Good News from Oklahoma

I periodically get emails from David Barton's group Wallbuilders, and this morning I was pleasantly surprised to find such an email in my inbox.

It concerns a state representative from Oklahoma named Sarah Kern. Probably never heard of her on the "fair-and-balanced" Fox News Channel. If you did, it probably wasn't very positive (or extensive) coverage. Well, she recently drew up the "Oklahoma Citizens' Proclamation of Morality," which is also in national form, and can be signed by Americans everywhere.

I am encouraged to see this proclamation. I am heartened by the fact that someone in a place of public trust is openly recognizing that private moral conduct is essential to the survival of our nation. I am heartened that there is a growing realization amongst our Christian brethren in this country that repentance, and not legislation and lawsuits, is what is needed in this country. I am hopeful that more and more of us will become truly convicted, not only where the sins of abortion, sodomy, and others are concerned, but with the general permissiveness of evil that has pervaded our churches. May we repent of our disrespect for God and His law, and may we who teach righteousness to others, exhort ourselves also (Romans 2).

Here is the proclamation in full, taken from Kern's website:

We the People of Oklahoma, Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of Liberty; to secure just and rightful Government; to promote our mutual Welfare and Happiness, do establish this proclamation and call upon the people of the great State of Oklahoma, and our fellow Patriots in these United States of America who look to the Lord for guidance, to acknowledge the need for a national awakening of righteousness in our land.

WHEREAS, “It is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand” (John Adams); and

WHEREAS, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by Religion and Morality” (John Adams); and

WHEREAS, “Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people” (John Adams); and

WHEREAS, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government…but upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God” (James Madison); and

WHEREAS, “Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God (Benjamin Franklin); and

WHEREAS, “God who gave us life gave us liberty 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” (Thomas Jefferson); and

WHEREAS, “Whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of Religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state” (Joseph Story); and

WHEREAS, “We hold sacred the rights of conscience, and promise to the people…the free and undisturbed exercise of their religion” (Roger Sherman); and

WHEREAS, “This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians” (Patrick Henry); and

WHEREAS, “When you…exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed upon your mind that God commands you to choose just men who will rule in the fear of God” (Noah Webster); and

WHEREAS, “The principles of genuine Liberty and of wise laws and administrations are to be drawn from the Bible” (Noah Webster); and

WHEREAS, the people of Oklahoma have a strong tradition of reliance upon the Creator of the Universe; and

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; and

WHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and

WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government of the United States of America is forsaking the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was built; and

WHEREAS, grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer; and

WHEREAS, deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we the undersigned elected officials of the people of Oklahoma, religious leaders and citizens of the State of Oklahoma, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, solemnly declare that the HOPE of the great State of Oklahoma and of these United States, rests upon the Principles of Religion and Morality as put forth in the HOLY BIBLE; and

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the undersigned, believers in the One True God and His only Son, call upon all to join with us in recognizing that “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord,” and humbly implore all who love Truth and Virtue to live above reproach in the sight of God and man with a firm reliance on the leadership and protection of Almighty God; and

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the undersigned, humbly call upon Holy God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, to have mercy on this nation, to stay His hand of judgment, and grant a national awakening of righteousness and Christian renewal as we repent of our great sin.

Signed on the second day of July in the year of our Lord Christ Two Thousand and Nine.

Documentation for Founder's Quotes

John Adams. Quote 1. June 21, 1776. Charles Francis Adams (son of John Q. Adams and grandson of
John Adams), ed., The Works of John Adams—Second President of the United States (Boston:
Little, Brown, & Co., 1854), Vol. IX p. 401

Quote 2. October 11, 1798, in a letter to the officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts. Charles Francis Adams, ed. IBID pp. 228-229.

Quote 3. IBID, p. 229.

James Madison. Quotation attributed to him in 1778 by numerous authors. Fredrick Nymeyer, Progress Calvinism (January 1958), Vol 4 p. 31 is one such author.
This quote is in line with the beliefs of Madison as given in documented statements by him. Also, his appointment of Joseph Story to the Supreme Court in 1811, who wrote two commentaries on the Constitution support Madison's statement. In 1829 Justice Story explained in a speech at Harvard that “there never has been a period of history, in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying at its foundation.” He, also, wrote in Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, Vol. III in 1833 that “Christianity...is not to be maliciously and openly reviled and blasphemed against, to the annoyance of believers or the injury of the public.” These statements and many others verify Madison's belief in Christian principles as presidents always seek to appoint Supreme Court justices who reflect their beliefs and views.

