"The writings of Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Paine and Franklin were particularly adamant about religious freedom and freedom from theocracy. Their writings also show they were very wary and disapproving of religious superstition, bigotry, intolerance, hypocrisy, imposition, and persecution. They were very critical of certain right-wing Christian leaders in that regard.
Jefferson especially felt that preachers should not use their pulpit as a partisan political soap box, especially when their personal beliefs and opinions were presented as divine truth. Jefferson stood up to their political grandstanding cloaked in religion, and he rebuked their 'tyrannical' aggression and imposition. And they hated him for it.
However, Jefferson was only against the 'corruptions' of Christianity, and against religious bigotry and hypocrisy. Jefferson loved the actual teachings of Jesus. In fact, Jefferson wrote that: 'Of all the systems of morality, ancient or modern, which have come under my observation, none appear to me so pure as that of Jesus.'
Jefferson even compiled a reformed version of the gospels to rescue the philosophy of Jesus and the 'pure principles which he taught,' from the 'corruptions and artificial vestments' which were established as 'instruments of riches and power' for church patriarchs.
Jefferson correctly concluded that Jesus never claimed to be God, and he regarded some of the New Testament as having been corrupted with 'palpable falsifications.' (His work is called The Jefferson Bible.)"
(Excerpted from
Ignored American History.)
That site also has an article titled
Quotes From the Founding Fathers Regarding Religion, which contains quotes that refute what "Christian Right" revisionist "historians" like Pat Robertson and David Barton are claiming.
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