Christian revisionists are as bad as holocaust deniers (unsurprising, as most holocaust deniers are also "christians"). While this particular quote is unsourced and probably specious, there is plenty of irrefutable evidence as to what Lincoln's beliefs were: "In making up my mind as to what Mr. Lincoln really believed, I do not take into consideration the evidence of unnamed persons or the contents of anonymous letters; I take the testimony of those who knew and loved him, of those to whom he opened his heart and to whom he spoke in the freedom of perfect confidence." -- Robert Green Ingersoll, who fought in the Union Army, "The Religious Belief of Abraham Lincoln," (May 28, 1896) "He was very cautious never to give expression to any thought or sentiment that would grate harshly upon a Christian's ear." -- Joshua Speed, explaining at least some of Lincoln's extremely careful choice of language that was later used by Christians in attempts to "prove" Lincoln's Christian piety, in Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln, quoted from A W Furches, personal letter to Cliff Walker (January 10, 2002) "Mr. Lincoln's maxim and philosophy were: 'What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.' He never joined any Church. He was a religious man always, I think, but was not a technical Christian." -- Mary Todd Lincoln in William Herndon's Religion of Lincoln, quoted from Franklin Steiner, The Religious Beleifs of Our Presidents, p. 118 My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them. -- Abraham Lincoln, to Judge J S Wakefield, after Willie Lincoln's death (Willie died in 1862) "When Dr. Holland asked Mr. Herndon about his partner's religoius convictions, Mr. Herndon replied that he had none, and the less he said on that subject the better. 'Oh well,' replied Dr. Holland, 'I'll fix that.'" -- Franklin Steiner, The Religious Beliefs of Our Presidents, p. 112, on Dr. Josiah G Holland, later editor of Scribner's Monthly, having spent only two weeks interviewing Lincoln's friends before preparing his Biography, in which Holland fabricated accounts of Lincoln's piety