Ben Franklin On Religion

I have seen controversy around Ben Franklin on religion.

What were his views? Was he a Christian? An atheist? An agnostic?

It seems like nearly everyone has an opinion about his opinion.

But what if we let him tell us exactly what the thought?

I mean, what a novel idea that would be.

It’s almost like a quote, or something.

Thanks goodness he chose to document his life.

I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and though some of the dogmas of that persuasion, such as the eternal decrees of God, election, reprobation, etc. , appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, and I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday being my studying day, I never was without some religious principles. I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and govern’d it by his Providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter.

-Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin