American Artifacts: Jefferson's Bible - Smithsonian's Harry Rubenstein - Preview

Political Curator of the National Museum of American History describes the bible Thomas Jefferson compiled in his retirement years and completed in 1820 when he was 77 years old. Jefferson extracted passages from six bibles in four languages and pasted them into a volume he considered the essence of the moral teachings of Jesus.

[@Soundwaves-fi8dn]

TJ: "The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal & impartial justice to all its citizens."

[@zaggy3110]

Here's the thing.
The Gospel readers of the time knew that all miracles and supernatural reports were not to be taken literally. These were literary devices that were common in the Greco-Roman world at the time.
There are also reports from back then in which Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus and Emperor Tiberius performed miracles.
These miracle reports were simply intended to point out the importance of the person

[@thecriticalriposte]

The most moral of any teachings? Try: he wanted to extract the essential good from the stories, if he could, in order to not offend them along with other beliefs while writing up standards. Sounds a lot more like something Jefferson would do. Thing is, there is no way in hell he valued Christianity as the highest moral/philosophical teaching. Quotes?

[@HansLiu23]

Woman in the back looks like she was forced to be there. hahaha

[@mrcharleslingo]

This my 4generation Grandfather

[@Fly8881]

There is a card "rewriting history" from illuminati card game!

[@MegaHatLady]

No, I have this book. Its the Gospel and thats all.

[@joh37get]

How cool. Thanks.

[@waswestkan]

Good grief read the comment u r about to criticize carefully. The suggestion was to teach the fact Jefferson spent a lot of time thinking about religion, NOT to start teaching the Jefferson bible or any bible in public schools.

[@mrcharleslingo]

Ok to ring he,s my 5 generation Grandfather. Check my book out at outskirtspress. Book name Sallie Mae Guilford.

[@waswestkan]

Yes it's relevant as hell these day & should be taught in HS, but... In reality US Xtians are fine with their kids not learning in HS to what degree Jefferson did ponder morality & religion. Kids might learn alternate fact about the nations founders & their supposed hardcore Xtian stance.

[@MegaHatLady]

'In reality US Xtians are fine with their kids not learning in HS to what degree'
Christians in USA WANT their children to learn this- its the Communist aholes that DONT want it