Seeing how religion with its absolutist ideologies influences, taints and contaminates issues, both national and international, sports, politics, economics as well as many other areas of our civic life, it may be interesting and informative to consider what the Father of our Country thought about religion.
Since we these days are commemorating his birthday it might be well to read what George Washington wrote a friend in June 1792:
“Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other source.
“Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by difference of sentiment in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought most to be deprecated. I was in hopes that the enlightened and liberal policy which has marked the present age would at least have reconciled Christians of every denomination, so far that we should never again see their religious disputes carried to such a pitch as to endanger the peace of society.”
George Washington, letter to Sir Edward Newenham, June 22, 1792.
Jake Hjorth
Grand Marais
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