Category Archives: Benjamin Franklin

Natural Law and the Declaration of Independence

Posted on by December 6, 2015

445192825_011af775a5_mPeople were beginning to talk about the Colonies becoming independent from Great Britain. Unfair treatment of the colonists without giving them any representation in the British body which deliberated the laws, caused many to rebel, rise up, take to the streets, and, yes revolt.

The colonies sent leaders to represent them in a Continental Congress at Philadelphia. At the 2nd Continental Congress the representatives decided to put independence to a vote. A committee was formed to draft a Declaration of Independence should one be necessary. That committee was Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and a young lawyer named Thomas Jefferson, who was chosen to write the first draft of such a document. read more

Liberty or Dry Paint?

Posted on by December 5, 2015

Ben FranklinNot long ago I heard a quote that made me stop and think a little more closely about life itself. It went something like this:

“Tell a man there are trillions of stars in the universe, and he’ll believe you. Tell him there’s wet paint on the wall, and he’ll touch it just to be sure!”

That reminded me of another quote by Benjamin Franklin, I don’t know why, maybe I just had to reach out and touch it?

“They that can give up an essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” read more

Was Benjamin Franklin Perfect?

Posted on by December 3, 2015

Ben Franklin thumb pictureOK, I realize I have written about Benjamin Franklin quite a few times in the past several weeks. It just occurs to me from time to time that he was fabulously successful in all he did. Benjamin Franklin began a project in his youth because he wanted to become as fine, good, and yes, even as perfect as he could be. He called it his Project for Moral Perfection. He wrote about it in his autobiography, which, of course you have read.

He somehow knew as a youth that his decisions were very important. The choices he would make in life—his education, his marriage, his career, and his service to others would be important. Extremely so. He was then very attentive and even cautious about his resolutions. He resolved to become as perfect as he possibly could. read more

Benjamin Franklin and Humility

Posted on by December 1, 2015

Ben Franklin thumb pictureEarly in his life, Benjamin Franklin planned for himself a project for becoming as nearly perfect as a man could become. He originally had 12 characteristics he wanted to improve upon but was soon compelled to add another.

“My list of virtues contained at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show’d itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which he convinc’d me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavoring to cure myself of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added humility to my list.” read more

Thanks to the Founding Fathers

Posted on by November 25, 2015

Founding Fathers coverHappy Thanksgiving. As I was writing my report yesterday about how thankful I am for learning about the Illegal Trial of Christ, it occurred to me that I wouldn’t have ever written that book if the distributor for my book “Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes” hadn’t known that I had given several presentations about that trial. The distributor knew me well.

When Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion” came out and was so successful, my distributor called me and said they wanted me to put my material about the trial of Christ into a book. And because of current interest, they wanted it NOW! read more

John Adams and the Constitution

Posted on by November 23, 2015

JohnAdamsShortly after the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress, Adams was sent to France to join Benjamin Franklin as a minister to France. Congress didn’t invite him to return home, even after the Revolutionary War had ended, and he and Franklin had constructed a Peace Treat, very much in favor of the United States.

Instead they sent him to Great Britain to attempt to produce a treaty of commerce with England. Can you imagine that? To try to put together a new treaty with your most recent war enemy? Impossible. Well, at least terribly difficult. read more

Benjamin Franklin and Gossip

Posted on by November 20, 2015

Ben Franklin thumb picture
As you know Benjamin Franklin was a great diplomat. He proved that over and over again. In the Continental Congress with the Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, and others. In his victories with France in obtaining the funds and cooperation of the French in the Revolutionary War. In the Constitutional Convention when the arguments were starting to take over the discussions. And just generally in his life time habits and discourses.

Here’s an example of how he achieved so much: read more

John and John Quincy Adams

Posted on by November 18, 2015

John_Quincy_Adams_by_George_Caleb_Bingham_(detail),_c._1850_after_1844_original_-_DSC03235One of the delights of John Adams’ old age was the satisfaction of having his son, John Quincy Adams, be sworn in as the 6th President of the United States of America. This took place in 1825, the year before the death of John Adams.

John’s son, John Quincy, won his election to the Presidency by only one vote when the evenly divided popular vote threw the election into the House of Representatives for a deciding vote.

The House was also evenly divided on the issue. When one final vote was taken, the Congressman from New York, in an answer to his prayer, picked up a crumpled ballot, and voted for the name on the ballot, esteeming it an answer to his prayer. The name on that crumpled up ballot was John Quincy Adams. read more

Governor Patrick Henry, Give Me Liberty . . .

Posted on by November 3, 2015

PatrickHenryI can recall a time after High School, when I could sort of remember the name of Patrick Henry. I even knew that he gave a monumental talk at some point in his life where he said the words: “Give me liberty . . . or give me death!”

I didn’t know when he gave that speech, or where it occurred. But I seemed to think it was sometime around the Civil War period. As you can guess, history was not my favorite subject in High School.

Then in 1976, yes, 1976, as a young attorney, I was elected to represent a Phoenix Mayor’s committee at a National Convention of Citizens Crime Commissions, to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that year. For those of you who weren’t around then, that was our Nation’s Bi-centennial celebration of the adoption of our Declaration of Independence. read more

Benjamin Franklin’s Airbaths

Posted on by November 2, 2015

Ben FranklinFranklin had a habit of engaging in a daily “Air Bath.” When Ben would arise every morning, he would open every window in his room, remove all of his clothes and sit around in the room for an hour or so in the “altogether”. Not even cold winter weather would discourage him in this practice.

He often recommended this practice to his friends or fellow traveling companions. He once told John Adams that this was the reason he rarely suffered from a cold. John Adams, however, couldn’t quite convert to it! read more