Sacred Words
This was originally posted on March 26, 2007. The magic that is blogger allowed me to reset the post date to today, April 6, 2007. This allows me to use this as my contribution to the "Blog Against Theocracy" blogswarm scheduled for this weekend. As one of my readers already pointed out, Mr. Jefferson was not a man of perfect character, but his creation of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was one of the best expressions of the ideal of the separation of church and state at this country's founding and a powerful statement against theocracy.Last week (3-21-07) I went to Charlottesville, Virginia for the Virginia Festival of the Book. While I was there I decided to visit Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello. I wasn't planning on buying anything in the Monticello Visitor's Center Gift Shop, but a framed copy of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (section 2 of it anyway) caught my eye. Fortunately an unframed version was also available, and although the words are priceless, I can frame them myself for much less than $40. This document was one of three accomplishments that Jefferson wanted to be remembered for (the others being the authoring of the Declaration of Independence and the Founding of the University of Virginia). Virginia may be the home of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, but it is also the home of Jefferson and this document, the foundation for religious freedom in this country. For freethinkers, atheists, agnostics or just those who choose to hold beliefs outside of the Christian mainstream, these words are sacred.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.
4 sharp points:
all men except african americans. and absolutely no women, lol. good stuff none the less even if it IS coming from a bigoted hypocrite who enjoyed passing a lot of john locke's philosophies off as his own and is responsible for starting political parties in america which in turn violated everyone's freedoms in one fell swoop. lmao. he's also the guy who said war is the way the earth cleanses itself. yeah, great guy. great logic. just messing around with you in fun. :)
Sharp point indeed Mickey. You are either a Wikipedia master or wasting your intelligence on the Internet. :)
never use wikipedia. wasting my intelligence on many things, with good reason. if only you knew, lol.
sometimes i want to just give you a big fat hug, you pinko bastard.:)
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