Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Radcliffe Emerson · 12-28-2002, 09:15 PM

Here is a link to an article claiming Lincoln was agnostic and openly hostile to the church and Christianity.

http://www.patriotist.com/abarch/ab20001016.htm

Shake · 01-02-2003, 06:43 AM

From the aforementioned Lincoln the Freethinker link:

Quote:

I remember once reading a statement in the public press that no person could be elected President of the United States unless that person were a believer in the Christian religion.

This is probably truer today than at any time in American history.

Toto · 01-02-2003, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Radcliffe Emerson
Here is a link to an article claiming Lincoln was agnostic and openly hostile to the church and Christianity.

http://www.patriotist.com/abarch/ab20001016.htm

From that link:

Quote:

Donald notes, in his book, on page 212: "When the Massachusetts Editor visited Springfield in the spring of 1865, he asked Herndon: 'What about Mr. Lincoln's religion.' The less said the better, replied Herndon, well aware of local gossip on the subject. 'Oh, never mind' Holland said with a wink. 'I'll fix that'.'" Donald further notes: "When The Life of Abraham Lincoln appeared, Herndon learned that Holland had done just that. A sincerely devout man himself, the Massachusetts editor had at the very outset decided that the deified Lincoln must have been 'a true-hearted Christian' He incorporated into his biography all sorts of improbable anecdotes to emphasize Lincoln's religiosity." In his book Holland reported the recollections of one Newton Bateman, Illinois superintendent of education. According to these 'recollections' Bateman had talked to Lincoln, who was striving and wanting to become a Christian, a Lincoln who, reportedly, stated that Christ is God. Donald reported that, after the fact, Mr. Bateman was "...not a little surprised to hear such religious sentiments from Lincoln, a man generally reputed in Springfield to be an agnostic."

When Herndon heard about all this, he was livid. Herndon, who realized that Lincoln was no Christian, went to see Bateman, accusing him of making a hypocrite of Lincoln. Donald wrote: "Looking puzzled, or ashamed, the school superintendent backed down from his statement as quoted in Holland's biography. His recollection of Lincoln's words, he confessed, with embarassment, was 'not precise'."

{emphasis added}

The Donald referred to is David Herbert Donald .

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12-28-2002, 09:15 PM	#21
Radcliffe Emerson Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: the dark side of Mars Posts: 1,309	Here is a link to an article claiming Lincoln was agnostic and openly hostile to the church and Christianity. http://www.patriotist.com/abarch/ab20001016.htm

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