Spent a lot of time today reviewing my copy of Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the state of Virginia as I prepare for a Graduate Class discussion and in particular his thoughts on religion. As we know, Jefferson was one of the main proponents of religious freedom and one of those who demanded that the Constitution have something that protects the rights of individuals to practice whatever religion they so chose. Anyway, here are some key points made by Jefferson:
This is a summary view of that religious slavery, under which a people have been willing to remain, who have lavished their lives and fortunes for the establishment of their civil freedom. The error seems not sufficiently eradicated, that the operations of the mind, as well as the acts of the body, are subject to the coercion of the laws. [pp. 169-171, Jefferson]
After discussing the objectionable laws that some states already used that persecuted some religions and allowed for imprisonment and even death, Jefferson makes the point about how these “coercions” of law are to be avoided. Jefferson continues to make it very clear he does not care what particular religion a person has:
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. If it be said his testimony in a court of justice cannot be relied on, reject it then, and be the stigma on him. Constraint may make him worse by making him a hypocrite, but it will never make him a truer man.
Then I found the following quote where Jefferson made, what he thought, was an absurd comparison of government regulation:
Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.
Jefferson thought that to to have Government mandate one’s religion or to be involved in regulating religion would have been as absurd as the government doing so with our HEALTH CARE and DIET. Gee, wonder what he would say today!
Food for thought on this beautiful Saturday afternoon!
Chris
