Freedom of Religion

Thomas Jefferson on Government and Politics ^ | 1995-99 | Eyler Robert Coates, Sr.

[lower_middle-class_dad]

"We have solved, by fair experiment, the great and interesting question whether freedom of religion is compatible with order in government and obedience to the laws. And we have experienced the quiet as well as the comfort which results from leaving every one to profess freely and openly those principles of religion which are the inductions of his own reason and the serious convictions of his own inquiries." --Thomas Jefferson: Reply to Virginia Baptists, 1808. ME 16:320 "The constitutional freedom of religion [is] the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights." --Thomas Jefferson: Virginia Board of Visitors Minutes, 1819. ME 19:416

[GoLightly]

Welcome to Free Republic.

[lonestar67]

Jefferson's adherence and articulation of religious liberty remains one of the most profound thoughts of our time despite that passage of 200 years. The present problems in Iraq are simple reflections of the necessity of his ideas.

It is powerful to me that his is not the french view of freedom from religion but freedom of religion shaped by a thinking mind.

Nor does Jefferson believe that the American view sets the government on a religous demolition project that the Supreme Court has so recently embarked upon with the aid of skeptics offended at all mentions of religion in public.

[lower_middle-class_dad]

I am not sure how the statement "(Its time to withdraw from the War on Bush-- your side is hopelessly lost in a quagmire)" relates to my post. Perhaps it is just part of your sign on, I am not quite sure. Anyway, I agree the left has declared war on Bush as opposed to looking at all of the facts and trying to come up with a reasonable argument about the war in Iraq. The blind hatred of President Bush is clouding their judgment at every turn. If the left would just step back and look at principle instead of politics, we would have a congress that more closely resembles that which our founding fathers, like Jefferson, had envisioned.

[lonestar67]

My tag line was not directed at you. It is a custom here at Free Republic where people try to attach pithy thoughts to their signature. I am not sure mine is even very pithy.

I appreciate your thoughts. Welcome to Free Republic.