John Loftus posted the following quote from an article written with intention of showing the
Thomas Jefferson was not a
Christian. Amen. An Owner of slaves? Yes. Adulterer? Yes. Christian? No cotton-picking-way. I realize the importance of the piece is to show that
Christianity had little or nothing to do with the
Declaration of Independence or the founding of our democracy in which at the beginning I would have only counted as 3/5 of a man anyway. Works for me. I'm not at all saying that Jefferson was evil (well more than anyone anyway) and unworthy of honor. Whether he knew it or not, Jefferson fulfilled
God's purposes in his generation. We can find just as many quotes from the American Founding Fathers enshrining Biblical ethics and Christianity as we can denying them. Means nothing. But let's turn to the quote Loftus thought was important and blogged.
"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." - Link
--Hat Tip: PZ Myers
By and large, I don't disagree with part of the quote Loftus used. I'm just amazed how upset people get when Christians use sarcasm and mockery to combat any concept that sets itself up against God. Almost as if Atheists say that they have the right to make fun of ideas they disagree with but we can't make fun and mock theirs. Some Christians even say they think it's wrong to do it. The things is the
Prophet Elijah did it on Mt Carmel. I see nothing wrong with it myself. If you don't like to have your ideas put to the fire, keep them to yourself. There is a difference between mocking ideas and the people who hold them. I don't think it's right to belittle others no matter what they believe. I don't mind however responding in kind. Inconsistent? I think so. I'm working on that. God is helping me with that. I can tell a difference.
As I alluded to earlier, Loftus did not give the full quote:
Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus."
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp, 30 July, 1816
I disagree with Jefferson that no one has ever had a distinct idea of the Trinity. Jesus understand it. On top of that I don't think it bothered Peter, James, John, Paul, Luke, Matthew, Mark, or any of the writers of the New Testament. Just because you or Jefferson or I completely understand it does not make it false. One more time: The Bible says God is one. The
Holy Spirit is God. The Son is God. The Father is God. One Being. Three Persons. A single being does not necessarily mean a single person. A rock has being but does not have person. God has being and three persons. A human being is a single being and one person.
Debunking Christianity: Thomas Jefferson in Defense of Mockery
Image via WikipediaWhat if Frankin Delano Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Jackson were cast in this summer's biggest movies? 
