David Barton of WallBuilders is a big name among public speakers and authors who teach on our nation’s founding fathers and the soul of America. His latest book, The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You’ve Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson
Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims about Our Third President (Salem Grove Press), argues that Barton “is guilty of taking statements and actions out of context and simplifying historical circumstances.” For example, they charge that Barton, in explaining why Jefferson did not free his slaves, “seriously misrepresents or misunderstands (or both) the legal environment related to slavery.”
In response, Barton says he cites his sources extensively so that critics can take up their arguments in their original context.
Barton is a joke. As someone who has an undergrad degree in history and who loves reading history, his distortions are a scandal. Christians ought to know better. Some of this stuff reminds me of the Soviets who were constantly “revising” their history in the interests of “socialist realism.” When we are above all to be people of the TRUTH, playing fast and loose with historical facts gives the Church a major black eye. ARGH!
Wow. I didn’t have that harsh an impression of him, but I haven’t looked at his conclusions closely and matched them to the sources.
Can you think of any specific error he has advocated?
Phil–take a look at this:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/08/09/thomas-nelson-ceases-publication-of-david-bartons-error-ridden-book-on-jeffersons-faith/
Wow. It’s clear the appearance of a link to the World article on this blog changed the mind of a powerful Christian publisher. I’m glad they are wise enough to read us.
I just read an article criticizing Barton’s article on John Locke. It was linked from at least two other articles on the current topic. It’s remarkable for those of us who thought Barton was giving us a fair shake. Greg Forster gives some specific statements Barton makes about Locke and refutes them, i.e.
I haven’t dug deeply into this, but since I ran across this, I thought it worth throwing into the mix:
http://www.rickgreen.com/attacks-on-david-barton-same-as-tactics-of-alinsky-hitler/
The Blaze has several articles on this and clips from Glenn Beck’s interview with Barton last night. Here’s an article with extensive back-and-forth from Barton and Throckmorton.