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Lincoln Bible
I came across these quotes by Abraham Lincoln and by reading them I assume he was an atheist. Yet he had a bible. President Obama used it in his inauguration. Was he?
"The Bible is not my Book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma."
[Abraham Lincoln]
"I am for liberty of conscience in its noblest, broadest, and highest sense. But I cannot give liberty of conscience to the pope and his followers, the papists, so long as they tell me, through all their councils, theologians, and canon laws that their conscience orders them to burn my wife, strangle my children, and cut my throat when they find their opportunity."
[Abraham Lincoln]
"My earlier views at the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them."
[Abraham Lincoln, letter to Judge J.S. Wakefield, after the death of Willie Lincoln]
"It will not do to investigate the subject of religion too closely, as it is apt to lead to infidelity."
[Abraham Lincoln, from "What Great Men Think Of Religion" by Ira Cardiff]
"I am approached with the most opposite opinions and advice, and by religious men who are certain they represent the Divine will. ... I hope it will not be irreverent in me to say, that if it be probable that God would reveal his will to others, on a point so connected with my duty, it might be supposed he would reveal it directly to me."
[Abraham Lincoln. Chapter 14 of Part 5 of *Six Historic Americans* by John Ramsburg]
"The Bible is not my Book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma."
[Abraham Lincoln]
"I am for liberty of conscience in its noblest, broadest, and highest sense. But I cannot give liberty of conscience to the pope and his followers, the papists, so long as they tell me, through all their councils, theologians, and canon laws that their conscience orders them to burn my wife, strangle my children, and cut my throat when they find their opportunity."
[Abraham Lincoln]
"My earlier views at the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them."
[Abraham Lincoln, letter to Judge J.S. Wakefield, after the death of Willie Lincoln]
"It will not do to investigate the subject of religion too closely, as it is apt to lead to infidelity."
[Abraham Lincoln, from "What Great Men Think Of Religion" by Ira Cardiff]
"I am approached with the most opposite opinions and advice, and by religious men who are certain they represent the Divine will. ... I hope it will not be irreverent in me to say, that if it be probable that God would reveal his will to others, on a point so connected with my duty, it might be supposed he would reveal it directly to me."
[Abraham Lincoln. Chapter 14 of Part 5 of *Six Historic Americans* by John Ramsburg]
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Фелч Гроган on -
Lincoln said directly to the house of representatives at one speech, the following, "I am not, in any way professing that Negroes are equal to white men, I am interested only in bringing this broken nation back to one Country."
It's a bit harsh to judge the man by today's standards. Lincoln was in the same situation as Obama - pushing too hard against the whitepower nutjobs of the time is the same as Obama pushing too hard against religious nutjobs now - it would have deen suicide. Both ha/d/ve to take baby steps.
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Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on -
I wonder what would happen if Obama got re-elected and then came out as an atheist. Do you think he would be impeached?
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Permalink Reply by Tedster on -
I don't think it is that harsh.
Lincoln for one really wasn't interested in ending slavery, and the abolishment movement was in its strongest before he was elected. Also, his desperation to keep the Union together involved many acts that would make George W. Bush cry.
It was only dumb luck that there was a more compelling practical reason for him to end slavery, and that was to destroy the southern economy.
I am also not a believer in the great man theory of history. What happens to make change do not come from leaders.
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Permalink Reply by IMAOZI on -
I would love it if he were an atheist. It would increase my respect for views and deeds. I does make we wonder if in the future - what would they swear against?
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Permalink Reply by Фелч Гроган on
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Your honour as a freethinker.
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Permalink Reply by IMAOZI on
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Most Christians think we have no honor. Nor morals nor a soul. Little do they know . . . .
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Permalink Reply by Фелч Гроган on
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What you swear upon, ultimately, is irrelevant. A promise is a promise, an oath an oath and a lie is still a lie.
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Permalink Reply by Cena W on -
Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, some other founders of the U.S.A were Deists. (look it up)
Deism, believes in a god idea, but not that this power ever in any way intervens in human and worldly affairs. Deism was a rationalist movement begun in the 17th century.
Kind of almost atheists, but respected that the Bible/Christianity was important to nearly everyone in the nation at that time, and recognized that this book was the foundation of Western thought and philosophy.
Many of these "rational men" might have studied the Stoicism of Marcus Aurelius and the Earlier Greek Stoics. There is certainly much similarity in the ideas of both freedom and duty.
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Permalink Reply by Deinotherium on -
Washington was actually more of a 'rational theist': he believed in a personal, intervening god, but otherwise, he accepted every premise of Deism (lack of religious documents, lack of prophets, non-existence of supernatural miracles etc). Some other Deist founding fathers were Ben Franklin, John Adams, James Madison, and in particular, Thomas Paine (I'd reccomend reading 'The age of reason' to anyone interested in Deism or freethought in general). Furthermore, christians were a political minority during the American revolution and thus, many of them actually advocated the separation of church and state for fear of being persecuted as such. John Armstrong, a prominent Deist and youtuber, has described Deism as "just like atheism...except we believe in god." I myself was one until I eventually 'converted' to atheism... a path taken by many an atheist as I understand.
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