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A Tale by Benjamin Franklin

by gmoke Sun Sep 17th, 2023 at 07:15:08 PM EST

A Tale

There was once an Officer, a worthy man, named Montrésor, who was very ill.  His parish Priest, thinking he would die, advised him to make his Peace with God, so that he would be recieved into Paradise.  "I don't feel much Uneasiness on that Score," said Montrésor;  "for last Night I had a Vision which set me entirely at rest."  "What vision did you have?" asked the good Priest.  "I was," he said, "at the Gate of Paradise with a Crowd of People who wanted to enter.  And St. Peter asked each of them what Religion he belonged to.  One answered, `I am a Roman Catholic.' `Very well,' said St. Peter;  `come in, & take your Place over there among the Catholics.'  Another said he belonged to the Anglican Church.  `Very well,' said St. Peter;  `come in, & take your Place over there among the Anglicans.'  Another said he was a Quaker.  `Very well,' said St. Peter;  `come in, & take a Place among the Quakers.' Finally he asked me what my Religion was.  `Alas!' I replied, `unfortunately poor Jacques Montrésor belongs to none at all.'  'That's a pity,' said the Saint.  `I don't know where to put you but come in anyway;  just find a Place for yourself wherever you can.'"
 


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What Politeness Demanded:
Ethnic Omissions in Franklin's Autobiography

It is possible to document Pennsylvania's ethnic diversity and to demonstrate that outsiders found it conspicuous. Franklin too was well aware of the ethnic population during the period the Autobiography discusses. The first part of this paper attempts to show this. But why did Franklin decide to write ethnicity out of Philadelphia, and what does his decision signify?

Not true Freedom, nor a Free Society ... racism, violence and discrimination endemic.

Our democracy's founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true | New York Times | April 2019 |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Mon Sep 18th, 2023 at 09:48:46 AM EST
Franklin doesn't discuss God much in the 1400 pages of the Library of America version of his writings.  My impression is that he doesn't think he has the perspective to get his mind around the concept and reality of God, but I could most definitely be wrong.  It fits in with, for me, his "diffidence" as discussed by the authors of the first article you cite.

As for racism, Franklin was a person of his times when every nationality or even sub-nationality was a "race."  This is an idea that is still very much in evidence today.  From my reading, he was especially worried about the German "race" who were already probably the most numerous of the immigrants to Pennsylvania and whom he thought might displace the older (English) colonists.  

Solar IS Civil Defense

by gmoke on Tue Sep 19th, 2023 at 08:09:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Found this passage as I continue my notes from Franklin's works:

"  ... the Substances of an intended Creed, containing as I thought the Essentials of every known Religion, and being free of every thing that might shock the Professors of any Religion.  It is express'd in these Words. viz.

"That there is one God who made all things.
"That he governs the World by his Povidence. -
"That he ought to be worshipped by Adoration, Prayer & Thanksgiving.
"But that the most acceptable Service of God is doing Good to Man.
"That the Soul is immortal.
"And that God will certainly reward Virtue and punish Vice either here of hereafter."


Solar IS Civil Defense

by gmoke on Fri Sep 22nd, 2023 at 08:47:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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