Sheds Light on Jefferson's Religion
I am assuming that some of you have already heard the news about the new Thomas Jefferson diaries that highlight the post-presidential years of the Sage Monticello. The news broke to the public at a press conference earlier today at Monticello where Jefferson historian, Dianne Swann-Wright expressed her excitement at having a new primary source on Jefferson:This is a wonderful day for us here at Monticello and for American history enthusiasts everywhere...We look forward to reviewing and making these records available to the public. The revelations in this journal are extraordinary...We are gaining new insight into the man that before was nothing more than mystery in many ways.The Journal contains roughly 500 pages (all written by Jefferson himself). So far, historians at the University of Virginia (where the diary is being scrutinized in detail), have only released a few of its entries. For our blog's purposes, here are a few interesting entries regarding religion:
Tired and cold today. Ms. Hemmings and I in continual quarrel. Unable to strike reason into the woman. She is so incorrigible. I feel myself longing for the quiet seclusion that only the Bible can provide. I hope posterity will one day recognize that I hold the Bible to be the absolute, supreme and infallible word of God. It's best understood when completely and totally inebriated, which allows the Holy Spirit to bring enlightenment into my life...much in the same way that peyote brings about inspiration to the Indian, so does alcohol to the Christian.On October 30, 1788 Jefferson writes:
I am quite excited for Spring. I wish to run through the beautiful meadows between Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains come this Spring. I will delight in frolicking like a young schoolgirl through the tulips. Ms. Hemmings finds my antics disturbing but it does me no sorrow.Incredible stuff! Who would have thought that Jefferson would mud wrestle James Madison and run in the nude! AMAZING!!!
"This is sure to cause quite a stir in the historical community" stated historian David McCullough.
HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY EVERYONE!!!
4 comments:
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Uh, Yah.
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By the way, who can tell me why the Unalienable Rights thread was killed?
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After a hundred pages into this book, I am beginning to develop a far better understanding of the important of men like Locke and Paine.
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http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=science+of+liberty&tag=yahhyd-20&index=aps&hvadid=70846629511&ref=pd_sl_28kswzbahr_b
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It was killed because you junked it up with personal attacks, Phil, and intelligent discussion had ended.
It reads very well now with the crap deleted. A good discussion from all, one of our best. Now that you understand Locke and Paine, perhaps next time you'll have something worthy to contribute.
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Hmmm.
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So the evidence has been destroyed?
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The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.
----JUDGE LEARNED HAND, 1944
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