Sunday, December 8, 2019

George Washington & Voltaire

That pic of George Washington is from the "Voltaire" medal. Supposedly, Voltaire really liked Washington so much, he help to create a medal of Washington's likeness.




That's a story in itself that this post won't go into (I myself need to learn more about it). I haven't seen much else to connect Washington to the "deist" Voltaire. Though Tom Van Dyke's post on Voltaire reminds me of one quotation of Washington's that sounds quite "Voltaire like."

As Voltaire said:
This is the country of sects. An Englishman, as a free man, goes to Heaven by whatever road he pleases.

And George Washington writing to his French friend, Marquis de Lafayette:

Being no bigot myself to any mode of worship, I am disposed to endulge the professors of Christianity in the church, that road to heaven which to them shall seem the most direct plainest easiest and least liable to exception.

This kind of makes Washington sound like an outsider to the faith, which perhaps he was. But, nonetheless, such a sentiment perfectly captures America's ideal of pluralism and non-sectarianism.  

12 comments:

Tom Van Dyke said...

"Bigot" may have been commonly understood as an implacable sectarian when it came to religious matters.

John Adams to Abigail, 1774:


When the Congress first met, Mr. Cushing made a Motion, that it should be opened with Prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay of N. York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina, because we were so divided in religious Sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Aanabaptists, some Presbyterians and some Congregationalists, so that We could not join in the same Act of Worship.—Mr. S. Adams arose and said he was no Bigot, and could hear a Prayer from a Gentleman of Piety and Virtue, who was at the same Time a Friend to his Country.


Indeed, in this letter to Lafayette, GWash is talking about religious toleration, presumably of Protestants in heavily Catholic France. What we can safely say of GWash is that sectarianism was anathema to him.

Our Founding Truth said...

""I am not less ardent in my wish that you may suceed in your plan of toleration in religeous matters. Being no bigot myself to any mode of worship, I am disposed to endulge the professors of Christianity in the church, that road to heaven which to them shall seem the most direct plainest easiest and least liable to exception.""

The French had blown out Catholicism at that point and the Marquis was an ecumenical protestant like his mentor. I think they mean every religious sect. Disposed means favored, so, he favors Christianity in the church, but he says "that road to them" which wouldn't be Catholicism. It's strange.

Tom Van Dyke said...

I don't think you have any proof Lafayette had become a Protestant [altho some Masons claim he was a brother].



As for Catholicism, no exhibited enmity there either. Compliments of our late blogbrother, Mark DeForest, Washington to American Catholics:

http://americancreation.blogspot.com/2013/01/no-george-washington-did-not-convert-to.html


As mankind become more liberal they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protection of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations in examples of justice and liberality. And I presume that your fellow-citizens will not forget the patriotic part which you took in the accomplishment of their Revolution, and the establishment of their government; or the important assistance which they received from a nation in which the Roman Catholic faith is professed.

I thank you, gentlemen, for your kind concern for me. While my life and my health shall continue, in whatever situation I may be, it shall be my constant endeavour to justify the favourable sentiments which you are pleased to express of my conduct. And may the members of your society in America, animated alone by the pure spirit of Christianity, and still conducting themselves as the faithful subjects of our free government, enjoy every temporal and spiritual felicity.

G. Washington



see also

https://www.the-american-catholic.com/2009/11/05/george-washington-and-catholics/

Our Founding Truth said...

The marquis was a catholic from his aristcrat family. He also received honors inside lodges and like charles carroll, was a republican and protestant at heart.

"[O]n October 18, 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes. Practice of the “heretical” religion was forbidden. Huguenots were ordered to renounce their faith and join the Catholic Church. They were denied exit from France under pain of death. And, Louis XIV hired 300,000 troops to hunt the heretics down and confiscate their property. This revocation caused France to lose half a million of its best citizens. It was not until November 28, 1787, after the United States of America had gained its independence from England, that the Marquis de Lafayette, who was impressed by the fact that so many of the American leaders were of Huguenot descent, persuaded Louis XVI and the French Council to adopt an Edict of Toleration guaranteeing religious freedom to all in France."
https://www.huguenotsocietyofamerica.org/history/huguenot-history/

After further contemplation, it appears GW was referring to worship how the church initially set it up. That explains why he approved it.

Tom Van Dyke said...

It was not until November 28, 1787, after the United States of America had gained its independence from England, that the Marquis de Lafayette, who was impressed by the fact that so many of the American leaders were of Huguenot descent, persuaded Louis XVI and the French Council to adopt an Edict of Toleration guaranteeing religious freedom to all in France."



Exactly as I said above. Always trust content from TVD. ;-)

Our Founding Truth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Our Founding Truth said...

There's more to it tham what u say. The founders were ecumenists, not Louis XIV. Therefore, the context is protestant. The ffs blew that out of the water.

Tom Van Dyke said...

you must have missed this

Indeed, in this letter to Lafayette, GWash is talking about religious toleration, presumably of Protestants in heavily Catholic France. What we can safely say of GWash is that sectarianism was anathema to him.

and obviously didn't know about this

The Edict of Versailles, commonly known as the Edict of Tolerance, was an official act that gave non-Catholics in France the right to openly practice their religions as well as legal and civil status, which included the right to contract marriages without having to convert to the Catholic faith. The edict was signed by Louis XVI on 7 November 1787, and registered in the Parlement of Paris of the Ancien Régime on 29 January 1788.


The letter to Lafayette is dated August 15th 1787. I thank you for your retraction and apology in advance. '=D

Our Founding Truth said...

The Edict of Versailles, commonly known as the Edict of Tolerance, was an official act that gave non-Catholics in France the right to openly practice their religions as well as legal and civil status,""


Lol.you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that's bogus.





Tom Van Dyke said...

entitled to your own opinions

not facts

Our Founding Truth said...

cial act that gave non-Catholics in France the right to openly practice their religions as well as legal and civil status,""

You should google it. Jews were still persecuted, so, it was only calvinists considered, and they were also persecuted.

Tom Van Dyke said...

The subject was only what Washington was referring to in his letter to Lafayette.