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→Religious Beliefs: replaced atheistic bias with a more accurate introduction
==Religious Beliefs==
==Religious Beliefs==
Franklin had a lifelong crisis of faith. Unable to accept the Puritanism of his Boston upbringing, and unable to embrace the purely mechanistic universe of Deism, Franklin experienced a deep ambivalence about his beliefs. At all times he believed in God, but was unable to define what God meant for his soul; he never joined a church. He made the most of his indecision, holding that all individuals had the right to be inconsistent in matters of faith. Meanwhile he emphasized the importance of religion in maintaining a society, and much of his writing was designed to promote moral behavior.
Franklin progress from a skepticism towards Puritanism as a youth to a strong belief in God and prayers for His intervention. At all times he believed in God, but was unable to define what God meant for his soul; he never joined a church. Like most in Pennsylvania, he respected freedom of religion by others, but also emphasized the importance of religion in maintaining a society; much of his writing was designed to promote moral behavior.
Young Ben was an avid reader. "From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with the ''[[Pilgrim's Progress]],'' my first collection was of [[John Bunyan]]'s works in separate little volumes. My old favorite author, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress ... has been translated into most of the languages of Europe, and suppose it has been more generally read than any other book, except perhaps the Bible."''
Young Ben was an avid reader. "From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with the ''[[Pilgrim's Progress]],'' my first collection was of [[John Bunyan]]'s works in separate little volumes. My old favorite author, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress ... has been translated into most of the languages of Europe, and suppose it has been more generally read than any other book, except perhaps the Bible."''