Blogging Ottinger (tim)Political Opinion
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”
Perhaps I can’t declare it to be required reading for all people (because I’ve missed too much required reading and basic civics even) but I can recommend George Washington’s farewell address as a political opinion I respect and with which I find agreement.
Among other things it says:
Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
But lest you think it is a sermon, you should read the whole thing. There is more than support for religion and morality. There are warnings against national disunity (brought about by partisan politics) and more. We’re all better educated in the philosophy of our founding fathers if we read a few of their works.
Poor GW must be spinning in his grave.
It stands in stark contrast to Jefferson’s Danbury letter which must be strained and pored over to find any meaning in one direction or another. It seems to answer no question, but to state that he would not answer on the grounds that he was not qualified. It’s had a large effect for a letter of so little content. 
Washington wasn’t alone is his fear of national disunity. The authors of the Federalist Papers seemed to fear what they called “factions” more than any other “vice” of democracy.
Considering that less than 87 (”four score and seven”) years later the country would be nearly ripped in two by factions, their fears could be considered prophetic.
Comment by Walter Moore — 2006-October-19 @ 02:45