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H.H. Rose's avatar

Thomas Jefferson saw the issue of religion differently when talking about the separation of church and state.

“Extract from Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia

The error seems not sufficiently eradicated, that the operations of the mind, as well as the acts of the body, are subjects to the coercion of the laws. But our rulers can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God.

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.“

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JDinTX's avatar

He hadn’t run into our brand of Pharisees I assume

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Citizen60's avatar

Wrote his own Bible—The Jeffersonian Bible—taking out the “directions” of the Apostles to Christians on how to think/believe. 6 year effort

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