MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question 126: Answer and Explanation

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Question: 126

6. Which of the following statements, if true, would most call into question the author's characterization of Benjamin Franklin's attitude towards religion?

  • A. Although Franklin often attended religious services, he did not claim formal membership in any religious institution.
  • B. Like D. H. Lawrence, Franklin was greatly intrigued by Eastern religions, helping to bring Buddhist and Hindu lecturers to Boston and Philadelphia.
  • C. Franklin was influential in removing sacred and undeniable from Thomas Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration of Independence and in replacing these words with self-evident.
  • D. Active with the Freemasons, Franklin published pamphlets denouncing the beliefs of the Catholic Church.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D This is a Weaken question.

A: No. The author makes no claim concerning Franklin's formal affiliation. The passage's characterization of Franklin's attitude toward religion, or of his self-professed "belief in God," doesn't rest on an assumption that Franklin was affiliated with a particular church.

B: No. This choice would strengthen, not weaken, the author's claim that Franklin was tolerant towards other religious beliefs.

C: No. This answer is consistent with the author's claim that Franklin denied any "sectarian monopoly of truth" and that he resisted dogma (paragraph 4).

D: Yes. The author characterizes Franklin's attitude as tolerant of other beliefs. As part of this argument, the author states that Franklin, because of his tolerance, was respected by other diverse religious figures (paragraph 5). If Franklin denounced the beliefs of the Catholic Church, this would significantly undermine the author's characterization. Notice the difference between choice C and choice D. Choice C involves resistance to incorporating language that suggests religious dogma into the Declaration, but does not involve criticizing any particular beliefs themselves.

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