Posted on 08/19/2002 11:15:10 AM PDT by Gargantua
More than we can say for those who attempt to misrepresent him.
These are all contrivances and fruits (if you will) of none other than the Catholic Church.
Facts bother you, don't they Okie? I just can't tell whether it's your awareness of them or your ignorance of them at the root of your problem.
He's right, of course. Religious opinions matter not in the least. There is a gulf the size of the universe, however, between religious opinion, and religious truth, which Mr. Jefferson also expounds upon with great clarity and length in my above quotes.
It is the height (depth?) of charlatanism to use quotes, ignoring their context, to make a point which the quoted never intended.
It is the depth of ignorance to use a quote when you don't even grasp the meaning of the words contained in the quoted phrase.
Neither is acceptable, Okie. Tsk, tsk,
So when Franklin says...
Religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its Professors are obliged to call for help of the Civil Power, it is a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one. Benjamin Franklin, 1790
Or when Jefferson Says....
"The truth is, that the greatest enemies of the doctrine of Jesus are those, calling themselves the expositors of them, who have perverted them to the structure of a system of fancy, absolutely incomprehensible, and without any foundation in his genuine words. And the day will come, when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter." --- Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, Apr. 11, 1823
Or when Paine says...
As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of government to protect all conscientious protesters thereof, and I know of no other business government has to do therewith. --Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776.
Or when Madison says...
Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity in exclusion of all other religions may establish, with the same ease, any particular sect of Christians in exclusion of all other sects? That the same authority which can force a citizen to contribute threepence only of his property for the support of any one establishment may force him to conform to any other establishment in all cases whatsoever? --James Madison, "A Memorial and Remonstrance,"
Or when Adams says....
"As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?" --- John Adams, letter to F.A. Van der Kamp, Dec. 27, 1816
They're not really warning us about the dangers of intermingling churchcraft with the power of state...
They're bashing Catholicism?
(you're even more self-deluded than I thought)
Amen.
Here we see Thomas Jefferson classify the virgin birth of Jesus as a FABLE. Equivalent to the myths of the Romans.
Do you think that places Jefferson in your corner?
Really?
I find that interesting considering all the quotes I posted contain full context and attribution... and all the quotes you posted... do not.
Men can read smaller print than women can; but women can hear better.
Coca-Cola was originally green.
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400
The youngest pope was 11 years old.
The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs - Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.
Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace.
If you were to spell out numbers, you have to go to one thousand before you would find a number containing the letter "A"?
Honey is the only food that doesn't spoil.
There are more collect calls on Father's Day than any other day of the year.
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight."
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
In Scotland, a new game was invented. It was entitled Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden.... and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
How do you reconcile these facts about Jefferson, with your assertions?
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