Jefferson_Bible

=**The Jefferson Bible**= One of the critiques of Jefferson in terms of claims that he did not hold biblical beliefs is that he cut out parts of the Bible to put together his own. Many claim he made this because he hated Scripture and cut out everything he disagreed with and made a Bible worthy of a Deist. The problem is that most who think this way do not know that there were two Jefferson Bibles, not one. There was one in 1804 and one in 1820. So right away it's clear that criticisms of Jefferson's faith do not know the full history. As president and in the government, Jefferson did a lot to share Jesus with the natives. There was a treaty and he sent clergy to teach and money was used to set up a church for the natives. In 1803, one of his friends sent him a sermon preached by Rev. Edward Bennett saying that in order to reach the natives they needed to give the natives an abridged version...specifically just the teachings of Jesus. So, Jefferson cut out these parts to make one with the teachings of Jesus only. He wasn't "tearing it apart" as modern revisionists would try to claim. In fact, the title isn't even Jefferson Bible. The full title of what Jefferson made is called "The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth: extracted from the account of His life and doctrines as given by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Being an abridgement of the New Testament for the use of the Indians uncomplicated with matters of fact or faith beyond the level of their comprehensions." How's that for a title?!?! It certainly explains the purpose though. Jefferson knew that moral people were important. He studied the moral writings of numerous philosophers. He felt the morals of Jesus were the best. So, he cut out 81 morals of Jesus and put them together and even put them into several languages. Again, he was not cutting out what he didn't believe. He had a purpose in mind. In 1902, this book on morals (Jefferson Bible) was printed by Congress and given to congressmen for the next couple decades. Obviously something that would not take place today.

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