Benjamin Franklin. William S. Pfaff, ed., Maxims & Morals of Benjamin Franklin (New Orleans: Searcy and Pfaff, Ltd, 1927)

Thomas Jefferson. 1781, in his Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, 1781, 1782, p. 237

Joseph Story. 1833. Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833 (reprinted NY: Da Capo Press, 1970), Vol. III, p. 726, Sec 1868, and p. 727, Sec 1869.

Roger Sherman. February 1776, in a directive for the embassy to Canada. Christopher Collier, Roger Sherman's Connecticut (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1979), p. 129.

Patrick Henry. Attributed. Steve C. Dawson, God's Providence in America's History (Rancho Cordova, CA. Steve C. Dawson, 1988), Vol I, p. 5. This statement, like Madison's is completely in line with documented statements of Henry.

Noah Webster. Quote 1. 1832. History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832), pp. 307-308, paragraph 49.

Quote 2. 1833. Noah Webster translated Common Version of the Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with Amendments of the Language (1833), p. 160.

If you are not from Oklahoma, and would like to support this petition, go here.
If you are a citizen of Oklahoma, support Representative Kern's petition here.

Here is Mrs. Kern on her proclamation:

An Important Perspective on September 11

An important message from Jonathan Cahn of Hope of the World Ministries, on Sid Roth's radio broadcast, concerning the events and historical perspective of September 11.

Why Homeschool?

(I promise to post Part 4 of my series on the Founders and the Illuminati soon. If you think we've discovered much so far, believe me, we've only scratched the surface!)

I found this video by accident on GodTube. It's a great video, promoting the mission of Exodus Mandate, a Christian ministry focused on campaigning to remove as many of America's Christian children from the government-controlled public schools as possible. Visit their website at:

www.exodusmandate.org

All Hail the Messiah!

It's a sign! The day before the inauguration, he came riding on a donkey!

Heh heh.

The simulation took place on January 19, 2009, one day before the inauguration of President Obama, in Des Moines, Iowa, where His meteoric rise began. While onlookers waived palm branches, a motorcade consisiting of 4 black SUVs, the sculpture affixed to a donkey, and secret service agents made the the mile long triumphal entry which ended at the steps of the State of Iowa Capitol building.
(From the Official Website)

HT: A Little Leaven.

I guess Obama successfully learned the old maxim, that the way to stay in office, or get elected, is to say nothing, and say it well. Those who actually have a point to make, however, will be confronted with the problem of having those who disagree, and as we cannot count those who agree and disagree with us, our chances of winning an election by actually presenting arguments is unlikely.

Anyway.

Commemorating the Inauguration of Barack Obama

Do you mind if I roll my rant for a minute? I will anyway. Please bear with me for just a moment....

America is priding itself right now that we have just elected our first African-American President. We are saying that the ballots of this country have proven that American voters are "colorblind." Republicans and Democrats alike seem to be pleased at least this much with the results of the election.

However, both statements are false. Obama is not an African-American President, at least not where are Constitution is concerned. Our Constitution is very explicit in stating that only natural-born citizens are eligible for Presidential office. And Obama does not qualify.

The second statement is false fundamentally. While some may have voted for Obama, many seemed to support him and vote for him because he is black. That is not colorblind election. That is anti-racism gone to the extreme. Just because someone is in a "minority" group does not mean that he is fit for every position he seeks for himself. I think that Obama has shown himself to be clearly wrong on certain issues, and extremely dangerous on others.

I have nothing against blacks, or Hispanics, or any other group, but if we are really going to follow the advice of Martin Luther King, Jr., we should judge Obama by his character, and not his color. But we did not do that. Many who did not support Obama felt pressure from the media not to voice their opposition, because of the accusations that would immediately be made, that they were racist. And in America, you can be a druggy, an abortionist, a theif, and a perv, but don't you dare be a racist -- or at least, not a white supremacist.

