What did Thomas Jefferson say about religious freedom?
For Jefferson, the logic of religious freedom was inherent in Enlightenment thought. He saw freedom of religion as a “natural right” of man. He thought it was wrong to force an individual to belong to the establishment church just as it was wrong for the state to suppress individual opinions.
What is a quote from the freedom of religion?
“I am for freedom of religion, & against all maneuvres to bring about a legal ascendancy of one sect over another.” “The liberty enjoyed by the people of these States of worshipping Almighty God, agreable to their consciences, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights.”
What did Thomas Jefferson and James Madison say about freedom of religion?
Upon the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786, James Madison wrote to its author, Thomas Jefferson: “I flatter myself we have in this country extinguished forever the ambitious hope of making laws for the human mind.”
Who said freedom from religion?
Written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786, it is the forerunner of the first amendment protections for religious freedom. Divided into three paragraphs, the statute is rooted in Jefferson’s philosophy.
What the Founding Fathers said about religion?
He said: “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people …
What did Founding Fathers say about religion?
Why is religious freedom so important in the United States?
Why We Need Religious Freedom Religious freedom, or freedom of conscience, is critical to the health of a diverse society. It allows different faiths and beliefs to flourish. Religious freedom protects the rights of all groups and individuals, including the most vulnerable, whether religious or not.