The Different Religion Received into that State?
(Query XVII Notes on the state of Virginia 1781)
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, Shadwell, Virginia.
He was died on July 4, 1826, Monticello, Virginia. His death was the same day to John Adam and the fiftieth anniversary of declaration independence day. Thomas Jefferson was growth in Virginia with the humble family. He was an outstanding person of American History. He has some accomplishment such as one of great thinkers American Revolution, author of declaration of independence, Governor of Virginia (1779 – 1781), Ambassador to France (1785-1789), The first secretary of State under George Washington (1789-1793), The Vice president to John Adams (1797-1801), The third president of United States of America (1801-1809), The Father of University of Virginia. Besides his accomplishments, he has some great works of writings. They are Notes on Virginia that consist of XXIII Queries, public papers that consist of opinion as secretary and also annual message, the letters to the several people that comes from several aspects of life, the letters is 633 letters with the different style and person.
Based on the history of America, In his Notes on Virginia especially in Query XVII, Jefferson stated about religion that discussed whether the different religion is received into the Stated or not. The people at Jefferson’s era still got fear in practicing the religion from the state. Their hope to get the freedom in religion is still far from reality. They are forced to baptize their children as the reign sects. Unfortunately, not all people wanted to do such the church wanted. Some of the parents refuse to their children baptized. But they do not have choices about that because the people who refuse to be baptized they will get punishment. The first and the second punishment is to be jailed but the third refusal of baptize will be killed. “to be imprisoned till they should abjure the country; provided a milder punishment for the first and second return, but death for the third”( Koch and Peden, 1944: 273 ).
Knowing such situation, Jefferson tried to express the suffering of the people who embraced the different sects from the reign sects. Jefferson early stated his view against religious or other such censorship: "It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself." (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 192). It means that he really criticize the government that still lead and restrict the religion. The government should give the chance for the sects to be free. The government should guarantee the Virginian people to embrace any religious or believe without being restricted by government and the church. Then he continued his argument with: "Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself;...she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error and has nothing to fear from the conflict unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate; errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them." (Doglas Volume 33 Number 2).
Because of the truth can stand by itself, Jefferson interested in the diversity of religion in unity. One of the effects of coercion is made uniformity. He stated that the coercion will make a half of people fool and a half of others are hypocrite. “What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrite” (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 192). The coercion will limit the people thinking. It will force people to believe something available. Therefore the form of religion in the world will be monotonously. If only the people get the freedom they will embrace the religion and their belief sincerely without fear and hypocrite. By the coercion the can not get the freedom to practice their tendency and their own willing. They did not admit the reality by practicing something that is true but not totally true for their heart. They only follow the coercion.
Jefferson pictured the suffering of any believers that have different from the coercion. The coercion is still questionable since the people do not comfort with their life. Strictly speaking, different opinion is advantageous for religion. We can see how people face their daily life. Some innocent people even million men, women, and children burnt, imprisoned and toward uniformity. “Million innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity” ( Koch and Peden, 1944: 2736).
In another case within his Notes on Virginia, Jefferson also stated: "It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 191). Yet he believed that religiosity was good for society, and he opposed acceptance of court testimony by atheists, as if atheists could not on other grounds be honest. Supposed that atheists are good for the society he will not strongly rejected the claim that he was claimed as atheists by some of the members of society. He wanted to prove that the good believer will be useful for the society and he was not one of the atheists as they society thought of him.
Jefferson really wanted a separation of church and state. Correspondence of Jefferson and Madison even talked of wishing Patrick Henry would drop dead when he led an effort to enact a plural religious establishment in the state of Virginia. A plural establishment would have used taxpayer funds to support several faiths, not unlike present practice in Germany, where taxpayers fund Lutheran and Catholic religious instruction within the public schools. The public schools also teach the religious teaching that shape the students mind about the religion. It will be very important for the students understand well about the religion that they embraced not only as imitators that imitate them way to worship the God and also to glorify God without certain knowledge from the bottom of their heart.
An outstanding idea a "wall of separation," Jefferson opposed a Chair of Divinity at Virginia only out of fear it would be dominated by one sect, probably his own Episcopalians. He did not oppose having a variety of religions and places of worship on the campus, and if he personally contributed more to the Episcopalians, he also gave some money to Presbyterians and Baptists. Also, Jefferson did not oppose use of public buildings for religious worship, provided that all religions shared access, as became true of public schoolrooms after hours in the United States by Act of Congress (Sheldon, 1999:109). So he did not really agree if only one sects dominated others sects and they will forced their dogma and teaching to other sects.
In the further explanation of the diversity of religion, Jefferson portrayed the citizen of New York which they respected the different religion among the society. Although the religion did not have any establishments but the religion is well supported. The societies embrace the various kinds of religions without disturbing each other. Each society should preserve peace and order and live well. From this example, Jefferson wanted the well religion supported in Virginia. It is very ridiculous if the establishment religion and any reign sects can not preserve the peace and order among the society since in New York can run well. He strongly emphasize his idea about the diversity of religion “ … they flourish infinitely. Religion is well supported, of various kinds, indeed, but all good enough; all sufficient to preserve peace and order” (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 192). Supposed the new sect arises there, they will enjoy their sects without any fear and disturbance from the government. They really practice the freedom of embracing religion based on their own willing and tendency. They live in harmony and they can laugh out door as they want although they are the members of the new sects in New York. They made happy discovery of new religion.
