A Quote by Thomas Jefferson on reason and free inquiry

What has been the effect of coericion [sic]?  To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites.  To support roguery and errors all over the earth...  [Instead] reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments.  To make way for these, free inquiry must be indulged; and how can we wish others to indulge it while we refuse it ourselves.

Thomas Jefferson : American statesman (3rd US President: 1801-09), wrote Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)
 
Contributed by: Stephen Hawkins. More quotes added by Stephen from all sources
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