Quote: (07-01-2016 12:14 PM)hydrogonian Wrote:
The American concept of religious freedom was enacted specifically within the context of only the Christian sphere. It was designed to allow newer Christian political groups to exist, and to offer them legal protections. It works specifically for the Christian sphere because Christianity lacks an imperialist eschatology. Thus, the only Christian groups that seek any type of theocracy are small and marginalized. The religious freedom protection just so happens to work for non-Christian faiths that are similarly relatively non-political, and they do not work specifically for politically imperialist (theocratic) groups.
This is false.
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He continued:
Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word "Jesus Christ," so that it should read, "a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan [Muslim], the Hindoo [Hindu], and Infidel of every denomination."
Jefferson's opinions on religious liberty were heavily influenced by John Locke, as noted by James H. Hutson, writing in 2002 as chief of the Library of Congress's Manuscript Division:
In his seminal Letter on Toleration (1689), John Locke insisted that Muslims and all others who believed in God be tolerated in England. Campaigning for religious freedom in Virginia, Jefferson followed Locke, his idol, in demanding recognition of the religious rights of the "Mahamdan," the Jew and the "pagan." Supporting Jefferson was his old ally, Richard Henry Lee, who had made a motion in Congress on June 7, 1776, that the American colonies declare independence. "True freedom," Lee asserted, "embraces the Mahomitan and the Gentoo (Hindu) as well as the Christian religion."
James Madison, whose views on religious liberty aligned with Jefferson's, helped usher the Virginia bill to final passage. In a document arguing against religious taxes that received thousands of signatures, Madison referenced foreign religious persecution — specifically the Inquisition.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-...im-rights/
The source may be Washington Post, but the quotes are based on actual history. Jefferson went out of his way to include Islam because he did not want a repeat of the Inquisition.