He still doubt about the religion in Virginia. He thought that it was a tyrannical law. In which the willing of the person who embrace the religion is not appropriate to the law that is existed. The punishment that they got against the religion is still questionable whether it really made them better or even worse than ever before. The real thing that should be given to the society is the protection from being afraid of their life. It could be only spending the time several years but they got nothing except hated the rule that they refuse. The rule that is hatred by the society it may corrupted by the careless people and do not run well. Some of the power will force the others. It will danger the state and weaker the unity of the society. Otherwise the unity is very important that can make a great power and brilliant ideas.
In the last of his note on the query XVII about the religion, Jefferson strengthen on the rules are honest and our soul are united. If only the rules are run well as the society want, the government will easily lead without war and heart depression. In every moment the people supported and work hand in hand to produce the various kinds of result in all aspects of life. The right of the society is given as it must be given. Finally the society will forget their long suffering from being far from the prosperous and tranquil life. The will respects their right and get rid of from the fear in embracing the religion as the pleased.
To take in conclusion, Jefferson is one of American Great thinkers. He has brilliant ideas both of speaking and writing. His writing is far better then his oral ideas. It seems from some of his out standing ideas that is known from his writing after several years. He was great in writing the letters and public papers. Although some of his writing is repetition but his work was strictly useful and influenced the American Society. In the religion aspect, as we see in the Notes of Virginia States he presented the reality of the people at that time that suffer from the religious sects. They have no freedom to build new sects that different from the reign sects’ event death as the consequences. Then he really wanted the religious freedom in embracing and also practicing the religion without any disturbance from other sects and the government. Jefferson was well known with a wall separation and created the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom and allowed people to worship as they pleased without fear and restrict. He maintained that there should be a “wall” of separation between church and the State.
References :
Billington, Allen Ray. 1877. American History Before 1877. United States of America: Littlefield
Hollinger, A David and Chapper Charles. 2001. The American Intellectual Tradition New York: Oxford University Press.
Koch, Adriene and Peden, William. 1944. The Life and Selected Writing of Thomas Jefferson. New York: The Modern Library
Moon W Glen, and Cline C Don. 1964. Story of Our Land and People. United States of America: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Sheldon, Garrett Ward. 1991. The Political Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson. Baltimore, Md.: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
(Query XVII Notes on the state of Virginia 1781)
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, Shadwell, Virginia.
He was died on July 4, 1826, Monticello, Virginia. His death was the same day to John Adam and the fiftieth anniversary of declaration independence day. Thomas Jefferson was growth in Virginia with the humble family. He was an outstanding person of American History. He has some accomplishment such as one of great thinkers American Revolution, author of declaration of independence, Governor of Virginia (1779 – 1781), Ambassador to France (1785-1789), The first secretary of State under George Washington (1789-1793), The Vice president to John Adams (1797-1801), The third president of United States of America (1801-1809), The Father of University of Virginia. Besides his accomplishments, he has some great works of writings. They are Notes on Virginia that consist of XXIII Queries, public papers that consist of opinion as secretary and also annual message, the letters to the several people that comes from several aspects of life, the letters is 633 letters with the different style and person.
Based on the history of America, In his Notes on Virginia especially in Query XVII, Jefferson stated about religion that discussed whether the different religion is received into the Stated or not. The people at Jefferson’s era still got fear in practicing the religion from the state. Their hope to get the freedom in religion is still far from reality. They are forced to baptize their children as the reign sects. Unfortunately, not all people wanted to do such the church wanted. Some of the parents refuse to their children baptized. But they do not have choices about that because the people who refuse to be baptized they will get punishment. The first and the second punishment is to be jailed but the third refusal of baptize will be killed. “to be imprisoned till they should abjure the country; provided a milder punishment for the first and second return, but death for the third”( Koch and Peden, 1944: 273 ).
Knowing such situation, Jefferson tried to express the suffering of the people who embraced the different sects from the reign sects. Jefferson early stated his view against religious or other such censorship: "It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself." (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 192). It means that he really criticize the government that still lead and restrict the religion. The government should give the chance for the sects to be free. The government should guarantee the Virginian people to embrace any religious or believe without being restricted by government and the church. Then he continued his argument with: "Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself;...she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error and has nothing to fear from the conflict unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate; errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them." (Doglas Volume 33 Number 2).
Because of the truth can stand by itself, Jefferson interested in the diversity of religion in unity. One of the effects of coercion is made uniformity. He stated that the coercion will make a half of people fool and a half of others are hypocrite. “What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrite” (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 192). The coercion will limit the people thinking. It will force people to believe something available. Therefore the form of religion in the world will be monotonously. If only the people get the freedom they will embrace the religion and their belief sincerely without fear and hypocrite. By the coercion the can not get the freedom to practice their tendency and their own willing. They did not admit the reality by practicing something that is true but not totally true for their heart. They only follow the coercion.
