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One of the [[Founding Fathers]]. He was never [[President]], but he was [[ambassador]] to [[France]], and also he is on the $100 dollar bill. Benjamin Franklin was a prolific inventor, he invented the Franklin stove and the [[bifocal]] and also discovered [[electricity]] with the kite experiment in a lightning storm. Benjamin Franklin is truly a great American.

One of the [[Founding Fathers]]. He was never [[President]], but he was [[ambassador]] to [[France]], and also he is on the $100 dollar bill. Benjamin Franklin was a prolific inventor, he invented the Franklin stove and the [[bifocal]] and also discovered [[electricity]] with the kite experiment in a lightning storm. Benjamin Franklin is truly a great American.

Most believe that Benjamin Franklin was a [[Deism|deist]] rather than a Christian, but some question this on the premise that Franklin proposed saying prayers at the [[Constitutional Convention]]. (I suppose that these also believe that only Christians pray)

Some historians claim that Benjamin Franklin was a [[Deism|deist]] rather than a Christian.  But although Franklin wrote widely, he rarely made statements associated with principles of Deism.  Instead, Franklin proposed saying prayers at the [[Constitutional Convention]], prayers that would certainly have been Christian in nature.  At most 5% of the Founding Fathers were deists and historians tend to exaggerate this number in an attempt to deny the Christian basis for the United States.

A quote from Franklin's autobiography would seem to clear up this debate. "Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle’s Lectures. It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist."

A quote from Franklin's autobiography would seem to clear up this debate. "Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle’s Lectures. It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist." <need citation for this, such as when this autobiography was written and the context of this quote, such as evidence that Franklin was not simply describing a phase he went through>