For example: The idea of infidelity a disbelief in the
inspiration of the Scriptures or the divine origin of Christianity cannot be
treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of
it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated denounced
as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason. John Adams
I anticipate nothing but suffering to the human race
while the present systems of paganism, deism, and atheism prevail in the world.
Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration
The attempt by the rulers of a nation France to destroy
all religious opinion and to pervert a whole people to atheism is a phenomenon of
profligacy act of moral depravity. To establish atheism on the ruins of
Christianity is to deprive mankind of its best consolations and most animating
hopes and to make a gloomy desert of the universe. Alexander Hamilton
During my residence there in France, I do not recollect
to have had more than two conversations with atheists about their tenets. The
first was this: I was at a large party, of which were several of that
description. They spoke freely and contemptuously of religion. I took no part
in the conversation. In the course of it, one of them asked me if I believed in
Christ. I answered that I did, and that I thanked God that I did. Some time
afterward, one of my families being dangerously ill, I was advised to send for
an English physician who had resided many years at Paris. But, it was added, he
is an atheist. During one of his visits, he very abruptly remarked that there
was no God and he hoped the time would come when there would be no religion in
the world. I very concisely remarked that if there was no God there could be no
moral obligations, and I did not see how society could subsist without them.
And he, probably perceiving that his sentiments met with a cold reception, did
not afterwards resume the subject. John Jay, Original Chief Justice U.S.
Supreme Court
The rising greatness of our country is greatly tarnished
by the general prevalence of deism which, with me, is but another name for vice
and depravity. I hear it is said by the deists that I am one of their number;
and indeed that some good people think I am no Christian. This thought gives me
much more pain than the appellation of Tory being called a traitor, because I
think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics. Being a Christian
is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast. Patrick
Henry