Thomas Jefferson Quotes

Reading, reflection and time have convinced me that the interests of society require the observation of those moral precepts only in which all religions agree.

He, who steadily observes those moral precepts in which all religions concur, will never be questioned at the gates of heaven as to the dogmas in which they all differ.

There are many religions, but there is only one morality.

All religions have based morality on obedience, that is to say, on voluntary slavery. That is why they have always been more pernicious than any political organization. For the latter makes use of violence, the former - of the corruption of the will.

We need to agree on common values for all religions as soon as possible, a kind of secular Ten Commandments on which we will build the world of tomorrow.

It's simply untrue that religion provides the only framework for a universal morality.

The very idea that we get a moral compass from religion is horrible. Not only should we not get our moral compass from religion, as a matter of fact we don't.

Our duties and responsibilities as human beings must be shown to be so incontrovertible that even atheists must recognize them. There are ultimate taboos.

Though I believe in God, I don't believe in religion for everybody. Some people who are a little weak and don't want to shoulder any responsibility need Catholicism. For people at the other extreme, there is Christian Science... I think a powerful conscience is worth all the religions put together.

What is considered sinful in one of the great religions to which citizens belong isn't necessarily sinful in the others. Criminal law therefore cannot be based on the notion of sin …

It is often said by religious people that without its framework, there is no sense of right or wrong. My view is that religion comes after ethics.

Religion is sort of like a lift in your shoes. If it makes you feel better, fine. Just don't ask me to wear your shoes.

I think we have to give religion its due. I think we have to respect those for whom religion is important, but equally respect those who can achieve good morality without religion.

[Liberty] considers religion as the safeguard of morality, and morality as the best security of law and the surest pledge of the duration of freedom.

Progressives should recognize common morality with religion.

Whatever sentence will bear to be read twice, we may be sure was thought twice.

No one will dare maintain that it is better to do injustice than to bear it.

My religious reading has long been confined to the moral branch of religion, which is the same in all religions; while in that branch which consists of dogmas, all differ[.

A woman's character is as delicate as her eye; it can bear no flaw.

For many people, morality means a set of rules governing the disposition on one's genital organs; or a set of injunctions against lying, stealing, or killing except when such acts are sanctioned by church or state.

After 9/11, there were a lot of things being said about how the God of Islam and the God of the Christian faith were one and the same, but that's simply not true ... The God that I worship does not require me to kill other people. The God that I worship tells me I am to love my enemy, to give him food when he's hungry and water when he's thirsty.

You can't have a Superman that is battling cultural morality. You need a Superman that has built in sort of values.

There being no absolute and universal standard of right, terrorism must be held to be wrong in every case.

Goodness begins simply with the fact of life itself.

Atheism cheapens everything it touches - look at the results of communism, the most powerful form of atheism on earth.