Thomas Jeffersons Letter To Reverend Stoughton

Jefferson’s Reply to Rev. Jonah Stoughton Monticello July 1, 1826 Sir, I have before me your letter of the second of June, and I thank you warmly for having taken the time to write me. I have read it carefully and given it much thought, as much as my eighty-three years and present bodily disorders will permit – a re-ascerbation of some months ago that prevents me from making sufficient “water” and confines me to my walls, indeed, my divan, so that I must remain thereon if only to avoid my physician’s wrath, and why I was prevented from giving my attention to your letter and inquiries sooner; but now I am comfortably prepared. As to my religious beliefs – Christian, Deist, or Humanist – your enquiry comes as a belated surprise, for I have given repeated answers to such questions over the course of my now long life, public and private. That you, sir, I must therefor presume, are not aware of them at this late date in my life, I must wonder at. To your question, then, I answer with as much certitude as any thinking man of my many years is capable – to wit, I am, in fact, all three, much to the laughter if not scorn and ridicule of our pseudo- Christians who publicly deny me the right to call myself a believer but rather a godless Humanist, and never tire of labelling me a heathen or godless creature. And so they may. And what of it, I say? Let a man know himself first; what others may think or say is of little or no consequence. A man’s conscience is not for everyone’s ears but his Creator’s. For I expect soon to be leaving this earthly abode, meaning my mansion as yet unfinished, my gardens, and my many indentured servants all of which I have treated humanely as children of the same and one Creator of us all, for that other abode I expect to occupy eternally – my enemies notwithstanding. Indeed, I now see more clearly the door that must soon open to me and through which we all must pass. And, I tell you with conviction, it is not a door that conceals a world of contrived terrors and pains religionists have so tediously preached. Not at all. Rather it is a door as familiar to me and as welcoming as any that opens to my several gardens; so that I know what lies behind each one even before I put my hand to their latches. Indeed, I enter therein with not the least fear or doubt or trembling, rather with reason and assurance, as well as certainty, that what I shall find there shall be to my expectations and liking. That, Sir, has always been, and will always be, my belief. And so I leave this world, be it today, tomorrow, or whenever He, our wise and just Maker, sees fit to call, assured of a better world, whatever its nature certain as I am that it will be without any trace or odor of this one. I am thus persuaded by my God- given reason and unfettered by doubts that rattle the consciences and ignorance of so many who, either by willing failure or purposeful negligence or some other weak excuse refuse to ascertain the truth or falsehood of hardened cherished beliefs, or by indolence or fear, have not labored to separate the chaff from the wheat. In a few days the citizens of these united States, after a half century of experience and prosperity, will rightly celebrate the momentous choice they have made. May it be to the world (and I believe it will in due time) a loud and fervent call to all men everywhere to break free from all forms of monkish tyranny and domination, and chose the blessings of Him who created us as His children and in His image. I say here and now, all eyes are open, or opening, to “les droits de l’homme.”* The light of science is revealing fresh, new, and useful truths for the benefit of all. The masses must at the least be told they were born to be free and not with saddles strapped to their backs, neither to be ridden by others as they see fit, either for harsh drudgery or cheap pleasures for others benefit. Let a man worship as his knowledge (or lack of it) dictates and conscience sees fit, but let him not insist, either by force, threat, or coercion, that others abide by his. For what profit is there in a false belief before Him who will judge every secret of the heart? Sir, it is my fervent hope that your persuasion, regardless of its trappings, its centuries of oppression, strife, wars will, given sufficient time, be but a puff of smoke, much as the religions and cults of antiquity now are. Or, if you prefer, mere footnoes on the pages of history. Sir, you ask for a reply to your questions, and so I have. I do not expect you will approve or respect any. But as one man to another, I would rather, in the spirit of our newly gained independence, you will at the least tolerate mine and another’s beliefs as I do yours and many others, assigning final judgement to Him alone, whose children, if I am not mistaken, we all are. For what has every form of bigotry and intolerance accomplished other than devastated the good that cries out for expression in all men? Sir, the dinner hour strikes, and my appetite, denied its fill these past few days begs for some small portion of nourishment; for as I glance outside my window, the day races to its stable, and my hand tires, as reflected in my less than stable script, like a war-worn soldier calling for rest. Ever in your service, Thomas Jefferson