What did Benjamin Franklin believe in?

Answer 1

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

American public official, writer, scientist, and printer who played a major part in the American Revolution When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.

-- Benjamin Franklin, letter to Richard Price, October 9, 1780, quoted from Adrienne Koch, ed., The American Enlightenment: The Shaping of the American Experiment and a Free Society, New York: George Braziller, 1965, p. 93. The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason: The Morning Daylight appears plainer when you put out your Candle.

-- Benjamin Franklin, the incompatibility of faith and reason, Poor Richard's Almanack (1758) I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies.

-- Benjamin Franklin, quoted from Victor J Stenger, Has Science Found God? (2001) Many a long dispute among divines may be thus abridged: It is so; It is not so. It is so; it is not so.

-- Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack,1743 If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the pagans, but practiced it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England blamed persecution in the Romish Church, but practiced it upon the Puritans. These found it wrong in the bishops, but fell into the same practice themselves both here and in New England.

-- Benjamin Franklin, An Essay on TolerationLighthouses are more helpful than churches.

-- Benjamin Franklin (attributed: source unknown) He [the Rev Mr. Whitefield] used, indeed, sometimes to pray for my conversion, but never had the satisfaction of believing that his prayers were heard.

-- Benjamin Franklin, from Franklin's Autobiography [Excerpt]:

"A little Religion, and a little Honesty, goes a great way in Courts."

-- Benjamin Franklin, comparing the politicized clergyman with the regular clergyman, a thing which a few have ventured to do in recent times (Ahem!), quoted in The New England Currant (July 23, 1722), "Silence Dogood, No. 9; Corruptio optimi est pessima." quoted from The History Carper â� â� [Excerpt]:

"But the most dangerous Hypocrite in a Commonwealth, is one who leaves the Gospel for the sake of the Law: A Man compounded of Law and Gospel, is able to cheat a whole Country with his Religion, and then destroy them under Colour of Law: And here the Clergy are in great Danger of being deceiv'd, and the People of being deceiv'd by the Clergy, until the Monster arrives to such Power and Wealth, that he is out of the reach of both, and can oppress the People without their own blind Assistance."

-- Benjamin Franklin, comparing the politicized clergyman with the regular clergyman, a thing which a few have ventured to do in recent times (Ahem!), quoted in The New England Currant (July 23, 1722), "Silence Dogood, No. 9; Corruptio optimi est pessima." quoted from The History Carper, thanks to Ben for the tip! â� â� [Passage]:

"This Political Description of a Hypocrite, may (for ought I know) be taken for a new Doctrine by some of your Readers; but let them consider, that a little Religion, and a little Honesty, goes a great way in Courts. 'Tis not inconsistent with Charity to distrust a Religious Man in Power, tho' he may be a good Man; he has many Temptations "to propagate publick Destruction for Personal Advantages and Security:" And if his Natural Temper be covetous, and his Actions often contradict his pious Discourse, we may with great Reason conclude, that he has some other Design in his Religion besides barely getting to Heaven.

"But the most dangerous Hypocrite in a Commoneealth, is one who leaves the Gospel for the sake of the Law: A Man compounded of Law and Gospel, is able to cheat a whole Country with his Religion, and then destroy them under Colour of Law: And here the Clergy are in great Danger of being deceiv'd, and the People of being deceiv'd by the Clergy, until the Monster arrives to such Power and Wealth, that he is out of the reach of both, and can oppress the People without their own blind Assistance.

"And it is a sad Observation, that when the People too late see their Error, yet the Clergy still persist in their Encomiums on the Hypocrite; and when he happens to die for the Good of his Country, without leaving behind him the Memory of one good Action, he shall be sure to have his Funeral Sermon stuff'd with Pious Expressions which he dropt at such a Time, and at such a Place, and on such an Occasion; than which nothing can be more prejudicial to the Interest of Religion, nor indeed to the Memory of the Person deceas'd. The Reason of this Blindness in the Clergy is, because they are honourably supported (as they ought to be) by their People, and see nor feel nothing of the Oppression which is obvious and burdensome to every one else."

-- Benjamin Franklin, comparing the politicized clergyman with the regular clergyman, a thing which a few have ventured to do in recent times (Ahem!), quoted in The New England Currant (July 23, 1722), "Silence Dogood, No. 9; Corruptio optimi est pessima." quoted from The History Carper, critical editing for readability and PAM Style Sheet conformity is ©2003 Cliff Walker â� â�

Answer 2

All quotes from Benjamin Franklin:

A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats.

A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.

All would live long, but none would be old.

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

Anger is never without reason, but seldom with a good one.

At 20 years of age the will reigns, at 30 the wit, at 40 the judgment.

Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.

Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.

Content makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.

Genius without education is like silver in the mine.

Glass, china, and reputation are easily cracked, and never well mended.

Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.

He that blows the coals in quarrels that he has nothing to do with, has no right to complain if the sparks fly in his face.

He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.

He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.

He that lives upon hope will die fasting.

He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows nor judge all he sees.

Answer 3

Well if you are talking about money it is 100 dollars

Answer 4

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." ~Ben Franklin

Answer 5

He believes in God. Some say evolution was what he believed but that theory was not even thought of yet.

Answer 6

yes he believed that every one has rights that shouldn,t be taken away

Answer 7

The people had to be victorious and self-sufficient