Source: The Washington Times
ARLINGTON, Va., August 15, 2011 – We all know what it is like to have been imprisoned for practicing our religious faith, right? Most of us of course, have a loved one or a friend who was executed for teaching others about their faith, or at least stripped of their home, property and means of making a living. What? None of us have experienced this kind of injustice? Thank God! And maybe this is a good time to think about those men and women who pioneered religious freedom for our beautiful nation. Of all the champions of religious freedom, William Penn was one of the greatest.
At a time when Catholics and Protestants were still fighting each other and small religious minorities were heavily persecuted in England, Germany, France and other European countries, Penn founded a colony in what was then called the New World, that by design, became a refuge for multitudes of people of conscience who desperately wanted to live free of tyranny against their faith in their European home country. This land we now know as the state of Pennsylvania.
Categories: Religion, United States
William Penn (October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718) was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder and “absolute proprietor” of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful treaties with the Lenape Indians. Under his direction, the city of Philadelphia was planned and developed. He was a Quaker.
It would be important to find out that whereas there were significant number of Quakers, at least in Pennsylvania, why have their numbers diminished over decades and centuries?
I was working for a very interesting Quaker as an ‘intern’ in 1960 in England. Mr. Scott-Bader (British/Swiss) gave 90% of his company away to a ‘worker’s foundation’. He correctly thought that 10% was sufficient for himself and his family. He also adopted several children. He wanted to promote ‘democracy in capitalism’. A great man.
See: http://www.scottbader.com (just noticed that the company has greatly expanded since ‘my days’).
and: http://www.scottbader.com/corporate-social-responsibility.html
This is very interesting. Religion however is important since it helps recognize, name and consolidate a child the inner God —- at a time when his imagination, fantasy and curiosity is tremendous and it must be satisfied.