View source for Article of Religious Freedom

Written by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and commemorated on his tombstone, the '''Article of Religious Freedom''' was passed by the [[Virginia]] [[Assembly]] on Jan. 16, 1786.  It states:

"Almighty [[God]] hath created the mind free, and ... all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments ... tend only to begat habits of [[hypocrisy]] and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the [[Holy]] Author of [[religion]], who being [[Lord]] both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almightypower to do, but to extend it by its influence on reason alone."

[[Category:Founding Fathers]]
[[Category:Republicanism]]