Richard Dawkins tries to teach us a history lesson in his book, and shows us why he should stick to science. He shows only his ignorance about America's Founding Fathers.
Dawkins begins his section on America's Founding Fathers with the following pronouncement:
It is conventional to assume that the Founding Fathers of the American Republic were deists. No doubt many of them were, although it has been argued that the greatest of them might have been atheists. Certainly their writings on religion in their own time leave me in no doubt that most of them would have been atheists in ours.
After reading this statement, it is hard not to conclude that Dawkins is either himself deluded beyond hope or is outright lying to advance his agenda.
The truth is that NO Founding Father was an atheist. Dawkins cannot provide one - NOT ONE - quote from a Founding Father in which that Founder dismisses belief in God. Instead, he quotes Founders critical of religion. Fancy footwork, but it won't (or at least it shouldn't) work.
Were a few hostile to organized religion? Yes.
And were some openly critical or skeptical of Christianity? Yes.
But there are several serious problems with Dawkins' characterizations of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
First, Dawkins is wrong to blur the lines and muddy the waters in terms of the Founders' religious beliefs. There were many theists, Unitarians, and deists who held organized religion with great suspicion, but that does NOT make them atheists or even quasi-atheists.
Benjamin Franklin, for instance, was an Enlightenment Deist for all intents and purposes -- most of his life. But he showed a profound respect for the world's major religions, especially Christianity. And counted among his friends the legendary Great Awakening evangelist George Whitefield. It was also Franklin who called on his colleagues at the Constitutional Convention to pray.
Second, Dawkins shows either sloppy research or dishonest argumentation. The biggest example of this....Dawkins quotes John Adams as saying: "This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it." Of course, this quote is all over the Internet. Atheists and agnostics love it. Only problem: It's been taken WAY out of context!
Here is a fuller excerpt from Mr. Adams' letter to Mr. Jefferson:
Twenty times, in the course of my late reading, have I been upon the point of breaking out, 'This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!!!' But in this exclamatic I should have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean Hell...
As you can see, Dawkins and other atheists have taken Mr. Adams' quote out of context - and have done so shamefully! Such shoddy research or unethical conduct (take your pick) causes me to lose any respect I might otherwise have for Mr. Dawkins and it puts the rest of his book on shaky ground as far as his credibility is concerned.
Don't believe me? Follow this link and read some of the Adams-Jefferson correspondence for yourself! You'll find the two men had doubts about clergy, organized religion, and Jesus - but NOT about God.
Dawkins of course doesn't confine his errors and mistaken assumptions to John Adams. He gets the history behind the Treaty of Tripoli wrong (something anti-Christian activists are good at) and does so in a way that implies both George Washington and John Adams were secularist deists. Both men, especially Washington, would flip in their graves if they heard that!
For a more balanced and accurate picture of the Founding Fathers and religion, don't consult Dawkins. Instead, check out this link which provides an informative breakdown of the Founders' religious persuasions.
