A demonstration of the type of misinformation perpetrated by Fundamentalists

Here is a piece of fantasy writing about the religious inclinations of George Washington, written and posted as part of the wallbuilders.com site:

"Was George Washington a Christian? This is a question often asked today, and it arises from the efforts of those who seek to impeach Washington's character by portraying him as irreligious. Interestingly, Washington's own contemporaries did not question his Christianity but were thoroughly convinced of his devout faith."

In contrast to this unsubstantiated fabrication we have the written testimony of Thomas Jefferson:

Dr. Rush tells me that he had it from Asa Green that when the clergy addressed Genl. Washington on his departure from the govmt, it was observed in their consultation that he had never on any occasion said a word to the public which showed a belief in the Xn religion and they thot they should so pen their address as to force him at length to declare publicly whether he was a Christian or not. They did so. However he observed the old fox was too cunning for them. He answered every article of their address particularly except that, which he passed over without notice. Rush observes he never did say a word on the subject in any of his public papers except in his valedictory letter to the Governors of the states when he resigned his commission in the army, wherein he speaks of "the benign influence of the Christian religion".

I know that Gouverneur Morris, who pretended to be in his secrets & believed himself to be so, has often told me that Genl. Washington believed no more of that system than he himself did.

Thomas Jefferson, personal journal entry, February 1, 1800.

The Works of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Paul L. Ford (Federal Edition) (New York and London, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1904-05). 12 vols -- VOLUME I: THE ANAS (1791-1806) AND VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT

The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages ...By Thomas Jefferson, Published 1859, H. W. Derby. (Pg. 198)

In the above piece we can clearly assess that Thomas Jefferson was under the impression that George Washington was not a Christian, as was Gouverneur Morris, Dr. Benjamin Rush and possibly Asa Green, along with the Clergy serving the region near the Capital.

This is in blatant contrast to the lie we previously read, "Interestingly, Washington's own contemporaries did not question his Christianity but were thoroughly convinced of his devout faith." Obviously, many of them did question it and many were convinced of his lack of Christian faith, and the writer of the Wallbuilders piece is well aware of this fact, but more than willing to lie about it.

Thomas Jefferson served as our first Secretary of State under George Washington and had known the man for many years.

Gouverneur Morris served with Washington as a Congressional (Continental Congress) envoy to Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War and remained friends with him thereafter. Morris wrote much of the Preamble to the Constitution, served as Ambassador to France under Washington and he himself was not a Christian.

Dr. Rush was possibly a moderate Christian with Unitarian and Deist sentiment, but he was no Fundamentalist, and he was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was known to be an associate of Jefferson and Adams, two other Founding Fathers with little respect for the clergy or Fundamentalist Christian doctrine.

Asa Green was the first Chaplain to serve Congress, a position that the Founding Fathers fought over as many of them did not want clergy involved at all.

To completely dismiss the writings of Thomas Jefferson and others who knew Washington and were there in order to create this fantasy of a Christian Nation which these men fought so hard against is ridiculous.