"Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law."
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814
"Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination."
-Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, in reference to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom
"Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity."
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
2006-12-14 11:04:39 · 4 answers · asked by NHBaritone 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
just more sound proof that this country was not founded upon christianity. it's basic history.
2006-12-14 11:07:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
Looks like he believed God created man.
"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our fortunes and our sacred Honor."
Devine Providence (capitalized) is not a deist talking but one who believed God would work with them, not sit back as deist think.
Thomas jeffersons later letters showed he had a great faith in God. He just did not believe in the corrupted teachings as taught by current faiths.
2006-12-14 11:24:41 · answer #2 · answered by dem_dogs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
TJ was a great champion of religious freedom and opposed anything that smelled of a theocracy. And while he was correct in saying that chruistianity was never part of common law, the morals and ethics of the judeo-christian tradition played a huge part in shaping common law...and even TJ would admit that.
2006-12-14 11:41:07 · answer #3 · answered by mzJakes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like Jefferson to me. He got so frustrated, he even wrote his own "bible".
Poor old confused Tom.
2006-12-14 11:08:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