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OwenLoveJoy t1_jacfll6 wrote

Reply to comment by KindAwareness3073 in TIL Thomas Jefferson regularly attended many different churches and declared "I am of a sect by myself" unlike many of the other devoted founding fathers. by skylightyourlife

One of the requirements of being a Freemason is belief in god, although you are correct that many of the founders were not deeply religious.

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KindAwareness3073 t1_jad0pka wrote

From Wikipedia:

"Whilst it is recognized that Masonry is not atheistic (Masons aligned with the United Grand Lodge of England are asked if they believe in God or another supreme being before joining and only accept candidates that do),[17] its use of the expression Supreme Architect of the Universe—a term attributed to the Protestant theologian John Calvin—is seen by some Christian critics as indicating Deism, the belief that God created the Universe but did not intervene in the world after this."

"Supreme Architect of the Universe" was a convenient dodge in the 18th century world where living people could still recall the Witch Trials.

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