In another thread (The Canonization of Scriptures?), several quotes from Thomas Jefferson were used to attack the Church. I know there's a Jefferson Bible (just modified Gospels, I think), but what was TJ's problem with the Greeks and how did he arrive at his conclusion?

-- Mark Advent (adventm5477@earthlink.net), February 11, 2004

Answers

Thomas Jefferson did not believe anything could be miraculous and that Christ was simply a good human being. He also had a problem with organized religion. He cut out everything from the bible that was in any way miraculous or might lead one to a thought that clergy or organized religion was OK.

How did he arrive at his conclusion? He simply thought it was reasonable.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45@hotmail.com), February 11, 2004.

Jeffrson, refered to by the Natives as "The great betrayer" for his invovlement in their persecution after promises to defend their rights, was a deist.

He beleived that rationalism ought to be the manner of which one ran his affairs, and of course his conclusiosn wher ehte MOST rational, those who disagreed with Mr.Jefferson's conclusiosn where, of course, wrong.

Now, as to the Bible, he disliked Paul, so he sliced out the Pauline Liturature, as he htought it useless. After all, Paul spoke of things sych as duties to the Church, and duties to clergy, ect... such was nonsence, and coudnt have been a part of the Christain messgae, because it was unreasonable to assume a clergy was even needed in the firts place. After all, all we need is a raitonal govnrment, not a Church.

Likewise, he did not beleive miraculous occurances, as Bill cited above. He did think the overlal messge of Christ was hte finest yet invented. ( Note, I said invented.)

So, to that end, he sought to "Purge the Bible of the spurious additions that clud the historical story of Jesus." He wa slike the Jesus Semenar peopel in essence.

So, to this end, he preserved the teachigns of Jesus, and some of the life, but the "Obvious legend" was cut ( Literlaly) form the pages of the Bible.

He took a standard King James Bible, and a pair of siccors, and began to nip and snip and cut a tthose parts he found most inspiring, and fluing them togather.

On the editing room floor lay Jesus's Virgin Birth, The Marriage at Canna miracle, the stilling o fhte storm, and feeding of the 5000, A certain incedent wiht a Fig Tree, and of course the ressurection. The Jefferson Bile ends with Jesyus beign entombed in the sepulcure, with no ressurection. Jesus remains to this fsay in his tomb, so in accord with Jefferson and his beleifs.

His rationalism, as it where, was devoid of even the possibility of miracuouls intervention and a need for a real spirrituazlity, and echoses the Humanist ideal, just be a good person.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 12, 2004.