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Jefferson was raised in the [[Church of England]] at a time when it was the established church in Virginia and never formally left the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church]], and attended church regularly near the end of his life.  Despite that, at least one historian claims that Jefferson was merely a [[deism|deist]].<ref>David L. Holmes, ''The Faiths of the Founding Fathers''.</ref>  Conservative scholars such as [[David Barton]] point out how Jefferson was a [[Piety|pious]] orthodox Christian.<ref>Barton, David. ''The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson'' (2012, Thomas Nelson)</ref> Liberal publishing houses, such as Oxford University Press, University of Virginia Press, and Yale University Press, typically deny or downplay Jefferson's Christian beliefs.   

Jefferson was raised in the [[Church of England]] at a time when it was the established church in Virginia and never formally left the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church]], and attended church regularly near the end of his life.  Despite that, at least one historian claims that Jefferson was merely a [[deism|deist]].<ref>David L. Holmes, ''The Faiths of the Founding Fathers''.</ref>  Conservative scholars such as [[David Barton]] point out how Jefferson was a [[Piety|pious]] orthodox Christian.<ref>Barton, David. ''The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson'' (2012, Thomas Nelson)</ref> Liberal publishing houses, such as Oxford University Press, University of Virginia Press, and Yale University Press, typically deny or downplay Jefferson's Christian beliefs.   

Barton's views, however, have been accused of deception by conservative Christians who take Jefferson at his word with respect to religion.<ref>https://world.wng.org/2012/08/the_david_barton_controversy?</ref> Jefferson vehemently attacked Christianity, accusing the Christian God of being a "terrific character - cruel, vindictive, capricious, and unjust."<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl261.php</ref> He called Christianity "the most perverted system that ever shone on man"<ref>Letter to the Unitarian heretic Joseph Priestly. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-33-02-0336</ref> and said that he did "not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature." Christianity, according to Jefferson, was merely another religion "founded on fable and superstition." Jefferson argued that in the gospels, "we discover a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstition, fanaticism and fabrication."<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl261.php</ref> He denied the historicity and authenticity of the Scriptures, saying:   

Barton's views, however, have been accused of deception by conservative Christians who take Jefferson at his word with respect to religion.<ref>https://world.wng.org/2012/08/the_david_barton_controversy?</ref> Jefferson vehemently attacked Christianity, accusing the Christian God of being a "terrific character - cruel, vindictive, capricious, and unjust." Although some have claimed that Jefferson was merely citing the view of God that Jesus had criticized during his time.<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl261.php</ref> He called Christianity "the most perverted system that ever shone on man"<ref>Letter to the Unitarian heretic Joseph Priestly. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-33-02-0336</ref> and said that he did "not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature." Christianity, according to Jefferson, was merely another religion "founded on fable and superstition." Jefferson argued that in the gospels, "we discover a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstition, fanaticism and fabrication."<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl261.php</ref> He denied the historicity and authenticity of the Scriptures, saying:   

"The authors of the gospels were unlettered and ignorant men and the teachings of Jesus have come to us mutilated, misstated and unintelligible."<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=R8Z4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA243&lpg=PA243&dq=jefferson+The+authors+of+the+gospels+were+unlettered+and+ignorant+men+and+the+teachings+of+Jesus+have+come+to+us+mutilated,+misstated+and+unintelligible.%22&source=bl&ots=He8HlprFYm&sig=qBwKrB7qXHse6K0VsrcEXFkOlIA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVx72tw4_bAhXCq1kKHXtxDl8Q6AEISDAI#v=onepage&q=jefferson%20The%20authors%20of%20the%20gospels%20were%20unlettered%20and%20ignorant%20men%20and%20the%20teachings%20of%20Jesus%20have%20come%20to%20us%20mutilated%2C%20misstated%20and%20unintelligible.%22&f=false</ref>

"The authors of the gospels were unlettered and ignorant men and the teachings of Jesus have come to us mutilated, misstated and unintelligible."<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=R8Z4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA243&lpg=PA243&dq=jefferson+The+authors+of+the+gospels+were+unlettered+and+ignorant+men+and+the+teachings+of+Jesus+have+come+to+us+mutilated,+misstated+and+unintelligible.%22&source=bl&ots=He8HlprFYm&sig=qBwKrB7qXHse6K0VsrcEXFkOlIA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVx72tw4_bAhXCq1kKHXtxDl8Q6AEISDAI#v=onepage&q=jefferson%20The%20authors%20of%20the%20gospels%20were%20unlettered%20and%20ignorant%20men%20and%20the%20teachings%20of%20Jesus%20have%20come%20to%20us%20mutilated%2C%20misstated%20and%20unintelligible.%22&f=false</ref>