Re: The joy of Democracy

On Sat, 2 Nov 2024 21:36:16 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:

The abolitionist movement didn’t come from any religious idea; I see it
as the first major move towards seeing right and wrong as something
based on universal humanist principles, not deriving from any religious
doctrine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Beecher_Stowe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ward_Beecher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Beecher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lloyd_Garrison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Parker

In the US never underestimate the religious influence, particularly from
the various strains of Calvinism. Jefferson self identified as a Unitarian
but had Deist tendencies. Monroe, Madison, and Franklin may have had
leanings too. They were a minority.  In the 1800 election Jefferson was
attacked as an atheist and infidel.

'Commonweal' is a liberal Catholic magazine but I remember one article
that argued because if the roots of the US even the Catholics have been
influenced by Calvinism.