For the history buffs: Interesting article about how Thomas Jefferson created his own "bible". He saw Jesus as a very mortal man and does not refer to any god. It must have been difficult for him to live in a very christian country (perhaps more so than now).
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I have done much study on Thomas Jefferson, my sons middle name is in honor of him. Lets face it, he claimed to be a diest which was acceptable at the time, but he was simply an atheist.
DavidLaDeau
Level 8
Aug 7, 2019
2
Jefferson was a Deist.
wordywalt
Level 9
Aug 7, 2019
0
@adaptable1958 but I helped him drink his wine. Joy to the World!
@powder, @Joanne, @adaptable1958, @Killtheskyfairy
Only problem is "Jesus" didn't say any of those things because he didn't exist.
I like the hypothesis the "New Testament" was dreamed up and compiled by the Romans and, much to their probable surprise and glee, became an instant best-seller.
That it's high-minded-sounding nonsense is beside the point. It sufficed to give them a new sledgehammer with which to beat people senseless.
Storm1752
Level 8
Aug 7, 2019
2
the bible was written almost 100 years after Jesus was suppossed to have lived. The Egyptions and Romans kept records of history pretty well but the churches to day claim they had wrote done things about Jesus
@benhmiller Please explain? What do you mean, "...they had wrote done things about Jesus?"
The problem I have with this hypothesis is that they didn't do a very good job of writing the Jesus story if it was completely fabricated. There are too many contradictions about Jesus: his nature, and what he taught. His origin story and the fulfillment of prophecies are also problematic. It comes across more that there was a person, likely named Jesus, who was one of the many messiah figures to arise during a span of perhaps a hundred years who had a very faithful following and was later elevated to something he wasn't (starting with the writings attributed to Paul). We can see in the various books in the Bible that he starts out as a man, becomes the son of god, and eventually, in the gospel of John, becomes god himself. This shows evidence of a growing and changing myth about a person not a thought out, completely fabricated, story.
Not necessarily only Romans, there were very likely Greeks, Egyptions from Alexandria, and other Meditranian contributers also.
It remains surprising to this day how many will claim that Jefferson was a devout Christian.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Aug 7, 2019
3
He was a Christian! Its right there in the Constution if you read between the lines hard enough. "Lets make America Christian......again!
Okay I might disown you for this one old friend!
P. S. ( didn't he right the Declaration of Independence?) Ohh hell who cares its in there somewhere if you just believe!
I'm surprised nobody's linked to it yet -- it's public domain. 
Online: [thejeffersonbible.com]
PDF: [google.com]
Wikipedia entry: [en.m.wikipedia.org]
RichCC
Level 8
Aug 7, 2019
5
Revolutionary America was most definitely NOT a very Christian country. While certain colonies had been founded by religious zealots (e.g., Massachusetts), others were founded by people simply looking to get away from the Church of England. Most of the founding fathers were Deists, or possibly theists, but only a minority were Christian.
mcgeo52
Level 8
Aug 7, 2019
7
Thanks for pointing this out. Today's culture seems to think we have always been a 'Christian " country. This really irks me. READ MORE, people. What we were taught in school, or think nowadays, is so screwed up.
Thanks again for clarifying this. Rosemary
^^^^^ This. In 1776 only 15% of the nation was religious. Look it up.
...Yes ,to skim over the context and cherry pick
facts does not clarify the original point.In law as well as government we were trying to define a better structure.
We were collectively trying to escape"old world".
Bible proves God is a woman, it's a book, written by men mansplaining everything she said. (Funniest thing I read all week on a bumper sticker)
SallyInStitches
Level 7
Aug 7, 2019
2
That is "wordy" bumper sticker.
@BufftonBeotch yup. They get pretty big between sci-fi nerds & hell bound heathens.
@SallyInStitches So on a Moped then.
>>>>>>>>>Runs.
@BufftonBeotch well for heathens it'd be brooms...or floor buffers for the young people & their fancy technology.
Jefferson also wrote a magic free version of Harry Potter.
LucasfromGR
Level 6
Aug 7, 2019
2
Here is Jefferson’s letter to a young man, Peter Carr:
And this is a short excerpt:
“Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear. You will naturally examine first the religion of your own country. Read the bible then, as you would read Livy or Tacitus. The facts which are within the ordinary course of nature you will believe on the authority of the writer, as you do those of the same kind in Livy and Tacitus.”
There’s much more of interest there that reveals Jefferson’s opinion about religion. It is noteworthy to me that he did not urge any belief or disbelief—only an open mind.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Aug 6, 2019
4
Many bibles have been written throughout history and T. Jefferson's was only one. What today's christians fail to realize is that many of the founders were Deists. They believed in a god but felt this god left it's creations to it's own devices. How can one be deserving of salvation when something else is constantly pulling the strings? The diest god does not interfere in people's affairs.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Aug 6, 2019
6
Jefferson didn't "write" his bible---he severely redacted out much of the "New Testament" of the one he owned (King James), like the 'miracles,' epistles, and all of Paul's rantings, and kept only the words actually attributed to "Jesus" (who was himself a literary creation).
So who is REALLY being quoted? Roman scribes, according to the popular theory, who are writing down the fictitious imaginings, borrowed mythology, and personal musings of the Roman aristocracy and/or their friends, allies, and colleagues.
There WAS no Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, or anybody 'Christian,' for that matter, and no Jesus. This surely is not news to anybody reading this!
@Storm1752 I hear this often but having a degree in European history (gotten while living in Europe) I disagree. True, there are a lot of myths about people which was due mainly to few people being literate. History was passed down orally. However, there are many references from scribes and pictorial depictions. One of my main instructors was an Irishman from Belfast and a former Catholic but then he became an atheist. He taught that there were many falsehoods but never that the characters were fictitious. We have reached a period where many people deny things (like vaccines) that have been established knowledge.
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