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Benjamin Franklin was eighty-one years old at the time of the Constitutional Convention. He knew that if it had not been for God, we could not have defeated the most powerful military force in the world, and won our independence from Great Britain.
The delegates were unable to agree on anything at first. Then, they adopted Franklin’s motion to begin each session by praying together. With God’s help, they put together the American Constitution, and created our government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
“How has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. . . . And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance.
I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth–that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; . . . ”
While I admire Ben, it would be a stretch to call him a Christian as the term we apply to Fundamentalist today.
God, whether it is popular to admit or not, was acknowledged by many in the 1700′s , but if you think all believed in God to the degree we are going to include cults, masons, mormons, universalist, Jehovah Witness and anyone that uses some aspect of the bible, then by all means….,
Put Ole Ben in that group of ahhhh……., Christians.
You are right. Ben was one of my heroes since childhood. I was very disappointed to find out that he did not believe that Jesus is God. I can’t understand how he could have been such a genius and such a fool at the same time.
In his request for prayer at the Constitutional Convention, he quoted the Bible where it says, “Except the Lord build the house, the builders labor in vain who build it,” and said, “This I believe,” he said. And that’s why I call him a “Bible believer,” instead of calling him a Christian.
I think it’s well proven that Ben Franklin was at best a deist, and probably closer to an atheist, like Thomas Jefferson, at least in terms of personal belief. However he like the most of the founding fathers respected Christianity and believed it could be a positive influence of the country. However I think he would cringe today to be called a “bible believer” check out http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/john_remsburg/six_historic_americans/chapter_4.html to see quotes from his autobiography.
There are however, other founding fathers who were devout christians