I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.
Thomas JeffersonIgnorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.
Thomas JeffersonStichwörter: ignorance-truth-belief
The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousands of martyrs... In fact, the Athanasian paradox that one is three, and three but one, is so incomprehensible to the human mind, that no candid man can say he has any idea of it, and how can he believe what presents no idea? He who thinks he does, only deceives himself. He proves, also, that man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without a rudder, is the sport of every wind. With such persons, gullibility which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand of reason, and the mind becomes a wreck.
[Letter to James Smith discussing Jefferson's hate of the doctrine of the Christian trinity, December 8 1822]
Stichwörter: reason gullibility absurdities trinity martyrs the-trinity athanasian athanasian-creed trinitarian
That these are our grievances which we have thus laid before his majesty, with that freedom of language and sentiment which becomes a free people claiming their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.
Thomas JeffersonStichwörter: american-revolution
Our properties within our own territories [should not] be taxed or regulated by any power on earth but our own.
Thomas JeffersonStichwörter: american-revolution
Whereas it appeareth that however certain forms of government are better calculated than others to protect individuals in the free exercise of their natural rights, and are at the same time themselves better guarded against degeneracy, yet experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, ....whence it becomes expedient for promoting the publick happiness that those persons, whom nature hath endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens, and that they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth or accidental condition of circumstance.
Thomas JeffersonStichwörter: apathy political-philosophy corruption complacency decline misgovernment
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The dead should not rule the living.
Thomas JeffersonStichwörter: inspirational politics constitution
The object most interesting to me for the residue of my life, will be to see you both developing daily those principles of virtue and goodness which will make you valuable to others and happy in yourselves, and acquiring those talents and that degree of science which will guard you at all times against ennui, the most dangerous poison of life. A mind always employed is always happy. This is the true secret, the grand recipe for felicity....In a world which furnishes so many employments which are useful, and so many which are amusing, it is our own fault if we ever know what ennui is...
Thomas JeffersonI am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.
Thomas JeffersonOur civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry.
Thomas JeffersonStichwörter: freedom religious rights
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