I was surprised to read Sean Peckham so boldly declare himself to be the personal interpreter of Thomas Jefferson’s beliefs without providing us with any quotes by the man himself. I was further surprised to read that he believes that not only was this nation not founded on Christian principles, but that anyone who thinks so a fool.
This is a prime example of the typical liberal “more-intelligent-than-thou attitude”. It is this attitude that I believe to be the greatest obstacle for liberals in our day and age. Only someone with a small mind and a warped sense of reality would consider that anyone who doesn’t agree with their point of view to obviously be an unintelligent person.
And yet this is what we find to be the rampant attitude of our liberal neighbors. They think that just because someone is moral, they cannot be intelligent. They think that just because someone is religious, they cannot understand the world around them. And what is sad is that they proclaim it all with a straight face and then wonder why most people don’t agree with them.
In response to Mr. Peckham’s statement that this nation was not founded on religious principles, consider this statement by then President George Washington in his farewell address to the nation:
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness – these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens…And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle” (H. S. Commager, ed., Documents of American History, 8th ed., 1968:173).
I think the statement is clear and I will not attempt to be an official interpreter of this great man’s words. Now perhaps Mr. Peckham would like to publicly insult George Washington’s education and as well as claim that his statement was the outcome of a “stupid, intolerant moral philosophy”. But I would advise against it just as I would advise Mr. Peckham to think about what he says next time before he says it. Because although I am sure he is intelligent and has some good points to make, his pride is making them hard to see.
-Clark Gunnerson (staff)B.A. History (2002)