Here's a link to the source of this quote, a letter from Jefferson to his 15-year-old nephew, Peter Carr.
There are a lot of quotable quotes in this letter. I think Jefferson was particularly prescient when he encouraged his nephew to study Spanish, predicting that "[o]ur future connections with Spain and Spanish America, will render that language a valuable acquisition."
But I think my favorite quote is this one regarding religion: "In fine, I repeat, you must lay aside all prejudice on both sides, and neither believe nor reject anything, because any other persons, or description of persons, have rejected or believed it." This is the essence of free will. Each person's decision is his and his alone; God doesn't have any grandchildren.
"If you find reason to believe there is a God, a consciousness that you are acting under his eye, & that he approves you, will be a vast additional incitement; if that there be a future state, the hope of a happy existence in that increases the appetite to deserve it; if that Jesus was also a God, you will be comforted by a belief of his aid and love."
The language is a little archaic for 2009, but it's clear that Jefferson acknowledged the comfort that belief in God and His Son Jesus Christ brings.
I think you may be reading a bit too much in that last quote, CT. While Jefferson was admitting that others may find comfort in Jesus, he does not say that is what he himself believes. He was a deist, not a christian.
ANONYMOUS COMMENTS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. And neither will racist,homophobic, or misogynistic comments. I do not mind if you disagree, but make your case in a decent manner.
Very nice! Naturally, the lunatic fringe will probably assume that the quote comes from a different Thomas Jefferson.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the source of this quote, a letter from Jefferson to his 15-year-old nephew, Peter Carr.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of quotable quotes in this letter. I think Jefferson was particularly prescient when he encouraged his nephew to study Spanish, predicting that "[o]ur future connections with Spain and Spanish America, will render that language a valuable acquisition."
But I think my favorite quote is this one regarding religion: "In fine, I repeat, you must lay aside all prejudice on both sides, and neither believe nor reject anything, because any other persons, or description of persons, have rejected or believed it." This is the essence of free will. Each person's decision is his and his alone; God doesn't have any grandchildren.
Here's another gem:
ReplyDelete"If you find reason to believe there is a God, a consciousness that you are acting under his eye, & that he approves you, will be a vast additional incitement; if that there be a future state, the hope of a happy existence in that increases the appetite to deserve it; if that Jesus was also a God, you will be comforted by a belief of his aid and love."
The language is a little archaic for 2009, but it's clear that Jefferson acknowledged the comfort that belief in God and His Son Jesus Christ brings.
And so do I - I've experienced it personally.
I think you may be reading a bit too much in that last quote, CT. While Jefferson was admitting that others may find comfort in Jesus, he does not say that is what he himself believes. He was a deist, not a christian.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I meant to say.
ReplyDeleteEither you read too much into my comment or else I didn't make myself clear enough (probably the latter).
In any event, Jefferson was enough of a gentleman not to ridicule someone else's belief.