“My views… [are] very different from the
anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who
know nothing of my opinions.”
– Thomas Jefferson, The Jefferson Lies p.
83
We should be interested in truth. Unfortunately, the world
is interested in promoting and advancing its own worldview and to accomplish
that it is willing to twist the facts and even re-write history. It is
important that we examine the facts and know the truth about the history of the
United States,
and about our founding fathers. It tell us what this country was founded upon and
what its values were. Thomas Jefferson is one that is most often dismissed
today as racist, secular, anti-Christian and worse. David Barton wrote a book called, The Jefferson Lies – exposing the myths you’ve always
believed about Thomas Jefferson. In it he specifically examines 7 things
about Jefferson that are told as factual by most universities and scholars in America
today. If they are true, it raises some serious questions about the man who had a key role in the founding of
our country, and if false, than we have a real hero in Thomas Jefferson that we
should greatly admire and honor.
I will give the “7 Lies” here and briefly describe the facts
surrounding them. I would highly recommend you get and read the book for
yourself though – don’t just take my word for it.
(
http://www.amazon.com/The-Jefferson-Lies-Exposing-Believed/dp/1595554599
) You should note that the book was originally published by Thomas Nelson, but they pulled it because of "historical errors". It is my opinion that while Barton probably tried a little too hard to make Jefferson more orthodox (this really only comes out in chapter 7), the bulk of the book is addressing the lies that he had no real Christian or Biblical values or character. Thus, I still found it very interesting and helpful.
Lie #1: Thomas Jefferson Fathered Sally Hemings’
children. There is no evidence to prove this, and actually all DNA testing
has shown that Thomas Jefferson was absolutely not the father of two of her children (which are the two that have
most often been claimed are). This chapter explains where this lie first came
from and the research and testing done to examine it.
Lie #2: Thomas Jefferson founded a secular
university. Not true. The university he helped to start (the University of Virginia) was merely the first
university that was not associated with one particular denomination. It was in
fact America’s
first inter-denominational school but was not secular by any means, in fact, it was
quite the opposite. He designated a building in the center of the campus to be
used for religious worship and he actually invited seminaries of various
denominations to establish groups on the campus. He explained,
“We suggest the
expediency of encouraging the different religious sects [denominations] to
establish, each for itself, a professor ship of their own tenets on the
confines of the university so near as that the students may attend lectures
there and have the free use of our library and every other accommodation we can
give them… [B]y bringing the sects [denominations] together and mixing them
with the mass of other students, we shall soften their asperities [harshness],
liberalize and neutralize their prejudices [prejudgment without an examination
of the facts], and make the general religion a religion of peace, reason and
morality.” (see p. 48)
He also wrote that “the students of the university will be
free and expected to attend religious worship at the establishment of their
respective sects.” (see p. 54) That is hardly secular!
Lie #3: Thomas Jefferson wrote his own Bible and
edited out things he didn’t agree with.
Thomas Jefferson did not write his own “Bible”. He did however,
write an abridgement of the New Testament as a translation for the Indians
(made it simple for them to be able to read it), and he also had a book he
wrote (for his personal use only) that was basically just all the “red letters”
of Jesus speaking from the Gospels so that he could focus just on the words of
Jesus. However, in neither of these writings did Jefferson
omit facts, miraculous events, etc. (see p. 67&ff) To say he wrote his own Bible is simply a very large exaggeration.
Lie #4: Thomas Jefferson was a racist who opposed
equality for black Americans. While Jefferson was a man of his times (where slavery was common), it's not really fair to say this at all. One argument
that people will use is that Jefferson didn’t
even free his slaves upon his death (unlike George Washington, although I’ve
heard him condemned nonetheless). The short answer for this is that he couldn’t
because of Virginia
state law at the time, but he wrote to a friend that he wished he could. There’s
context of history and the culture of the times to understand in all of this as
well and we shouldn’t rush to conclusions. (More on this on pages 91-93.) From Jefferson’s own pen:
“The whole commerce
between master and slave is… the most unremitting despotism on the one part,
and the degrading submissions on the other… And with what execrations
[denunciations] should the statesman be loaded who permit[s] one half the
citizens thus to trample on the rights of the other… And can the liberties of a
nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis – a
conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of
God? … Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that
His justice cannot sleep forever… [T]he way, I hope, [is] preparing under the
auspices of Heaven for a total emancipation.” (see p. 102)
You can also read of Jefferson’s advocacy for escaped
slaves, his petitions for anti-slavery laws and his reaction to the Missouri compromise in
this chapter. Quite enlightening.
Lie #5: Thomas Jefferson advocated a secular public
square through the separation of church and state. I was already aware that
in our modern society Jefferson’s “separation of church and state” clause that
he wrote in a letter in 1802 (to the Danbury Baptists in Connecticut) has often
been taken out of context and used so as to keep religion out of the public square. What Jefferson
intended by that phrase was that the government had no right to put limitations
on the free exercise of religion, NOT that religion had no place in the government. In fact, he himself advocated Christian
morality and principles to be laws. This can be proved by his actions as a statesman,
Governor and President. Thomas Jefferson introduced several bills in the Virginia legislature
including (see p. 131):
-A bill for punishing disturbers of religious worship and
Sabbath breakers.
-A bill for appointing days of fasting and prayer.
-A bill annulling marriages prohibited by Levitical law and
appointing the mode of solemnizing lawful marriage.
-A bill for saving the property of the church heretofore by
law established.
Also, as Governor of Virginia, he signed several bills into
law that reflected Biblical morality and instituted that everyone taking an
oath of office should say “So help me God.” (see p. 132)
Another interesting fact is that two days after Jefferson
wrote the famous letter to the Danbury Baptists, he arranged for a Baptist
minister named John Leland to preach at the church at the Capitol (and that’s
another thing - yes, Jefferson was the one who helped to form the church that
met right in the federal capitol building!). David Barton writes this about this
event: “Didn’t Jefferson understand the
‘separation’ doctrine that he had just penned? Of course he did, and he
understood that the separation prohibited the government from preventing a religious expression, which
is why having church in the Capitol was completely acceptable.” (see p. 151,
emphasis his)
Lie #6: Thomas Jefferson detested the clergy. That
doesn’t make a lick of sense based on the paragraph above. Jefferson
regularly invited clergy to speak at the church in the Capitol. The clergy he
“detested” were a few in the northern states who wrote and spoke blatant lies
about him! Context again… (see p. 141&ff)
Lie #7: Thomas Jefferson was an atheist and not a
Christian. He most certainly was NOT an atheist… this is one of the most
ridiculous lies out there as it can very easily be proven otherwise. Jefferson also was NOT a deist – he believed in a very
personal God. While at the end of the life he was following some “Progressive”
(Unitarian-type) beliefs, he always maintained and held fast to his belief in God. (see p. 165&ff)
While his orthodoxy may be questionable, Jefferson did have a profoundly Christian worldview. And if
you want to know who were most fundamental in shaping Jefferson’s thinking you
can find out in his own words: “Bacon, Newton
and Locke… [are] my trinity of the three greatest men the world had ever
produced.” (see p. 38) All three of these men were solid, Biblical Christians.
Truth needs to be sought out. Let us seek to find it out. For further study you can read Jefferson's works at this website:
Additional Note: For a great book on George Washington read George Washington’s Sacred Fire by Peter
Lillback. It is a whopping 725 pages (not including the additional 10
Appendix’s and then over two hundred pages of footnotes, in small font!), but
gives you tons of information and writing by Washington himself to argue that
he was indeed a Christian and not a deist like many claim. I have read it, and it's very good!
