me, I never knew that Thomas Jefferson even owned a Quran, I thought he was a christian man. Is anyone else bothered by this?
I am afraid our country is heading for the wrath of God to come down upon us.
Comments welcomed
Sis Debbie
|
|
|
Post by Brother Randy on Jan 9, 2007 23:21:36 GMT -5
I come across a very interesting article a while back, in a book call American Heritage Oct of 1963. It was called Natures's God and the Founding Fathers by E. M . Halliday.
In it it had this to say about Thomas Jefferson as follows.
In his own terms, Jefferson aclaimed to be a Christian- But he assuredly was not one according to Dr. Abercrombie's standards, or for that matter according to the doctrine of any organized Christian church, unless it was the flegling Unitarian. He rejected, he wrote, " the immaculate comception of Jesus, his deification, the creation of the world by him, his miraculous powers, his resurrection and visible ascension, his corporeal presence in the Eucharist, the Trinity, original sin, atonement, regeneration, election, orders of Hierarchy, etc." He thought of Christ as a great reformer, author of " a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of a man"- but human rather than divine. To be a Christian, for Jefferson, was simply to follow the system of ethics taught by Christ, uncantaminated by what he considered the additions, adulterations,, and sidtortions of those who came after. And Jefferson thought he had an easy touchstone for distinguishing Jesus' original teachings form the dross. All that was needed was the " free exercise of reason" : with that, the genuine precepts of the Master would never be found to disagree.
I found this quite interesting something I have never heard before, although I do believe it is some what from a Catholic view. It does not does not seem that Jefferson was the Christian most of us may have thought. Any thoughts ?
Bro Randy
|
|
|
Post by jeff on Jan 10, 2007 22:03:30 GMT -5
I've never studied up on it, but I do recall having heard something along those lines at some point.
I think that a lot of times, this far removed in history, it's easy for us to make the flawed assumption that since our nation was founded on Christian principles, that the founders must have all been Christians themselves.
I'm sure someone can find some of Jefferson's correspondence or writings from those times that would indicate that he was a Christian, if that's the point they were trying to prove. Equally likely is that someone could find writings or correspondence that would indicate the opposite.
Regardless of his persuasion, in the end, our Lord knew (and knows) the spiritual condition of Jefferson's heart.
And regardless of his persuasion, he helped establish a nation founded on Christian principles. A nation that has today turned away from those principles, and will face the wrath of the true and living God if we don't turn back.
|
|
|
Post by happyhomemaker on May 1, 2007 21:49:43 GMT -5
www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/Jefferson used a pair of scissors to neatly edit the New Testament text. What remained is often referred to as the Jefferson Bible. Judge for yourselves.
|
|
|
Post by nightingale on May 2, 2007 1:02:09 GMT -5
People never cease to amaze me!
|
|
|
Post by divash on Nov 29, 2007 12:38:13 GMT -5
Dear Cyber family...I am horrified that the newly elected Congressman is being allowed to use the Quran at the swearing-in ceremony...What happen to using the bible... Actually, this makes sense. If you believe in something, swearing on it will bind you to your word. If you don't believe in something, swearing on it is meaningless -- it may mean something to the people listening to you, but it will not mean anything to you, so you won't feel obligated to keep your word. If you don't believe in the Bible, swearing on it will not bind you to your word, even though it may make Bible-believers happy for the time being. If you believe in the Quran, swearing on it will bind you to your word, and in the long run, keeping your word will be more important to people.
|
|
|
Post by Brother Ben on Nov 29, 2007 13:40:15 GMT -5
I realize it is hard to be objective when you stand on one side or the other, especially when there is such a drastic difference as between Christianity and it's rule for faith, the Bible, and Islam, and it's rule for faith, the Quran. However, I will try and share why this would make a difference in our eyes.
Though technically it makes sense that a Muslim should sware upon the book of their faith, just as a "Christian Nation" (and I use that term VERY loosely because America has strayed sooo far from it's Biblical roots,) should sware on the Bible. The difference would lie philosophically with the way in which these two books dictate how a nation should be run.
According to the New Testament, we are to love all, even our enemies, and make room for those who share different faiths. However, in nations that are run by Muslim rule, to the best of my knowledge, there is very little if any tolerance for expressing the Christian as well as other faiths. In most nations based on Islam, buying, selling, and giving out Bibles is forbidden. Whereas, in America, passing out of religious literature of all kinds is protected in our Constitution.
One of our founding fathers, Patrick Henry said: “It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” [May 1765 Speech to the House of Burgesses]
For this reason, it is the New Testament principles on which the Christian faith is based, and upon which the founding fathers understood, would be the better guide for all who hold positions in our government to swear upon. The New Testament affords proper respect, love, and treatment for all men.
"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;" 1Timothy 2:1
"To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." Titus 3:2
This is the unique nature of New Testament Christianity which is a relationship with the God of the universe through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as opposed to the mandates of all other world religions.
Humbly submitted, Bro. Ben
|
|
|
Post by wife on Dec 6, 2007 14:26:34 GMT -5
Dear Cyber family...I am horrified that the newly elected Congressman is being allowed to use the Quran at the swearing-in ceremony...What happen to using the bible... Actually, this makes sense. If you believe in something, swearing on it will bind you to your word. If you don't believe in something, swearing on it is meaningless -- it may mean something to the people listening to you, but it will not mean anything to you, so you won't feel obligated to keep your word. If you don't believe in the Bible, swearing on it will not bind you to your word, even though it may make Bible-believers happy for the time being. If you believe in the Quran, swearing on it will bind you to your word, and in the long run, keeping your word will be more important to people. Mat 5:33 - Mat 5:37 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Jam 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. I think we should be aloud to let our word be the truth without swearing on anything. Our words have to mean something.
|
|
|
Post by prv31wife on Dec 7, 2007 0:03:53 GMT -5
Amen Angela. Very well said.
|
|