Faiths of the Fathers - and Christmas

Currently reading a good book called "The Faiths of the Founding Fathers", about the religious beliefs of the leaders of the American Revolution and the first few Presidents. There's a modern argument over their beliefs with some on the left saying they were agnostic/atheist/against religion - which is why they were against having an established religion in the US - while some on the religious right point to various pieces of evidence that they were in fact believing Christians.

The book I'm reading suggests that it was more complicated. Most of them remained, officially, within the church in which they grew up - whether Episcopal, Congregationalist or other. They were all cautious about what they said about religion in public (Jefferson got attacked as an atheist during his Presidential campaign). Some of their views changed as they got older. And even those who were more religious generally agreed that the US should preserve religious liberty, not just religious toleration.

In terms of their overall beliefs, it seems many of them were in fact somewhere between Unitarianism and a Deism that was Christian to varying degrees. Unitarianism and Deism were at their peak when Franklin, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison and Adams were growing up, studying and coming to power. And it was promoted by Thomas Paine, who was an intellectual force behind the Revolution. Despite that, it seems they all valued religious belief as something good for society and by promoting religious liberty they were not "anti-Christian".

One of the good things about Thanksgiving is that it delays all the Christmas decorations and songs in shops until December! But now it has started it really is in full swing. I had no idea that there were quite so many Christmas songs - it seems every pop star here has recorded versions of Frosty the Snowman.... I am trying to find someone to take my tree off me when I leave on the 18th, so I don't have to just throw it away. The other option of course, to solve two problems in one and chop it up for the fire...