No Mr. Beck, That Wasn't 'Some Professor'..Jon Stewart interviewed Glenn Beck's favorite

Run time: 01:11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ExzJ10kgJE   Posted on YouTube: August 09, 2010 By YouTube Member: ChrisRodda2 Views on YouTube: 4098   Posted on DU: May 06, 2011 By DU Member: JoeyTrib Views on DU: 975

 
Last night, Jon Stewart interviewed David Barton, a self-styled "historian" (No PhD, not a professional historian) who runs a company called "Wallbuilders" (a Biblical reference). Stewart did a weak job with this corporate sleezeball who wants a Christian nation:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

(There is an extended interview with Barton up on TDS homepage today.)

It's important that everyone know who this sleezeball is, and Stewart did a weak, weak, weak job of refuting this guy who uses historical documents out of context and, somehow, entrenched himself into certain states' history curriculum.

More info here:

http://www.publiceye.org/ifas/fw/9606/barton.html

But I can understand it. As Jon said during Crossfire some years ago, "The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls..."

It is still Comedy Central after all.

And if he is using crank calling puppets as a reason to cave, then he should stick attacking media video clips and not have live guests.

That was the excuse he gave when the Crossfire crew said he was lobbying softballs are Kerry in 2004.

I've seen his screeds. He is on channel 09 for Charter Communications here in Tennessee. He is dangerous. He is in Texas. Enough said.

http://www.exposemittromney.com/VotersGuide.pdf

With an extremely conservative bent.

And he knows it.

Jefferson viewed Jesus as a man of reason and wisdom. In this letter to the Scottish Unitarian minister who discovered oxygen and other scientific facts while not preaching, Jefferson explains his views on Jesus.

I should then take a view of the deism and ethics of the Jews, and show in what a degraded state they were, and the necessity they presented of a reformation. I should proceed to a view of the life, character, & doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of incorrectness of their ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of a pure deism, and juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to the standard of reason, justice & philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief of a future state, This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, & even his inspiration. To do him justice, it would be necessary to remark the disadvantages his doctrines have to encounter, not having been committed to writing by himself, but by the most unlettered of men, by memory, long after they had heard them from him; when much was forgotten, much misunderstood,& presented in very paradoxical shapes. Yet such are the fragments remaining as to show a master workman, and that his system of morality was the most benevolent & sublime probably that has been ever taught, and consequently more perfect than those of any of the antient philosophers. His character & doctrines have received still greater injury from those who pretend to be his special disciples, and who have disfigured and sophisticated his actions & precepts, from views of personal interest, so as to induce the unthinking part of mankind to throw off the whole system in disgust, and to pass sentence as an impostor on the most innocent, the most benevolent, the most eloquent and sublime character that ever has been exhibited to man. This is the outline; but I have not the time, & still less the information which the subject needs. It will therefore rest with me in contemplation only. You are the person who of all others would do it best, and most promptly. You have all the materials at hand, and you put together with ease. I wish you could be induced to extend your late work to the whole subject. I have not heard particularly what is the state of your health; but as it has been equal to the journey to Philadelphia, perhaps it might encourage the curiosity you must feel to see for once this place, which nature has formed on a beautiful scale, and circumstances destine for a great one. As yet we are but a cluster of villages; we cannot offer you the learned society of Philadelphia; but you will have that of a few characters whom you esteem, & a bed & hearty welcome with one who will rejoice in every opportunity of testifying to you his high veneration & affectionate attachment."

http://www.beliefnet.com/resourcelib/docs/135/Letter_from_Thomas_Jefferson_to_Joseph_Priestley_1.html