Historians will tell you that the main driver of our founding “principles” was based on the philosophy of the Enlightenment Period and not holy Scripture. Thomas Jefferson even rewrote the Bible without mentioning Jesus.
American Enlightenment thinkers included such founding fathers as John Adams, James Madison, Thomas Paine, Ethan Allen, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Although these gentlemen were Christian, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were designed with the principles of the Enlightenment in mind.
Those principles included individualism - the importance of the individual over the collective. They believed that individuals had inherent rights that the government should protect.
Another principle was secularism. The founders believed in the separation of church and state. They thought that religion should not play a role in government life.
The Enlightenment thinkers were skeptical of traditional authority and dogma. They believed that ideas should be tested through reason and evidence.
Ms. Curtis’ letter says that the country has lost its way, and I believe she is correct.
When over 50% of Republican voters support a candidate indicted for grave crimes, including insurrection, we have lost our way.
When a single senator can hold up over 300 promotions in the Pentagon, we have lost our way.
When the percentage of child poverty is growing, we have lost our way.
When thousands of MAGA terrorists storm the capital, and we watch it on TV, only to have one party describe it as a peaceful demonstration, we are indeed lost.
The Founding Fathers were Christian, but the Enlightenment drove the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Mitchell
Inverness