Well, in spite of the fact that the man I disagree with has now entered the White House, I will commemorate that event anyway -- just not in the same namby-pamby manner as our politicians do, as if they had no principle but power to stand on.

Gotta love these gems from LibertyStickers.com:

Oh, and finally ...

The Prayer that Rick Warren Probably Won't Pray On Inauguration Day

Hello everyone. Yes, Inauguration Day is one the way! And yes, Rick Warren, the controversial author and reverend of Saddleback Church, is going to say the dedication over the entrance of Barack Obama to the presidency. Rick Warren, I'm sorry to say, is not a true conservative, and there are times when I wonder if he is a Christian. Therefore, I am not too suprised that he and Obama seem to jive so well, even though they have different opinions.

Whatever prayer Rick Warren prays on that day, it is certain he will pray nothing like this one. So let us pray it for him instead. Mark your calendars!

Merry Christmas ...

to all our wonderful politicians in New York and in D.C. From the patriots to you:

Image from In God We Trust

The Real Story of the Founding Fathers and the Illuminati, Part 3

Who was the one Founding Father who defended the Illuminati, its founder, and its propaganda? And why did he defend them?

We left off in our last installment discussing the general reaction of the Founding Fathers towards the Illuminati, and/or their philosophy and principles. We also took a look at how the Founders reacted to the French Revolution and the ideals which propelled it, and how it illustrates that their views were not synonymous with those of the Illuminati, and that they were not acting in concert with that organization.

As promised, we shall examine how one Founding Father differed from the rest in this very important aspect. While he was only one man, he held prominence in the nation at that time, and to this day, his name and words are considered to be authoritative. His aura has now overshadowed the names and words of other Founding Fathers, more worthy of the veneration and consideration of Americans. Therefore, his ideals and opinions, which led him, not surprisingly, to sympathize with the Illuminati, the French Jacobins, or at least view them as well-intentioned or harmless, was a major force behind the fierce political divisions in our early political history.

The name of this Founder, was Thomas Jefferson.

Instead of lamenting the influence that the Illuminati had on the nations of Europe and America, and viewing its doctrines as dangerous, Thomas Jefferson defended Weishaupt and the Illuminati as trying to advance the cause of human liberty and equality. Jefferson wrote in the year 1800:

Wishaupt [sic] seems to me to be an enthusiastic philanthropist. He is among those (as you know the excellent [Richard] Price and [Joseph] Priestly [deists who claimed to be Christians] also are) who believe in the indefinite perfectibility of man. He thinks he may in time be rendered so perfect that he will be able to govern himself in every circumstance so as to injure none, to do all the good he can, to leave government no occasion to exercise their powers over him, and of course to render political government useless. ...
Wishaupt believes that this perfection of the human character was the object of Jesus Christ. That his intention was simply to reinstate natural religion, & by diffusing the light of his morality, to teach us to govern ourselves. ... The means he [Weishaupt] proposes to effect this improvement of human nature are “to enlighten men, to correct their morals & inspire them with benevolence. ...”

As Wishaupt lived under the tyranny of a despot of priests, he knew that caution was necessary even in spreading information, & the principles of pure morality. He proposed therefore to lead the Free masons to adopt this object & to make objects of their institution the diffusion of science & virtue. This has given an air of mystery to his views, ... & is the color for the ravings against him of Robinson [sic], [Abbe] Barruel, & [Rev. Jedediah] Morse, whose real fears are that the craft [of ecclesiastical tyranny] would be endangered by the spreading of information, reason, & natural morality among men. (17)

Instead of believing that Illuminist propaganda was threatening liberty and society, Jefferson accused those writers who were exposing the Illuminati in books and sermons of being the true conspirators against human liberty, insinuating that they were either paranoid, or trying to discredit those who were "truly" proclaiming human freedom. Jefferson further accused these anti-Illuminist writers of being “ecclesiastical and monarchical” -- in other words, of being prejudiced in favor of an aristocratic hierarchy on the levels of church and state and biased against democracy and equality. He explained:

I have lately by accident got a sight of a single volume (the 3d.) of the Abbe Barruel's Antisocial conspiracy, which gives me the first idea I ever had of what is meant by the Illuminatism against which 'illuminate [sic] Morse' as he is now called, & his ecclesiastical and monarchical associates have been making such hue and cry. Barruel's own parts of the book are perfectly the ravings of a Bedlamite. But he quotes largely from Weishaupt whom he considers the founder of what he calls the order. As you may not have had an opportunity of forming a judgment of this cry of 'mad dog' which has been raised against his doctrines, I will give you the idea I have formed ...

