Major Greene this evening fell into some conversation with me about the Divinity and satisfaction of Jesus Christ. All the argument he advanced was, “that a mere creature or finite being could not make satisfaction to infinite justice for any crimes,” and that “these things are very mysterious.” Thus mystery is made a convenient cover for absurdity.
diary entry, February 13, 1756
There exists, I believe, throughout the whole Christian world, a law which makes it a blasphemy to deny or doubt the divine inspiration of all the books of the Old and New Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation. In most countries in Europe it is punished by fire at the stake, or the rack, or the wheel. In England, itself, it is punished by boring through the tongue with a red-hot poker.
letter to Thomas Jefferson, January 23, 1825
The United States of America is in no sense founded on the Christian Religion.
Presidential signatory to the Treaty of Tripoli, ratified unanimously by the US Senate, 1797