Religious Quotes by Thomas Jefferson

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

— Thomas Jefferson

I have sworn upon the altar of god.

— Thomas Jefferson

I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man.

— Thomas Jefferson

Certain teachings in the Bible are as diamonds in a dung-heap.

— Thomas Jefferson

Question with boldness even the existence of a god.

— Thomas Jefferson

The way to silence religious disputes is to take no notice of them.

— Thomas Jefferson

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

— Thomas Jefferson

In our early struggles for liberty, religious freedom could not fail to become a primary object.

— Thomas Jefferson

The legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions.

— Thomas Jefferson

Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry.

— Thomas Jefferson

The declaration that religious faith shall be unpunished does not give immunity to criminal acts dictated by religious error.

— Thomas Jefferson

The law for religious freedom... [has]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind.

— Thomas Jefferson

The Christian religion is the best religion that has ever been given to man

— Thomas Jefferson

We discover in the gospels a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstition, fanaticism and fabrication .

— Thomas Jefferson

The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and in-grafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against…

— Thomas Jefferson

The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the…

— 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

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

It is time enough, for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere [in the propagation of religious teachings]…

— Thomas Jefferson

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance…

— 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

The proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust…

— 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

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

I had no idea, however, that in Pennsylvania, the cradle of toleration and freedom of religion, it [fanaticism] could have arisen to…

— Thomas Jefferson

Your sect [the Jews] by its sufferings has furnished a remarkable proof of the universal point of religious insolence, inherent in every…

— 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

The whole history of these books (i.e. the Gospels) is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry…

— Thomas Jefferson

Religious leaders will always avail themselves of public ignorance for their own purpose.

— Thomas Jefferson

Civil officials have no business meddling in private religious affairs.

— Thomas Jefferson

No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever.

— Thomas Jefferson

I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the…

— Thomas Jefferson

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.

— Thomas Jefferson

Creeds have been the bane of the Christian church ... made of Christendom a slaughter-house.

— Thomas Jefferson

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government.

— Thomas Jefferson

The information of the people at large can alone make them the safe as they are the sole depositary of our political…

— Thomas Jefferson