A disturbing trend in the past twenty-five years has been the creation of founding father quotes out of whole cloth in attempts to appeal to authority by the religious right. The most famous group of these bogus quotes were perpetrated by the now infamous liar, David Barton of Wallbuilders. Among his completely fabricated founding father quotes used specifically for the illegitimate argument that there can be no seperation of church and state are the following:
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!"
-- falsely attributed to Patrick Henry
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."
-- falsely attributed to George Washington
"Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise. In this sense and to this extent, our civilizations and our institutions are emphatically Christian."
-- falsely attributed to Holy Trinity v. U. S. (Supreme Court case)
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves ... according to the Ten Commandments of God."
-- falsely attributed to James Madison
"Whosoever shall introduce into the public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world."
-- falsely attributed to Benjamin Franklin
Now, with the speed of transferring false information across the web, new quotes are being fabricated by unknown liars and making their way across the web in emails and message board postings. The most recent example of a widespread bogus quotation being accepted is the following:
"Do not let any one claim to be a true American if they ever attempt to remove religion from politics."
-- falsely attributed to George Washington
This quote, unlike the quotes above, was not apparently fabricated by Barton (although the actual liar who made this one up is unknown at this time) and has only appeared on the web. There is no citation for this quote and it appears nowhere in any of Washington's writings or speeches, yet it is now being cited in message board postings, emails, and is even showing up on bumper stickers.
IT IS A LIE AS WASHINGTON NEVER EVER SAID IT OR WROTE IT!
This sort of fallacious crap being passed off as truth is yet another example of a lying religious right. They cannot support their position with the truth, so they resort to lying.
A list of other Barton quotes follows, but remember, this is not a complete list of the lies spread by religious fanatics in an attempt to lie their way into rhetorical support for their indefensible positions. If you question a quote in any discussion, demand a source. Do not allow an appeal to authority such as "it was in his second inaugural address" as this sort of lie is used often by the religious fanatics when no such thing was said in a cited speech. Deman written proof. And now, some more of the bogus Barton quotes fabricated from whole cloth:
"The principles of all genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations are to be drown from the Bible and sustained by its authority. The man therefore who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that book may be assessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer."
-- falsely attributed to Noah Webster
"There are two powers only which are sufficient to control men, and secure the rights of individuals and a peaceable administration; these are the combined force of religion and law, and the force or fear of the bayonet."
-- falsely attributed to Noah Webster
"The only assurance of our nation's safety is to lay our foundation in morality and religion."
-- falsely attributed to Abraham Lincoln
"The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next."
-- falsely attributed to Abraham Lincoln
"I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make us better citizens."
-- falsely attributed to Thomas Jefferson
If you ever come across a religious fanatic using these lies to prop up their arguments, call them on it immediately and lay out for all within hearing distance that the fanatic is resorting to lies.