Jefferson believed that Christianity had been corrupted. So he cut up his Bible to highlight only the parts he found true and "sublime." Read Jefferson's "Life and Morals of Jesus"--and his deletions. Read Jefferson's writings on faith and you'll find not only erudite philosophy but deep rage. To understand his views on liberty, we must tap into this fury. Jefferson believed that destroying the concept of heresy, the crime of expressing unauthorized religious thought, was essential to religious freedom. He cared deeply, personally, and passionately about heresy because in the context of his times, Thomas Jefferson was a heretic and wanted to live in a nation that tolerated men like him.
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