Jefferson pictured the suffering of any believers that have different from the coercion. The coercion is still questionable since the people do not comfort with their life. Strictly speaking, different opinion is advantageous for religion. We can see how people face their daily life. Some innocent people even million men, women, and children burnt, imprisoned and toward uniformity. “Million innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity” ( Koch and Peden, 1944: 2736).
In another case within his Notes on Virginia, Jefferson also stated: "It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 191). Yet he believed that religiosity was good for society, and he opposed acceptance of court testimony by atheists, as if atheists could not on other grounds be honest. Supposed that atheists are good for the society he will not strongly rejected the claim that he was claimed as atheists by some of the members of society. He wanted to prove that the good believer will be useful for the society and he was not one of the atheists as they society thought of him.
Jefferson really wanted a separation of church and state. Correspondence of Jefferson and Madison even talked of wishing Patrick Henry would drop dead when he led an effort to enact a plural religious establishment in the state of Virginia. A plural establishment would have used taxpayer funds to support several faiths, not unlike present practice in Germany, where taxpayers fund Lutheran and Catholic religious instruction within the public schools. The public schools also teach the religious teaching that shape the students mind about the religion. It will be very important for the students understand well about the religion that they embraced not only as imitators that imitate them way to worship the God and also to glorify God without certain knowledge from the bottom of their heart.
An outstanding idea a "wall of separation," Jefferson opposed a Chair of Divinity at Virginia only out of fear it would be dominated by one sect, probably his own Episcopalians. He did not oppose having a variety of religions and places of worship on the campus, and if he personally contributed more to the Episcopalians, he also gave some money to Presbyterians and Baptists. Also, Jefferson did not oppose use of public buildings for religious worship, provided that all religions shared access, as became true of public schoolrooms after hours in the United States by Act of Congress (Sheldon, 1999:109). So he did not really agree if only one sects dominated others sects and they will forced their dogma and teaching to other sects.
In the further explanation of the diversity of religion, Jefferson portrayed the citizen of New York which they respected the different religion among the society. Although the religion did not have any establishments but the religion is well supported. The societies embrace the various kinds of religions without disturbing each other. Each society should preserve peace and order and live well. From this example, Jefferson wanted the well religion supported in Virginia. It is very ridiculous if the establishment religion and any reign sects can not preserve the peace and order among the society since in New York can run well. He strongly emphasize his idea about the diversity of religion “ … they flourish infinitely. Religion is well supported, of various kinds, indeed, but all good enough; all sufficient to preserve peace and order” (Hollinger and Chapper, 2001: 192). Supposed the new sect arises there, they will enjoy their sects without any fear and disturbance from the government. They really practice the freedom of embracing religion based on their own willing and tendency. They live in harmony and they can laugh out door as they want although they are the members of the new sects in New York. They made happy discovery of new religion.
He still doubt about the religion in Virginia. He thought that it was a tyrannical law. In which the willing of the person who embrace the religion is not appropriate to the law that is existed. The punishment that they got against the religion is still questionable whether it really made them better or even worse than ever before. The real thing that should be given to the society is the protection from being afraid of their life. It could be only spending the time several years but they got nothing except hated the rule that they refuse. The rule that is hatred by the society it may corrupted by the careless people and do not run well. Some of the power will force the others. It will danger the state and weaker the unity of the society. Otherwise the unity is very important that can make a great power and brilliant ideas.
In the last of his note on the query XVII about the religion, Jefferson strengthen on the rules are honest and our soul are united. If only the rules are run well as the society want, the government will easily lead without war and heart depression. In every moment the people supported and work hand in hand to produce the various kinds of result in all aspects of life. The right of the society is given as it must be given. Finally the society will forget their long suffering from being far from the prosperous and tranquil life. The will respects their right and get rid of from the fear in embracing the religion as the pleased.
To take in conclusion, Jefferson is one of American Great thinkers. He has brilliant ideas both of speaking and writing. His writing is far better then his oral ideas. It seems from some of his out standing ideas that is known from his writing after several years. He was great in writing the letters and public papers. Although some of his writing is repetition but his work was strictly useful and influenced the American Society. In the religion aspect, as we see in the Notes of Virginia States he presented the reality of the people at that time that suffer from the religious sects. They have no freedom to build new sects that different from the reign sects’ event death as the consequences. Then he really wanted the religious freedom in embracing and also practicing the religion without any disturbance from other sects and the government. Jefferson was well known with a wall separation and created the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom and allowed people to worship as they pleased without fear and restrict. He maintained that there should be a “wall” of separation between church and the State.
References :
Billington, Allen Ray. 1877. American History Before 1877. United States of America: Littlefield
Hollinger, A David and Chapper Charles. 2001. The American Intellectual Tradition New York: Oxford University Press.
Koch, Adriene and Peden, William. 1944. The Life and Selected Writing of Thomas Jefferson. New York: The Modern Library
Moon W Glen, and Cline C Don. 1964. Story of Our Land and People. United States of America: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Sheldon, Garrett Ward. 1991. The Political Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson. Baltimore, Md.: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
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