Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sound Religion?

I have been reading the book, The 5,000 Year Leap, and in the section on "4th Principle: Without Religion the Government of a Free People Cannot Be Maintained," Benjamin Franklin is quoted from his letter to Ezra Stiles, President of Yale University: “Here is my Creed: I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That he governs it by his providence. That he ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we render to him in doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points of all Sound Religion.” Franklin's essential beliefs on religion summarized in his writings reflected the beliefs of the Founding Fathers. Religions of American Democracy must be founded on "Sound Religion." Based on these writings, The 5,000 Year Leap enumerated the fundamental principles of "Sound Religion" as:
  1. There exists a Creator who made all things, and mankind should accept and worship him.
  2. The Creator revealed a moral code of behavior for happy living which distinguishes right from wrong.
  3. The Creator holds mankind responsible for the way they treat each other.
  4. All mankind live beyond this life.
  5. In the next life, mankind are judged for their conduct in this one.
The more traditional mainstream religions adhere to these principles, such as conservative Judaism, Traditional Catholicism, Traditional synods of Lutherans, and the other more traditional and conservative protestant denominations. Obviously some neo-pagan religions and Satanists don't adhere to these principles. However, the properly applied Asatru, Forn Sed, or Odinist religion would meet the principles of "Sound Religion." This is also true of Celtic paganism, or traditional Wiccans that strictly adhere to the "Rule of Three." These might also adhere to the principles of "Sound Religion," except that the Deity is viewed as polytheism as opposed to monotheism. Surprisingly, some modern Christian denominations might not be considered "Sound Religion." Those pentecostal/evangelical denominations that place the role of grace in salvation/justification too far above moral conduct might not be considered "Sound Religion." These sorts of beliefs spawn incidents like Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart driving drunk down the wrong side of the road in Miami with a whore in the car, and yet his followers still considered him a good Christian. Progressive Catholic parishes and dioceses that have become infected with "Liberation Theology" and abandoned their traditional dogma have turned their churches into little better than indoctrination centers for socialism and gnosticism. This problem was once considered only an issue in Latin American, but liberation theology has also infected Catholics in the USA. More liberal Protestant denominations are not immune from watering down their beliefs to the point that they can no longer be considered "Sound Religion." The ELCA Lutheran conference, modern Episcopalians, some Methodists, and Unitarians often ignore or downplay the principles of "Sound Religion." I would like to get some feedback from different denominations to show why they do or do not adhere to the Founder's principles of "Sound Religion."

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