However, in spite of his warm accusations of those who exposed the Illuminati, Jefferson admitted the fact that he was rather new to the subject. He had made up his mind that the Illuminati was wrongly accused by those who wished to insure the triumph of monarchy and a church-state, after spending a mere hour reading quotations of Weishaupt from Barruel's book, “which,” Jefferson said, “you may be sure are not the most favorable.” [So what?? If they are Weishaupt's writings, who cares if they are "favorable" or not? He wrote them! Isn't that proof enough? Sir, why are you so biased in favor of this man?] Several of these quotations of Weishaupt presented by Barruel will be examined later. But Jefferson was convinced of the rightness of his opinions in spite of the newness of the subject to him. Jefferson explained away Weishaupt's use of secret societies and mystical rituals by arguing that freedom of speech and press were suppressed in Germany. Jefferson further explained:

I believe you will think with me that if Wishaupt had written here, where no secrecy is necessary in our endeavors to make men wise & virtuous, he would not have thought of any secret machinery for that purpose. As [William] Godwin, if he had written in Germany, might probably have thought secrecy & mysticism prudent.

William Godwin was another deist philosopher and writer from Europe. He was "an English writer and radical political philosopher, published An Enquiry [sic] concerning Political Justice and its influence on general virtue and happiness, 2 vols. (London, 1793), in which he expounded his philosophy of anarchism. He believed that society should be based on reason and urged that such institutions as government, marriage, and social classes be abolished." (18)

Thomas Jefferson's sympathy of the Illuminati comes as no surprise when one realizes that his writings maintain the same religious, philosophical, and political tenets he ascribed to the Illuminati. Jefferson, and, as we shall see, Weishaupt believed, or at least taught, that Jesus was a mere man, whose mission was not to save mankind from sin, but rather to teach men how to be moral and rational. As Jefferson was previously quoted to say: “[Jesus'] intention was simply to reinstate natural religion, & by diffusing the light of his morality, to teach us to govern ourselves.” Jefferson's own writings prove that he himself whole-heartedly maintained this “natural religion”:

[I]t is not to be understood that I am with Him [Jesus] in all of His doctrines. I am a Materialist, he takes the side of spiritualism; he preaches the efficacy of repentance toward forgiveness of sin. I require a counterpoise of good works to redeem it, &c. &c. ...
Among the sayings & discourses imputed to Him by his biographers [the writers of the Gospels], I find many passages of fine imagination, correct morality, and of the most lovely benevolence: and others again of so much ignorance, so much absurdity, so much untruth, charlatanism, and imposture, as to pronounce it impossible that such contradictions should have proceeded from the same being. I seperate [sic] the gold from the dross; restore to him the former & leave the latter to the stupidity of some, and the roguery of others of his disciples. Of this band of dupes and imposters [sic], Paul was the great Coryphaeus. (19)

Jefferson also admitted his deism in a letter dated October 31, 1819 to William Short. Jefferson said:

As you say yourself, I too am an Epicurean. ... But the greatest of all reformers of the depraved religion of his own country, was Jesus of Nazareth. Abstracting what is really his from the rubbish in which it is buried, easily distinguished by its lustre [sic] from the dross of his biographers, and as separable from that as the diamond from the dunghill, we have the outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man ...

Epictetus and Epicurus give laws for governing ourselves, Jesus a supplement of duties and charities we owe to others. The establishment of the innocent and genuine character of this benevolent moralist, and rescuing it from the imputation of imposture, which has resulted from artificial systems, ... is a desirable object, and one to which [Joseph] Priestly has successfully devoted his labors & learning. (20)

Among the doctrines which Jefferson attributed to Epicurus, and to which Jefferson apparently subscribed, were listed by Jefferson at the end of his letter to Short:

Syllabus of the doctrines of Epicurus. Physical. -- The Universe [is] eternal. ...Matter and Void alone [exist]. ... Gods, an order of beings next superior to man, enjoy their own sphere, their own felicities; but not meddling with the concerns of the scale of beings below them. ... Utility [is] the test of virtue.

