富兰克林（VI）：无神论聚乐部和图书馆

以前写过一系列富兰克林的文：

唐雎，富兰克林与胡适
http://taolaw.blogspot.com/2017/06/blog-post_24.html

富兰克林和老子：
http://taolaw.blogspot.com/2017/11/blog-post_8.html

不被人歧视，不好意思见人
http://taolaw.blogspot.com/2017/11/blog-post_9.html
富兰克林与行规的建立 （IV）： http://taolaw.blogspot.com/2017/11/iv.html

富兰克林，决策，结婚问题 （V）
https://taolaw.blogspot.com/2019/09/v.html

富兰克林成长在清教传统的波士顿；少年时代，就开始发现异端无神论思想；终于有一天逃跑去了信仰自由的费城。
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/becomingamer/ideas/text4/juntolibrary.pdf

在Quaker费城，20出头的富兰克林开始创办秘密Junto聚乐部。 12个成员，绝大多数是普通的工匠。这个秘密的聚乐部，对加入新成员有以下要求：
 Any person to be qualified [for Junto membership], to stand up, and lay his hand on his breast, and be asked these questions; viz.
1. Have you any particular disrespect to any present members? Answer. I have not.
2. Do you sincerely declare that you love mankind in general; of what profession or religion soever? Answ. I do.
3. Do you think any person ought to be harmed in his body, name or goods, for mere speculative opinions, or his external way of worship? Ans. No.
4. Do you love truth’s sake, and will you endeavour impartially to find and receive it yourself and communicate it to others? Answ. Yes.

Junto聚乐部这个渺小的开始， 后来成为美国图书馆系统的前身。 同时50年后美国建国的种子，就在12个匠人的聚乐部里悄然萌发。  三十出头的富兰克林写下：“Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins.”
https://www.thefire.org/for-the-fourth-ben-franklin-on-freedom-of-speech-50-years-before-the-constitution/

未来宪法的建立过程中，80岁出头的富兰克林，作为国父中的长者智者，是“信仰自由， 政教分离”, "言论自由"，“集会自由”，“新闻自由”，写进个人权利宪法第一修正案的重要推手。
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1438/benjamin-franklin