How did Thomas Jefferson feel about slavery and religion?

Answer 1

Thomas Jefferson was often accused, by his contemporaries, of being an atheist. However, Jefferson was always reluctant to reveal what his religious belief were and never publicly committed to one set of beliefs or a lack thereof.

It should be noted that Jefferson once told his nephew, Peter Carr, the following: "Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." The meaning of that being that God would not want people to blindly fear him and be given to irrational beliefs simply because they were told to believe them. God would have wanted humans to use the complex brains that he gave them and actually think, reason, and wonder about the mysteries and intricacies of existence.

Jefferson was raised Anglican, but grew to be influenced by various English deists.

Jefferson believed in a Supreme Being that created everything, but that Supreme Being is not the same one that you would find in mainstream Christianity. Jefferson was influenced by Unitarian minister Richard Price and scientist-clergyman Joseph Priestly who led Jefferson to find a solid grounding in his own personal religious beliefs. Jefferson did not believe in the divinity of Jesus either, which is a strong divergence from what modern mainstream Christians believe, as a vast majority believe Jesus to be God.

In the USA, the phrase "separation of church and state" has been used many times to say that government and religion should not be mixed. We should not be using the religious text of one belief system to make laws for everyone, rather we should use reason and logic in our lawmaking and show respect rather than revulsion to science. Thomas Jefferson coined that phrase in his letter to the Danbury Baptists of Connecticut in 1802 when he wrote about a "wall of separation between church and state".

Answer 2

Thomas Jefferson wrote with similar beliefs that john Locke did - each individual has a right to know what their government is doing, as well as I right to a choice of religion. My understanding was that he believed that freedom of religion was to be supported by the government.

Answer 3

Well, Jefferson had slaves. He was rumored to have relations with his female slaves, so he believed they were equal, somewhat, just better workers.

Answer 4

Thomas Jefferson felt that slavery was wrong (see Ordinance of 1784) and people should have freedom of religion.

Answer 5

bad