The truth is, that the greatest enemies of the doctrine of Jesus are those, calling themselves the expositors of them, who have perverted them to the structure of a system of fancy absolutely incomprehensible, and without any foundation in his genuine words. And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter : But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Jefferson criticizes religious institutions for complicating Jesus's message with unfounded mystical claims, arguing that reason will eventually restore the original, simple teachings.
- In plain terms
- Religious leaders have overcomplicated Jesus's message with made-up stories.
- What can you take from it?
- Stick to simple, genuine beliefs rather than complex systems.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What are the genuine teachings of Jesus?
- Can reason replace mystery?
Another view
Some argue that mystical elements are essential to faith.
More from Thomas Jefferson
I can never join Calvin in addressing his god. He was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Daemonism. If ever man worshipped a f…
Permalink to quote #125 I agree with you that it is the duty of every good citizen to use all the opportunities, which occur to him, for preserving documents relating to the history o…
Permalink to quote #127 No historical fact is better established, than that the doctrine of one God, pure and uncompounded, was that of the early ages of Christianity : Nor was the un…
Permalink to quote #124
Related quotes
I can never join Calvin in addressing his god. He was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Daemonism. If ever man worshipped a f…
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson quote #125 You will next read the new testament. It is the history of a personage called Jesus. Keep in your eye the opposite pretensions I. of those who say he was begot…
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson quote #149 If the whole of natural theology, as some people seem to maintain, resolves itself into one simple, though somewhat ambiguous, at least undefined proposition, …
David HumeDavid Hume quote #72