Was Jefferson a Clergy hating Deist, or an outright Atheist?

Question

Reading the Federalist papers years ago, I coulnd't help but get teh impression that most of the founding fathers (especially Jefferson) were actually Atheists who had too much to lose to call themselves Atheists publicaly and not Deists at all.. Anyone else have an opinion?

Just an aside, jefferson didn't write the federalist... Though he did write a number of articles supporting their position and wrote a great deal more concerning the consititution and his desire to have an "Eternal wall seperating church and state" sprung from his hatred of clergy. But I still say he was Atheist, Hamilton ( who did write most of the Federalist" was vertainly Atheist

Answer 1

I've thought the same about Jefferson, Locke and Voltaire. When atheism is a crime, Deism is a safe haven.

Answer 2

Jefferson was a member of a church. He attended regularly and gave financially. In fact his financial donations were quite generous. When someone gives a lot of money voluntarily, it is most likely because he believes in it.

If I am wrong,then what atheist on Yahoo Answers gives thousands of dollars a year to your local church? Which one of you attends a Sunday service every week? How many of you are careful to show respect to the Christian religion? Jefferson did all these things.

Jefferson had some funny ideas about the historical accuracy of Jesus' words in the Gospels. Jefferson's theories have been proven wrong by modern scholarship. You could argue that Jefferson held some heretical beliefs.

But there is no way that we can portray Jefferson as an atheist. To do so would be to throw out real history and write our own fables.

Hey, that is a new trend! Open up any new grade school text book on early American History and read the fairy tales.

Answer 3

I doubt if atheism was even a term that had been invented then. I do think if he was alive today he would make Dawkins look shy. Jefferson was definitely opposed to religion and he did not believe in supernatural events. At the time he lived natural theology justified pushing God far enough out of the scientific arena to allow science to work.
Jefferson went so far as to rewrite the New Testament.
In his version he tried to keep what he considered good and moral teachings. He removed all of the supernatural stuff like miracles and demons.
Here: http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/jeffb10.html
Jefferson also spoke out against slavery even though he owned slaves. I believe his will all of his slaves were given freedom.

I am very cautious about labelling historical figures as atheist because the words change meaning so fast in history. I think it is pretty clear that he did not believe in a personal God but if he believed in the God of Spinoza is a different question.
To me if you do not believe in a Theistic God then you are automatically atheist, a nonbeliever. I do count a deist as an atheist, but I seem to be at odds with how other people interpret it. How they defined it in the 18th century is beyond my ability to even guess.
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Answer 4

Jefferson was a clergy hating deist but many of the others were atheist.

Answer 5

i think of a project is Evangelicals love their church merely approximately as much as they love their god, and Deism promises human beings a thank you to have faith in god devoid of desiring a faith, or evangelicals to sell it. What they actually hate is deists have faith in god, yet reason like atheists. by potential of believing god exists and that he created the universe, deists deny evangelicals their common brow-beater: "God created the universe, no longer something can exist devoid of god". Neither can they accuse deists as being too proud to have faith in god, or declare devil is clouding their techniques. this suggests rather of trotting out the properly rehearsed arguments, evangelicals are compelled to transform deists to their ideals on the grounds god intervenes interior the universe. attempting to persuade a reasoning individual to have faith in an interventionist god making use of of the fulfillment cost of prayer and the occurrence of miracles has have been given to be perplexing for evangelicals. Deists are frequently scientific adequate to be attentive to approximately statistical risk. So the miraculously healed maximum cancers affected person, or plane crash survivor saved by potential of the capability of prayer isn't adequate to persuade a deist that god fiddles with existence on earth. i think of this makes evangelicals sense ineffective. it could no longer fairly be that plenty exciting being a soldier of the lord, once you're left waging a conflict with a rubber sword.

Answer 6

Never an outright atheist, but certainly a component.

Answer 7

Jefferson. That guy who said that we were endowed by our Creator....?

"Almighty God hath created the mind free. ..."

""God who gave us life gave us liberty. .."

These words are inscribed in stone in the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. I've read them there.