At the end of the letter, Jefferson affixed a short list of what he considered the “artificial systems” of Christianity -- those which Jefferson claimed were not maintained by Jesus -- to be:

e. g. The immaculate conception of Jesus, his deification, the creation of the world by him, his miraculous powers, his resurrection and visible ascension, his corporeal presence in the Eucharist, the Trinity; original sin, atonement, regeneration, election, orders of Hierarchy, &c.

Of course, some of these tenets are indeed taught by the Scriptures; others are not, but are man-made institutions and tenets (such as the "corporeal presence" of Christ in the Eucharist, orders of Hierarchy, and the ultra-Calvinist interpretation of predestination).
However, Jefferson rejected what was clearly taught by the Scriptures, and by rejecting them accepted deism and unitarianism. Another letter to deist and unitarian theologian Joseph Priestly, written on April 9, 1803, demonstrates this clearly:

I should proceed to a view of the life, character, & doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of the incorrectness of their [the Jews'] ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of pure deism, and juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to a standard of reason, justice & philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief in a future state. This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, & even his inspiration [by God the Father]. (21)

The inevitable result of believing that true morality is ultimately discovered by reason and science, and that the quest for true morality must be completely unaided by revelation from God, leads men to believe that true morality can be possible apart from God. There is evidence in a letter that Jefferson penned to Thomas Law, on June 13, 1814, which suggests a growing trend toward this view in Jefferson's thinking. In this letter, he maintained that the love of God is not the ultimate essential to morality, because atheists claimed to be moral too. (22) Now, let me clarify my position here: atheists may do moral things, but those who fall under that description do so because they have "plagiarized" the morals that Christianity has established for the world around us. Many of those who have not had this cultural restraint have been guilty of the most ghastly barbarities the world has seen, because there is no God or God-concept to restrain them.

In conclusion, Jefferson clearly manifested a prejudice in favor of the Illuminati and its founder, but such is not surprising when one realizes that his ideology was akin to that which the Illuminati publicly propogated. As a result, Jefferson was an avid supporter of the French Revolution, which was the first major move of the Illuminists in overthrowing society. Whether or not Jefferson realized that the Illuminati was responsible or not is uncertain; but he probably would not have thought much of it. Through political and philosophical propaganda, the ideals of the French Revolution were brought to America, and much of the early political tumult in those early days of our constititional republic can be traced to the struggle between the Christian ideals of the American Revolution (which produced our constitutional federal republican form of government) and the humanist idealogy of the French Revolution.

Jefferson's support of the French Revolution, the connection between that Revolution and the Illuminati, the tumultuous conflict it produced in America, and the warnings of those who sounded the alarm will be explored in the next future posts.

Stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

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(HT: New York Traveler)
I wish our American culture placed more emphasis on this celebration, than on Halloween, or even Christmas (if we want to celebrate the birthday of Christ, why don't we do it on the day He was born -- which was in the early spring -- rather than on the high day of the sun god?). Thanksgiving is a true American holiday, with its roots in one of America's earliest settlements, and in the faith and piety that made this nation great.

And on a lighter note, here is some ... historical background ... Enjoy!

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(HT: Freaky Frugalite)
Yes, even Hercules Mulligan finds time to goof off (and no, I didn't make this movie)!

The Real Story of the Founders and the Illuminati, Part 2

What was the philosophy of the Illuminati, and were the Founders co-conspirators? Exactly how did they respond to it?

We left off, in our last installment, discussing the argument, concerning the coinciding dates of the Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Order of the Illuminati. We have proven that our Revolution had no direct connection to the Illuminati or its agenda. We left off with the statement by Dr. John Robison (1798) that the Illuminati wished to promote and spread Deism. But the definition of deism seems to be rather obscure, as most people do not openly classify themselves as Deists, although the belief system seems to be considerably rampant in the western world today.

