Jefferson considered Jesus to be a historical figure but the virgin birth, the miracles, the resurrection, etc. to be myth on par with Minerva. He abhored Paul as a corrupter of the historical Jesus' message. He called himself a "materialist" above all, not a Christian. Do you think he is talking of god in the same manner as you?
"I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition [Christianity] one redeeming feature. They are all alike, founded upon fables and mythologies" (Letter to Dr. Woods from Thomas Jefferson)
John Adams in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, 1817:
"This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it.
T.J:
"I was glad to find in your book a formal contradiction at length of the judiciary usurpation of legislative powers; for
such the judges have usurped in their repeated decisions, that Christianity is a part of the common law. The proof of
the contrary which you have adduced is incontrovertible; to wit, that the common law existed while the Anglo-Saxons
were yet Pagans, at a time when they had never yet heard the name of Christ pronounced, or knew that such a
character had ever existed. But it may amuse you to show when and by what means they stole the law in upon us. In a
case of quare impedit in the Year Book 34 H. 6, folio 38, (anno 1458,) a question was made, how far the ecclesiastical
law was to be respected in a common law court. And Prisot, Chief Justice, gives his opinion in these words: 'A tiel leis
qu'ils de seint eglise ont en ancien scripture covient a nous a donner credence,' etc. See S.C. Fitzh. Abr. Qu. imp. 89.
Bro.; Abr. Qu. imp. 12.
Finch, in his first book, c. 3 is the first afterwards who quotes this case, and mistakes it thus: 'To such laws of the
church as have warrant in Holy Scripture our law giveth credence;' and cites Prisot, mistranslating 'ancien scripture'
into 'Holy Scripture.' Whereas Prisot palpably says 'To such laws as those of holy church have in ancient writing it is
proper for us to give credence;' to wit, to their ancient written laws. This was in 1613, a century and a half after the
dictum of Prisot. Wingate, in 1658, erects this false translation into a maxim of common law, copying the words of
Finch, but citing Prisot. Wing, Max. 3. And Sheppard, title 'Religion,' in 1675, copies the same mistranslation, quoting
the Y.B. Finch and Wingate. Hale expresses it in these words: 'Christianity is parcel of the laws of England.' 1 Ventr.
293. 3 Keb. 607. But he quotes no authority. By these echoings and reechoings from one to another it had become so
established in 1728 that, in case the King vs. Woolston, 2 Stra. 834, the court would not suffer it to be debated,
whether to write against Christianity was punishable in the temporal courts at common law. Wood, therefore, 409,
ventures still to vary the phrase, and say that all blasphemy and profaneness are offenses by the common law, and
cites 2 Stra. Then Blackstone, in 1763, 4.59, repeats the words of Hale, that 'Christianity is part of laws of England,'
citing Ventris and Strange. And finally, Lord Mansfield, with a little qualification in Evans's case, in 1767, says that
'the essential principles of revealed religion are part of the common law.' Thus engulfing Bible, Testament, and all, into
the common law, without citing any authority. And thus we find this chain of authorities hanging link by link, one upon
another, and all ultimately on one and the same book, and that a mistranslation of the words 'ancien scripture' used by
Prisot.
Finch quotes Prisot; Wingate does the same. Sheppard quotes Prisot, Finch, and Wingate. Hale cites nobody. The
court in Woolston's case cites Hale. Wood cites Woolston's case. Blackstone quotes Woolston's case and Hale. And
Lord Mansfield, like Hale, ventures on his own authority. Here I might defy the best read lawyer to produce another
scrip of authority for this judiciary forgery; and I might go on further to show how some of they Anglo-Saxon priests
interpolated into the texts of Alfred's laws 20th, 21st, 22d, and 23d chapters of Exodus, and the 15th of the Acts of the
Apostles, from the 23d to the 29th verse. But this would lead my pen and your patience too far. What a conspiracy this
between church and state! Sing Tantarara, rogues all, rogues all!" (Works, Vol. iv., pp. 397, 398). |
