How can I find out if Thomas Jefferson was a Christian?

Question

I have found many conflicting sources.

Answer 1

"Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned, yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity [of opinion]. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites."--Thomas Jefferson, _Notes_on_the_State_of_Virgini...

"Christianity...(has become) the most perverted system that ever shone on man. ...Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and imposters led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus." --Thomas Jefferson, _Six_Historic_Americans_ by John E. Remsberg


"I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition [Christianity] one redeeming feature. They are all alike, founded on fables and mythology."--Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short,

"No religious reading, instruction or exercise, shall be prescribed or practiced [in the elementary schools] inconsistent with the tenets of any religious sect or denomination."--Thomas Jefferson, Elementary school Act, 1817, _The_Writings_of_Thomas_Jeffer... edited by Lipscomb and Bergh, 10:305

"I know it will give great offense to the clergy, but the advocate of religious freedom is to expect neither peace no forgiveness from them."--Thomas Jefferson to Levi Lincoln, 1802, _The_Writings_of_Thomas_Jeffer... edited by Lipscomb and Bergh, 10:305

Answer 2

Thomas Jefferson actively hated all organized religions. He viewed all religion as fundamentally evil. That's why he was a Deist, along with Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, James Madison, Ethan Allen, Thomas Paine, and countless other early Americans. You should appreciate that these men were alive at the height of the Enlightenment, at a time when educated men universally believed that the human condition could be improved by knowledge and reason. Meanwhile, the Catholics were still burning heretics at the stake, which was viewed by educated men as utterly barbaric. The post-modern view that everyone's religious opinion is equally valid is a perversion of Jefferson's Constitutional intentions. Freedom of religion was a compromise to insure freedom from religion. Jefferson never intended that America should be awash in churches nor did he intend the Constitution's first amendment as an endorsement of religion.

Answer 3

Thomas Jefferson did not appear to be a believer. Usually in that day if someone was a Christian the whole world knew it.


http://www.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/thomasjefferson.html

Answer 4

Christianity nor is, nor ever became, a factor of the uncomplicated regulation. -- Thomas Jefferson i think of you're taking issues out of context i believe it rather is meant to be spouted with reference to the Monarchs in Europe specifically England who have been abusing their Divine exact. He became actually a Deist. yet, it rather is obvious in all his writings that he had solid christian values. anyhow, there's a difference from no longer being ruled by faith and taking it away thoroughly. it extremely is one million/2 a theory a minimum of.. yet, i'm drained and it rather is an exceedingly in intensity and comfortable concern =P I forgot to characteristic considering that i'm below the effect of alcohol Thomas Jefferson is punctiliously overvalued.... Now John Adams he's the sh*t!

Answer 5

...Most of what I have read says he was not a Christian believer. He cut out all the miracles from his Bible.
...He was in love with the French Enlightenment thought.
...Many of the Founders were believers and their thoughts are often ignored by modern-day liberals, but somehow Thomas Jefferson seems to have become the "poster boy" looked up to, loved, and often quoted by today's liberals.
...You might want to look at www.wallbuilders.com and seem what they have on Jefferson.

Answer 6

Thomas Jefferson, as we all know, was a skeptic, a man so hostile to Christianity that he scissored from his Bible all references to miracles. He was, as the Freedom From Religion Foundation tells us, "a Deist, opposed to orthodox Christianity and the supernatural."

Answer 7

Go directly to the source: his journals and personal correspondence. It's fascinating reading.

Thomas Jefferson did consider himself a Christian--i.e., a follower of the moral example of Jesus of Nazareth--but he did not believe that Jesus was divine. He was convinced that Paul and other followers of Jesus embellished Jesus' life story for their own purposes, distorting his message. Using his intuition as a guide, Jefferson excised all the parts of Christian scripture that he felt were embellishments and distortions and pieced together a secular story of the life of Jesus. That work is commonly known today as the Jefferson Bible. You can read it online here: http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/

Answer 8

He wasn't. He felt the need to rewrite the Bible because he didn't agree with it. You can read it here: http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/

"I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition (Christianity) one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology."
--Thomas Jefferson

Answer 9

Thomas Jefferson was raised Episcopalian. And as an adult had no specific denomination

http://www.adherents.com/adh_presidents.html

Answer 10

he wasn't

you'll find many of his quotes have been doctored by Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and others -- and they litter the internet.

Go to the Smithsonian Institute to see his real writings, and ignore the right-wing rhetoric on line.