Deism acknowledges the existence of a creator of the world; however, it denies supernatural revelation, and therefore, it denies the inspiration and accuracy of the Bible and the Gospel. Deism has been associated with the term “natural religion,” because deism seeks to replace the authority of divine revelation (chiefly the Scriptures) with natural science, reason, and philosophy. Deism believes that if man relies upon his reason, guided by the study of nature, than he will be a moral and virtuous creature, acceptable in God's sight.

This basic tenet of deism is obviously opposed to that of the Christian Gospel, which maintains that man does not have enough goodness in himself to make himself moral or acceptable to God, but must rely upon the atonement of Jesus Christ for justification and salvation from sin.

Ethan Allen, in delineating the doctrine of deism, authored a treatise on deism, which bears as its title the practical motto of the deist: "Reason: The Only Oracle of Man." He explained clearly what deism maintains:

As far as we understand nature, we are become acquainted with the character of God, for the knowledge of nature is the revelation of God. ... But as certain as God is perfect in wisdom and goodness, natural religion is sufficient and complete; and having had the divine approbation, and naturally resulted from a rational nature, is as universally promulgated to mankind as reason itself. ... But that God should have given a revelation of his will to mankind, as his law, and to be continued to the latest posterity as such, which is promised to be above the capacity of their understanding, is ... impossible. (7)

Of course, it is the logical outcome of deism to deny the divinity and mission of Jesus Christ as the Atoner, since deism denies the ultimate depravity of human nature, as well as the intervention of God in human affairs. Allen's pamphlet maintains this denial as the belief of all deists. (8) As we shall soon examine, our Founding Fathers explained that deism was a far to feeble foundation for our Constitution and form of government; they explained that only Christianity would suffice to support our republic.

It must, however, be observed that although deism was the bait which the Illuminati would delude minds and attract followers, the ultimate intention of the Illuminati was to draw men to atheism, which is an even further departure from the Gospel and from the foundation of American government. Robison wrote:

[T]his [deism] is the doctrine that is to be swallowed by the Minervals of Illuminati Minores, to whom it is not yet safe to disclose the grand secret, that there is no such superintendance [sic] of Deity. ... By this time he [the beginning member of the Illuminati] must have heard much about superstition, and how men's minds have been dazzled by this splendid picture of a Providence and a moral government of the universe. It now appears incompatible with the great Object of the Order, the principles of universal liberty and equality – it is therefore rejected without farther examination, for this reason alone. This was precisely the argument used in France [during its bloody revolution] rejecting revealed religion. (9)

Because the Illuminati stood in such opposition to the principles upon which the Founding Fathers framed our nation, when the Founders observed the doctrines of the Illuminati being advanced through secret societies such as the Masonic Lodge, and through the horrific revolution which exploded in France, they harshly denounced either the Illuminati, its principles, or both at the same time. They were appalled at the boldness of infidels to propagate their ridiculous and destructive tenets, and were equally appalled at the watershed of brazen infidelity and immorality which ensued. Robison, again describing the Illuminati, wrote:

The Order was said to abjure Christianity, and to refuse admission into the higher degrees to all who adhered to any of the three confessions. Sensual pleasures were restored to the rank they held in the Epicurean philosophy. Self-murder was justified on stoical principles. In the lodges death was declared an eternal sleep; patriotism and loyalty were called narrow-minded prejudices ... (10)

Of all the denunciations made by the Founding Fathers about the Illuminati, Alexander Hamilton's were especially harsh. He did not name the Illuminati itself, but his words would have left no doubt in the minds of his readers that he was obviously decrying the principles and efforts of the Illuminati, as manifested in the French Revolution. He declared:

In reviewing the disgusting spectacle of the French Revolution, it is difficult to avert the eye entirely from those features of it which betray a plan to disorganize the human mind itself, as well as to undermine the venerable pillars that support the edifice of civilized society. The attempt of the rulers of a nation to destroy all religious opinion, and to pervert a whole nation to atheism is a phenomenon of profligacy reserved to consummate the infamy of the unprincipled reformers of France. ...

