The Mind of Thomas Jefferson

Throughout the article, The Mind of Thomas Jefferson, by Peter Onuf, Thomas Jefferson’s beliefs were questioned and analyzed. In the first paragraph Onuf describes how Jefferson believed in moral philosophers and reason. He states that Jefferson said that science rejected the virgin birth, he doesn’t believe in miracles, and that questioning is good. Onuf then goes on to say that Jefferson believes that one must have mature reasoning abilities before one decides on what they are going to believe in. Jefferson is made out to seem that he only takes the Bible as a source of history, and that he has the opinion that people were made to think of Jesus as divine because of just how benevolent he was.

In the fourth paragraph, Onuf says that Jefferson was content with the separation of government and religion, and that it was not right for a government to make a decision, such as religion, for their people, and vice-versa. While talking to John Adams, Thomas Jefferson claims that faith should be determined by ones self, and that he could never just completely follow a priest. Thomas Jefferson says “Ignorance is preferable to error” in his notes. Thomas Jefferson also claimed that Jesus was not God sent, but that he was only a reformer, like the founding fathers were. “Jefferson’s identification with Jesus, as a reformer who dared to challenge priestly power” Onuf claimed that this is what Jefferson believed Jesus to be.

Onuf also stated that Jefferson believed that people should keep their religious views private, which was why Jefferson never actually came out fully on what religion he was. Onuf said “he believed a progressively enlightened public opinion would loosen the “shackles” of priestly influence and so rise above the bigotry an ignorance that sustained the clergy’s power”. That statement is what Onuf described Jefferson’s image of what the nation would look like without people following priests so closely. He also stated that Thomas Jefferson believed that the church just took peoples money. Onuf believes that Jefferson thought the Farmer was the best citizen because he actually had common sense and a mind of his own. Also he said that Jefferson believed that when people are able to choose they feel better about the decision that they make.

In the last few paragraphs of the article Onuf again makes a great emphasis on how Jefferson was very passionate about how he did not want government to be mixed in with religion. He goes on to say that Jefferson believes that people are not governed by one, and that he believes in separation of the powers. He also says that Jefferson will not say what religion he is until people started using their brains. In the final paragraph of the article Onuf says that Jefferson believed that Jesus was simply not afraid to challenge the word of priests.