Many of the founders were considered to be Deists
They were, but there are distinctions to be made. Thomas Paine, for example, was a radical Deist. Franklin was a very moderate Deist.
Here's a little summary of the development of Franklin's religious ideas, which I obtain from his Autobiography:
1. Franklin was raised a Presbyterian. However, at the age of 16, he says, he became a "thorough Deist." He says he was convinced by a book he read that was arguing AGAINST Deism. The arguments appeared to him weak, and the Deistic position strong.
2. Later, at the age of 20, while in London, he wrote a pamphlet in which he argued that there can be no such thing as evil. The idea is that since God is all good and all-powerful, anything He does or permits to be done has to be good. We just think something is evil because we don't see the big picture. This is rather an extreme view.
3. He says that publishing this pamphlet was an error. Here we get to his qualifications about his Deistic beliefs. He began to believe, that though Deism might be true, it was not very useful (typical Franklinian pragmatism). He decided that such ideas might pervert weak-minded people.
4. He continued to give donations to the church, though he did not like the way services were conducted. The minister kept urging him to come, and so one time he did out of curiosity. This is what he says about it:
Had he been, in my opinion, a good Preacher perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's Leisure in my Course of Study; But his Discourses were chiefly either polemic Arguments, or Explications of the peculiar Doctrines of our Sect, and were all to me very dry, uninteresting and unedifying, since not a single moral Principle was inculcated or enforc'd, their Aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good Citizens.
Franklin remained a moderate Deist for the rest of his life.
edited for spelling.
This message has been edited by robinrohan, 08-26-2005 03:01 PM
This message has been edited by robinrohan, 08-26-2005 03:42 PM
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