Religion Quotes by Thomas Jefferson

Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law.

— Thomas Jefferson

Say nothing of my religion. It is known to God and myself alone.

— Thomas Jefferson

I have sworn upon the altar of god.

— Thomas Jefferson

What is it men cannot be made to believe!

— Thomas Jefferson

I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature.

— Thomas Jefferson

Religions are all the same...Based upon legends and fantasies

— Thomas Jefferson

A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit.

— Thomas Jefferson

Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.

— Thomas Jefferson

The selfish spirit of commerce knows no country, and feels no passion of principle but that of gain

— Thomas Jefferson

What has been the effect of religious coercion? To make half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites.

— Thomas Jefferson

Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous. . . .

— Thomas Jefferson

If your letters are as long as the bible, they will appear short to me. Only let them be brim full of…

— Thomas Jefferson

Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state'... is absolutely essential in a free society.

— Thomas Jefferson

Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to God alone.

— Thomas Jefferson

I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.

— Thomas Jefferson

The office of reformer of the superstitions of a nation is ever dangerous.

— Thomas Jefferson

In reviewing the history of the times through which we have passed, no portion of it gives greater satisfaction or reflection, than…

— Thomas Jefferson

If we could believe that Jesus...countenanced the follies, falsehoods and charlatanisms which his biographers father on him, ...the conclusion would be irresistible...that…

— Thomas Jefferson

Reading, reflection and time have convinced me that the interests of society require the observation of those moral precepts only in which…

— Thomas Jefferson

It is an insult to our citizens to question whether they are rational beings or not, and blasphemy against religion to suppose…

— Thomas Jefferson

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot,…

— Thomas Jefferson

I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world and do not find in our particular superstition [Christianity] one…

— Thomas Jefferson

I consider the government of the U.S. as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.

— Thomas Jefferson

I have ever judged of the religion of others by their lives. For it is in our lives, and not from our…

— Thomas Jefferson

Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no…

— Thomas Jefferson

He who made us would have been a pitiful bungler, if he had made the rules of our moral conduct a matter…

— Thomas Jefferson

The Greeks by their laws, and the Romans by the spirit of their people, took care to put into the hands of…

— Thomas Jefferson

Well aware that the opinions and belief of men depend not on their own will, but follow involuntarily the evidence proposed to…

— Thomas Jefferson

Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have…

— Thomas Jefferson

The religion of Jesus is founded in the Unity of God, and this principle chiefly gave it triumph over the rabble of…

— Thomas Jefferson

Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was…

— Thomas Jefferson

In matters of religion, I have considered that its free exercise is placed by the Constitution independent of the powers of the…

— Thomas Jefferson

“4. Religion. Your reason is now mature enough to examine this object. In the first place, divest yourself of all bias in…

— Thomas Jefferson

I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or…

— Thomas Jefferson

“Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor morum over each other. Is uniformity…

— Thomas Jefferson

“When the clergy addressed General Washington on his departure from the government, it was observed in their consultation that he had never…

— Thomas Jefferson

“...it is not to be understood that I am with him [Jesus] in all his doctrines. I am a Materialist, he takes…

— Thomas Jefferson

Our [Virginia's] act for freedom of religion is extremely applauded. The Ambassadors and ministers of the several nations of Europe resident at…

— Thomas Jefferson

“If we could believe that he [Jesus] really countenanced the follies, the falsehoods, and the charlatanism which his biographers [Gospels] father on…

— Thomas Jefferson

“If, therefore, from the settlement of the Saxons, to the introduction of Christianity among them, that system of religion could not be…

— Thomas Jefferson