The inscriptions by the public authority, affirming death to be an eternal sleep, witness the desire to discredit the belief of the immortality of the soul. The open profession of atheism in the convention [of France], received with acclamations; the honorable mention on its journals of a book professing to prove the nothingness of all religion; ... the congratulatory reception of impious children appearing in the hall of the convention to lisp blasphemy against the King of kings, are among the most dreadful proofs of a conspiracy to establish atheism on the ruins of Christianity.” (11)

In a public speech, Gouverneur Morris, another Founding Father, mocked one of the most fundamental tenets of the Illuminati: the ability of man to perfect his own nature. Morris claimed that Jefferson, a sympathizer of the French Revolution, maintained these principles himself. Morris declared:

[F]or his [Jefferson's] faith, it is not a grain of mustard; but the full size of a pumpkin, so that while men of mustard-seed faith can only move mountains, he finds no difficulty in swallowing them. He believes, for instance, in the perfectability [sic] of man, the wisdom of mobs, and the moderation of Jacobins [radical French revolutionaries maintaining atheistic or deistic tenets]. (12)

John Adams also showed concern over the growing influence of the religious and political tenets of Illuminism with the common people of Europe, and even of America. He wrote to his wife:

I fear the Atheistical and Theistical Philosophers lately turned Politicians, will drive the common People into Receptacles of Visionaries, Enluminees, illuminees, &c. &c. For the People will undoubtedly insist upon the Risque [sic] of being damned rather than give up the hope of being saved in a future state. The People will have a Life to come, and so will I. (13)

Benjamin Rush, another Founder, expressed his concern over the growing influence of deism in America. He maintained that such influence would attack the roots of American society and government. He wrote:

I fear all our attempts to produce political happiness by the solitary influence of human reason will be as fruitless as the search for the philosopher's stone. It seems to be reserved to Christianity alone to produce universal, moral, political, and physical happiness. Reason produces, it is true, great and popular truths, but it affords motives to feeble to induce mankind to act agreeably to them. ... I anticipate nothing but suffering to the human race while the present systems of paganism, deism, and atheism prevail in the world. New England may escape the storm which impends our globe, but, ... it will only be by adhering to the religious principles ... of the first settlers of that country [the Pilgrims]. (14)

But perhaps the most succinct declamations of the Illuminati itself came from the pen of George Washington, not long after he had resigned from the presidency. He wrote two letters to a concerned German immigrant to America, harshly denouncing the Illuminati, and expressing his own concern about its influence upon America. In the first of these letters, Washington wrote:

Mount Vernon, September 25, 1798. Sir: Many apologies are due to you ... for not thanking you, at an earlier period, for the Book [Proofs of a Conspiracy, by John Robison] you had the goodness to send me.

I have heard much of the nefarious, and dangerous plan, and doctrines of the Illuminati, but never saw the Book until you were pleased to send it to me. ... I believe notwithstanding, that none of the [Masonic] Lodges in this Country are contaminated with the principles ascribed to the Society of the Illuminati. (15)

And in a second letter, Washington wrote:

Mount Vernon, October 24, 1798. Revd. Sir: ... It was not my intention to doubt that, the Doctrines of the Illuminati, and principles of Jacobinism had not spread in the United States. On the contrary, no one is more truly satisfied of this fact than I am.
The idea I meant to convey, was, that I did not believe that the Lodges of Free Masons in this Country, had, as Societies, endeavored to propagate the diabolical tenets of the first [the Illuminati], or the pernicious principles of the latter [of the Jacobins] (if indeed they are susceptible of seperation [sic]). That Individuals of them [Masonic lodges in the US] may have done it, or that the founder, or instrument employed to found, the Democratic Societies in the United States [Citizen Genet], may have had these objects; and actually had a seperation [sic] of the People from their Government in view, is too evidence to be questioned. (16)

These views expressed by the Founders concerning rationalism and the Illuminati are not the views of a minority of them. Already, the views of distinguished individuals like Hamilton, Adams, and Washington have been solicited, and those of no-less important individuals like Morris or Rush have been presented. Indeed, it seems that nearly all the Founders who spoke out on this issue rejected rationalism, and denounced the Illuminati and the French Revolution.

However, there was ONE Founding Father whose views on this subject was directly opposite those of the rest of the Founders. In many ways, it was his position on this issue that brought such great turmoil to the early American political scene during and after Washington's presidency.

In the next installment, we will discover the identity of the Founder, and exactly what he had to say on the subject. We will also discover the effects of his beliefs and influence upon American politics and events during and after that time period. Stay tuned!