The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
1st. I am disappointed by finding that no just comparison can be made,
because the original Shasta, and the original Vedams are not obtained,
or if obtained, not yet translated into any European language.
2d. In not finding such morsels of the sacred books as have been
translated and published, which are more honorable to the original Hindoo
religion than anything he has quoted.
3d. In not finding a full development of the history of the doctrine of
the Metempsichosis which originated--
4th. In the history of the rebellion of innumerable hosts of angels in
Heaven against the Supreme Being, who after some thousands of years
of war, conquered them, and hurled them down to the regions of total
darkness, where they have suffered a part of the punishment of their
crime, and then were mercifully released from prison, permitted to
ascend to earth, and migrate into all sorts of animals, reptiles, birds,
beasts, and men, according to their rank and character, and even into
vegetables, and minerals, there to serve on probation. If they passed
without reproach their several gradations, they were permitted to become
cows and men. If as men they behaved well, _i. e._ to the satisfaction
of the priests, they were restored to their original rank and bliss in
Heaven.
5th. In not finding the Trinity of Pythagoras and Plato, their contempt
of matter, flesh, and blood, their almost adoration of fire and water,
their metempsichosis, and even the prohibition of beans, so evidently
derived from India.
6th. In not finding the prophecy of Enoch deduced from India, in which
the fallen angels make such a figure. But you are weary. Priestley has
proved the superiority of the Hebrews to the Hindoos, as they appear in
the Gentoo laws, and institutes of Menu; but the comparison remains to
be made with the Shasta.
In his remarks on Mr. Dupuis, page 342, Priestley says: "The History
of the fallen angels is another circumstance, on which Mr. Dupuis lays
much stress. According to the Christians, he says, Vol. I, page 336,
there was from the beginning a division among the angels; some remaining
faithful to the light, and others taking the part of darkness, &c.; but
this supposed history is not found in the Scriptures. It has only been
inferred, from a wrong interpretation of one passage in the 2d epistle
of Peter, and a corresponding one in that of Jude, as has been shown by
judicious writers. That there is such a person as the Devil, is not a
part of my faith, nor that of many other Christians, nor am I sure that
it was the belief of any of the Christian writers. Neither do I believe
the doctrine of demoniacal possessions, whether it was believed by the
sacred writers or not; and yet my unbelief in these articles does not
affect my faith in the great facts of which the Evangelists were eye
and ear witnesses. They might not be competent judges in the one case,
though perfectly so with respect to the other."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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