Mumia W wrote: > Andy Streich wrote: > >> On Friday 28 April 2006 08:34 pm, Mike McCarty wrote: >> >>> 'll respond to the very last sentence first. I don't know. But >>> you might ask Benjamin Franklin, because he put everything he >>> did into the Public Domain, and lobbied hard to have neither >>> Copyright nor Patent Law in the USA. He lost his battle, so >>> he put everything into the Public Domain. >> >> >> I didn't know this about old Ben. He sounds very much like a pure >> socialist and that's very surprising -- > > > What's not to love about Ben? He was an atheist too. >
Franklin? An athiest? I don't think so.
I have lived, sir, a long time, and, the longer I live, the more
convincing proofs I see of this truth---that God governs in the
affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without
his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?
We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the
Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly
believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we
shall succeed, in this political building, no better than the
builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little partial local
interests; our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall
become a reproach and by-word down to future ages. And, what is
worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance,
despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to
chance, war. and conquest.
FYI, the two scripture references are:
Matthew 10:29 - Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of
them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Psalms 127:1 - Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that
build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in
vain.
Franklin spoke the above passage just before saying this:
I therefore beg leave to move---that henceforth prayers imploring
the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be
held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business,
and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to
officiate in that service.
Someone seconded Franklin's motion, but there was dissent because, they
claimed, the Constitutional Convention did not have money to pay for the
measure. The motion was eventually dropped on the floor without being
acted upon.
And yes, Benjamin Franklin actually made the statements I have quoted
above. Here are some links:
http://icreport.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r106:S27JA9-0009:
http://memory.loc.gov/ll/lled/005/lled005.sgm_old
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/benfranklin.htm
That does not sound like an atheist to me. He was definitely a
Christian. One who knew his Bible as well.
-Roberto
--
Roberto C. Sanchez
http://familiasanchez.net/~roberto
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