Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin, in July of 1776, was appointed part of a committee to draft a seal for the newly united states which would characterize the spirit of the nation. He proposed:

Moses lifting up his wand, and dividing the red sea, and pharaoh in his chariot overwhelmed with the waters. This motto: "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God."

In a letter to the French ministry, March 1778, Benjamin Franklin is attributed with writing:

Whoever shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.

Benjamin Franklin stated:

A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district-all studied and appreciated as they merit-are the principal support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty.

[...]On Thursday, June 28, 1787, Benjamin Franklin delivered a powerful speech to the Constitutional Convention, which was embroiled in a bitter debate over how each state was to be represented in the new government. [...] Being the senior member of the convention at 81 years of age, he commanded the respect of all present, and, as recorded in James Madison's detailed records, he rose to speak in this moment of crisis:

Mr. President:
The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other—our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding.

We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which, having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.

In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding?

In the beginning of the Contest with C. Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & 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.
To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine 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; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel:
We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages.

And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move—that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.

(America's God and Country
By William J. Federer :246-249)

And so on, yet note: "Franklin was an atheist, you dolt. Ask any historian." --Jamille (What historian? I wanted to see what other Leftist charlatans you believe but apparently you will not say. Note that the seal that Franklin proposed would be declared as unconstitutional by the socialists of the ACLU, and most of his advice would be roundly condemned because he worked to do the exact opposite of what the ACLU does.)

Interesting what Franklin said, though:
"I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel."

Contrast Franklin's focus on the Word and Logos with the notions of textual degenerates. They picked an interesting word to rationalize their subversion of language and law in one case, "penumbra." Penumbra: a space of partial illumination (as in an eclipse) between the perfect shadow on all sides and the full light b : a shaded region surrounding the dark central portion of a sunspot vs. Franklin, "...humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate..."

If I may deal in metaphors about a spirit to such issues that Franklin had knowledge of for a moment, one might say that textual degenerates want the world to come between the sun and the moon. For then the light of the sun that is reflected in the whispered words of the daughters of Eve in the evening will no longer be reflected upon. The darkness can hide bloody hands, for the whore of Babylon that goes babeling on to subvert Wisdom does not want little ones knit together by Wisdom in the womb. Now you may wonder what I am writing, they are just some metaphors that represent something that Franklin knew, as he wanted to be illuminated by a Wisdom who calls aloud in the street that can be reflected upon.

Yet it seems that one must be careful not to cast pearls of wisdom before the swine that whine, as Christ said. You think that these are metaphors, which they are. As it's all so metaphoric, until it isn't. Let it suffice to say that Franklin would not agree with the ACLU, as there is quite a different meaning/spirit to the principles that they seek to serve.