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Quote by Thomas Jefferson

“Our Constitution... has not left the religion of its citizens under the power of its public functionaries, were it possible that any of these should consider a conquest over the conscience of men either attainable or applicable to any desirable purpose.”

Book:The writings of Thomas Jefferson: being his autobiography, correspondence, reports, messages, addresses, and other writings, official and private

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The writings of Thomas Jefferson: being his autobiography, correspondence, reports, messages, addresses, and other writings, official and private

This volume gathers the diverse literary output of Thomas Jefferson, one of America's founding fathers and a pivotal figure in the nation's early history. The collection encompasses his autobiographical writings, offering insight into his personal life and self-reflection. It includes his extensive correspondence with contemporaries, revealing his thoughts on politics, philosophy, science, and everyday matters. Official documents such as presidential messages and addresses are presented alongside private letters, providing a complete picture of Jefferson's roles as statesman, diplomat, and intellectual. The compilation reflects his wide-ranging interests in government, architecture, education, agriculture, and natural philosophy. This collected edition serves as a valuable resource for understanding the mind of one of America's most influential founders and the era in which he lived. more

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States, a distinguished politician, philosopher, architect, and scientist. He was born on April 13, 1743, and died on July 4, 1826. Jefferson advocated for democracy and freedom in politics and was one of the main authors of the Declaration of Independence. His political ideas had a profound impact on the founding and development of the United States. more

“No man complains of his neighbor for ill management of his affairs, for an error in sowing his land, or marrying his daughter, for consuming his substance in taverns ... in all these he has liberty; but if he does not frequent the church, or then conform in ceremonies, there is an immediate uproar.”

Ifs Men Doe Church Liberty Land Daughter Management Errors Affair Ill Positive Atheism Neighbor Complaining Substance Conform Ceremony Consuming Marrying Sowing Taverns

Author:Thomas Jefferson

“The declaration that religious faith shall be unpunished does not give immunity to criminal acts dictated by religious error.”

Giving Doe Religious Errors Positive Atheism Criminals Declaration Religious Faith Immunity

Author:Thomas Jefferson

“If a sect arises whose tenets would subvert morals, good sense has fair play and reasons and laughs it out of doors without suffering the State to be troubled with it.”

Ifs States Reason Play Suffering Moral Laughing Doors Fairs Positive Atheism Arise Good Sense Sects Fair Play Religious Sects

Book:The writings of Thomas Jefferson

Source: The writings of Thomas Jefferson

“If anything pass in a religious meeting seditiously and contrary to the public peace, let it be punished in the same manner and no otherwise than as if it had happened in a fair or market.”

Ifs Religious Happened Fairs Meetings Positive Atheism Contrary

Book:The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence

Source: The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence

“The law for religious freedom... [has]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind.”

Mind Law Religious Citizens Positive Atheism Aristocracy Religious Freedom Clergy

Book:The portable Thomas Jefferson

Source: The portable Thomas Jefferson

“If the freedom of religion, guaranteed to us by law in theory, can ever rise in practice under the overbearing inquisition of public opinion, [then and only then will truth]prevail over fanaticism.”

Ifs Law Opinion Practice Theory Public Opinion Fanaticism Inquisition Freedom Of Religion Overbearing Truth Prevails

Author:Thomas Jefferson

“This doctrine ['that the condition of man cannot be ameliorated, that what has been must ever be, and that to secure ourselves where we are we must tread with awful reverence in the footsteps of our fathers']is the genuine fruit of the alliance between Church and State, the tenants of which finding themselves but too well in their present condition, oppose all advances which might unmask their usurpations and monopolies of honors, wealth and power, and fear every change as endangering the comforts they now hold.”

Source: Jefferson: Writings

“The metaphysical insanities of Athanasius, of Loyola, and of Calvin, are, to my understanding, mere lapses into polytheism, differing from paganism only by being more unintelligible.”

Understanding Mere Insanity Metaphysical Paganism Founding Fathers Christian Founding Fathers Religion Lapses Christianity From Founding Fathers Polytheism

Author:Thomas Jefferson

“From the dissensions among Sects themselves arise necessarily a right of choosing and necessity of deliberating to which we will conform. But if we choose for ourselves, we must allow others to choose also, and so reciprocally, this establishes religious liberty.”

Ifs Religious Liberty Arise Conform Sects Religious Liberty Dissension

Author:Thomas Jefferson

“Revelation, indeed, as such had no influence on my mind”

Mind Influence Revelations

Book:Works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin: consisting of his life, written by himself : together with essays, humourous, moral & literary, chiefly in the manner of the Spectator : in two volumes

Source: Works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin: consisting of his life, written by himself : together with essays, humourous, moral & literary, chiefly in the manner of the Spectator : in two volumes

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

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