Question

That to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion and to restrain the profession or propagation of principles on supposition of their ill tendency is a dangerous fallacy which at once destroys all religious liberty because he being of course judge of that tendency will make his opinions the rule of judgment and approve or condemn the sentiments of others only as they shall square with or differ from his own; translate?

Answer 1

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was drafted in 1777 (however it was not first introduced into the Virginia General Assembly until 1779)[1] by Thomas Jefferson in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia. On January 16, 1786, the Assembly enacted the statute into the state's law. The statute disestablished the Church of England in Virginia and guaranteed freedom of religion to people of all religious faiths, including Christians of all denominations, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus.[2][3][4] The statute was a notable precursor of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Answer 2

The correct answer is the following.

Rewrite the excerpt of Thomas Jefferson “Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom” in your own words.

Freedom to choose and profess a religion is of the utmost importance in the country. A civil magistrate could have the power to interfere in this matter, but the Church doesn’t need to have the power and presence it has in the old days to influence people. Magistrates should be accountable for intervention in religious considerations, letting people decide what to profess. Although other people have different beliefs, they not should be judged because of that, knowing that respect is the key to peaceful living.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the “Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom” statement in which he defends freedom of thinking and the principle of separation between government and church. The statement was passed by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786.