Answer 8

Neither. It does not appear to me that you are very familiar with Jefferson. Jefferson didn't write ANY of the Federalist papers. The Authors are James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton wrote under the pen name Publisus. The Federalist Papers are available at probably any bookstore for about $4.99 and I have a copy on my nightstand. Have read parts of it frequently. For further info on Jefferson, you could try going here: http://www.wallbuilders.com/searchResults.asp?cx=017913191964562303374%3Ap_grmfhrw8c&cof=FORID%3A11&q=Thomas+Jefferson&sa.x=10&sa.y=8

And yes, Jefferson was a Deist. However, like Uniterian, the word has changed meaning quite drastically since federalist times. Are you familiar with Etymology?

In His Service,
John the Baptist

EDIT:
Since no one else answering this question seems the slightest bit knowledgeable about Thomas Jefferson; here are the letters exchanged between Thomas Jefferson and the Danbury Baptist Church regarding 'separation of Church and state'. It is obvious to an elementary school student what was meant. Notice the LACK of the word 'eternal'. Please also pay attention to what is being said. Jefferson had NO PROBLEM with the church running the state; just so long as the state did not interefere with the church. Kinda makes you wonder how many Supreme Court Justices actually know THEIR history:

Letter from the Danbury Baptists:

The address of the Danbury Baptist Association in the State of Connecticut, assembled October 7, 1801.
To Thomas Jefferson, Esq., President of the United States of America

Sir,
Among the many millions in America and Europe who rejoice in your election to office, we embrace the first opportunity which we have enjoyed in our collective capacity, since your inauguration , to express our great satisfaction in your appointment to the Chief Magistracy in the Unite States. And though the mode of expression may be less courtly and pompous than what many others clothe their addresses with, we beg you, sir, to believe, that none is more sincere.

Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of religious liberty: that Religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals, that no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects on account of his religious opinions, [and] that the legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbor. But sir, our constitution of government is not specific. Our ancient charter, together with the laws made coincident therewith, were adapted as the basis of our government at the time of our revolution. And such has been our laws and usages, and such still are, [so] that Religion is considered as the first object of Legislation, and therefore what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the State) we enjoy as favors granted, and not as inalienable rights. And these favors we receive at the expense of such degrading acknowledgments, as are inconsistent with the rights of freemen. It is not to be wondered at therefore, if those who seek after power and gain, under the pretense of government and Religion, should reproach their fellow men, [or] should reproach their Chief Magistrate, as an enemy of religion, law, and good order, because he will not, dares not, assume the prerogative of Jehovah and make laws to govern the Kingdom of Christ.

Sir, we are sensible that the President of the United States is not the National Legislator and also sensible that the national government cannot destroy the laws of each State, but our hopes are strong that the sentiment of our beloved President, which have had such genial effect already, like the radiant beams of the sun, will shine and prevail through all these States--and all the world--until hierarchy and tyranny be destroyed from the earth. Sir, when we reflect on your past services, and see a glow of philanthropy and goodwill shining forth in a course of more than thirty years, we have reason to believe that America's God has raised you up to fill the Chair of State out of that goodwill which he bears to the millions which you preside over. May God strengthen you for the arduous task which providence and the voice of the people have called you--to sustain and support you and your Administration against all the predetermined opposition of those who wish to rise to wealth and importance on the poverty and subjection of the people.

And may the Lord preserve you safe from every evil and bring you at last to his Heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Glorious Mediator.

Signed in behalf of the Association,

Neh,h Dodge }
Eph'm Robbins } The Committee
Stephen S. Nelson }

*A cite for this letter could read:

Letter of Oct. 7, 1801 from Danbury (CT) Baptist Assoc. to Thomas Jefferson,
Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division,
Library of Congress, Wash. D.C.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

President Jefferson's Reply:

Messrs. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, and Stephen s. Nelson
A Committee of the Danbury Baptist Association, in the State of Connecticut.

Washington, January 1, 1802

Gentlemen,--The affectionate sentiment of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association, give me the highest satisfaction. My duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature would "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem.

Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802

* A cite for this letter could read:
Thomas Jefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Albert E. Bergh, ed. (Washington, D. C.: The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States, 1904), Vol. XVI, pp. 281-282.

NOTICE THOMAS JEFFERSON'S CLOSING SENTENCE. THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A CLERGY HATING DEIST OR AN OUTRIGHT ATHEIST. SOUNDS LIKE THE QUESTIONER IS A HATER OF HISTORY AND TRUTH.