tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post8666686584269604099..comments2024-03-27T18:18:11.525-06:00Comments on American Creation: Quote of the day: the theological roots of American religious libertyBrad Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-14477648256642114712010-12-19T18:36:06.530-07:002010-12-19T18:36:06.530-07:00Madison's words all seem to be so Masonic.
.
I...Madison's words all seem to be so Masonic.<br />.<br />I forget, was he a Mason?<br />.Phil Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06756814849309388483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-13034416345192977042010-12-18T19:45:50.554-07:002010-12-18T19:45:50.554-07:00Thanks, bpabbott, for putting the quote in context...Thanks, bpabbott, for putting the quote in context! Very nice...Angie Van De Merwehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12617299120618867829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-17505500214947389162010-12-18T19:19:03.108-07:002010-12-18T19:19:03.108-07:00Madison is my favorite Founder.
The paragraph fro...Madison is my favorite Founder.<br /><br />The paragraph from <i>Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments</i> which precedes the one above adds some important context.<br /><br />"Because we hold it for a fundamental and undeniable truth, "that Religion or the duty which we owe to our Creator and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence." [Virginia Declaration of Rights, art. 16] The Religion then of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man; and it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate. This right is in its nature an unalienable right. It is unalienable, because the opinions of men, depending only on the evidence contemplated by their own minds cannot follow the dictates of other men: It is unalienable also, because what is here a right towards men, is a duty towards the Creator. It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage and such only as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time and in degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society."bpabbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047791198702983998noreply@blogger.com