When President John F. Kennedy welcomed forty-nine Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962 he said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House — with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
Thomas Jefferson was one of the most enlightened people of his time. He helped draft Declaration of Independence, and also served as Secratary of State, Vice President, and later President of the United States as you all most likely know.
This post is more about the religous views of this man more then a power point on his achievements which could take me days.
Hhere are some of his good quotes about religion. Just something to think about.
1. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
2.Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.
3.I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent
These are just three of many. I like the second quote about blindfolded fear. I think whatever god is out there he is a god of reason then pure faith.
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Jefferson hit religion pretty hard, especially in his earlier years,
"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."
"It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong."
However, he did believe in a Supreme Maker, religion is what irked him. Another quote, "It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God."
He was a believer in liberty and freedom above all, as I mentioned in an earlier post, something we take for granted from day to day. He may not have suported religion, but he respected everyone's free right of choice, and that is why he was so intelligent. We are talking about a man who proposed the public school system in 1780, who knew free trade not large armies would rid the world of war over 200 years ago.
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