The founding of America can be attributed to many men and women, but two men had an enormous influence on the structure and growth of the nation as a whole. These two men were Thomas Jefferson and John Winthrop who strongly believed in the foundation of freedom. Although their ideals and beliefs were very different, both had an enormous influence on their contemporaries and, ultimately, on the founding of the United States of America. Both men held office and both were admired in a religious and political sense. Although they were very similar in power and some religious beliefs, most of their differences were due to their religion and how it influenced their government. They both followed God and believed in Him, but they also had some important and influential beliefs that shaped America into the country it is today; basis of religious freedom. Between their religious and political views they were able to form a nation based on religious freedom and prosperity, although their differences were many. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay For John Winthrop, America was an opportunity to gain religious freedom away from England and the questionable Anglican Church. Winthrop landed in America at the beginning of its colonization. Because Winthrop had proven himself in England to be a responsible leader in terms of his grandfather's land and his social upbringing, he was chosen to assume leadership of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a task he took as seriously as his religion. When Winthrop came to America to help govern the new nation, he and his traveling companions believed that “the purpose of New England was to show the world a community in which the laws of God were followed by church and state – almost how far fallible human beings could follow them.” ” (Morgan 180). Essentially John Winthrop believed that church and state should be separate, as they were in England at the time, but could still be influenced by each other. While the government held the majority of power, religious leaders were able to advise others and were often called upon to be counselors. In the sermon A Model of Christian Charity that he preached on the journey to America, he emphasized the value and importance of succeeding in America and, above all, , the value of working together as a community and not as an individual He and the other Puritans believed that God would control their destiny in the New World and that it would be quite obvious whether or not they would succeed based on God's presence and future events .in the colony. He also said that the poor and the rich are necessary and that it is important for them to coexist and help each other. This shows that Winthrop believed that God had an active role in the community. He stated that they may fail to shape this New World and this would prove that God did not want them to intervene or that He was not pleased with them. He believed that everyone should consider themselves equal to everyone else and that religion should not be thought of as a relationship with oneself and God but as a relationship between the community and God. As governor, Winthrop kept his religious beliefs as his first priority . Whenever there were problems in the church or people who could threaten the community, he worked diligently to correct any problems that could become dangerous. In the case of Roger Williams, for example, Winthrop made a conscious effort to alert the various churches and urged ministers to take action againsthim. For him it was important to keep the sanctity of religion and the state in order, especially regarding people who threaten the community. He was very open about his religion and, for this reason, was regarded and admired as someone who radiated true Puritanism. He tried to keep the community as pious as possible and lived as perfectly as possible to his Puritan beliefs especially regarding pleasure. He fought with himself over issues such as hunting and activities that God may or may not approve of. With Thomas Jefferson, religion had very different values ​​than his. Although he believed himself to be a Christian, he is more accurately described as a deist. Deism is, at a fundamental level, the belief that God created the universe based on natural and scientific evidence. However, deists believe that God has no external influence on our behaviors or what happens to us. He strongly believed in Jesus, stating that “his moral doctrines…were purer and more perfect than those of the most correct…uniting everyone in one family, under the bonds of love, charity, peace, common needs and common aid” (Jefferson 11). He believed that Jesus had one main and important role: that of a teacher. In Jefferson's Bible he rejected all writings of miracles or extraordinary feats written in the Bible which he believed were invented or flowered. There was no virgin birth, no miracle or resurrection of Jesus. He believed in the works of a teacher and not what he believed was made up. Jefferson was primarily interested in how to live life according to the teachings of Jesus rather than dedicating oneself completely to God. While he certainly believed in God, he was primarily interested in what makes a good person. He believed strongly in charity and that privilege was not a sure way to be a good person, as evidenced in the parables he chose for his beliefs. In the parable of the woman who washes Jesus' feet with her tears, she is considered a sinner and a "bad" person. When Simon confronted Jesus about this, he simply replied that she was the one who cared for him, and not Simon, who took him in. Through this parable he shows that Jefferson appreciates the teachings of Jesus that it is good deeds towards all that count and not riches or tributes to the Church. What is interesting about this belief is that Jefferson himself was not a perfect man by his standards. He had slaves and committed adultery, he was also quite rich. Jefferson also believed strongly in the separation of church and state. He believed that the state focused too much on religion, especially when it came to funding. He led his country in this way and used his scientific and philosophical thought process in his decisions. Although Jefferson and Winthrop were both considered Christians, they had many different beliefs about Christianity. Although they agreed that Church and State should be separate, Jefferson was the first to define how separate they should be and fully believed it, unlike Winthrop who believed in a much milder version. Winthrop believed the Bible completely and changed his life to reflect what the Bible taught the Puritans in beliefs and actions. Jefferson on the other hand was skeptical of the Bible and its origins. He believed that much of the Bible was made up and that people should look at the Bible as scientifically as possible. In Winthrop's sermon "A Pattern of Christian Charity," he emphasized the importance of God's presence in the daily lives of the Puritans. He said that God would be displeased with them if they failed, or He might bless them if they succeeded.