In Jefferson’s only full-length book, Notes on Virginia, he states his true beliefs about societal issues. Jefferson states that both the mind and body are subject to the coercion of laws. Jefferson continues about the power of government, saying, “But our rulers can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it dies me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god” (page 160). Jefferson talks about the government’s role in the church and the injustices that often occur. Jefferson said, “If it be said, his testimony in a court of justice cannot be relied on, reject it then, and be the stigma on him. Constraint may make him worse by making him a hypocrite, but it will never make him a truer man. It may fix him obstinately in his errors, but will not cure them. Reason and free enquiry are the only effectual agents against error” (page 160). Jefferson goes into further depth about the corruption of leadership. He says, “Had not the Roman government permitted free enquiry, Christianity could never have been introduced. Had not free enquiry been indulged, at the aera of the reformation, the corruptions of Christianity could not have been purged away. If it be restrained now, the present corruptions will be protected, and new ones encouraged” (page 161). Jefferson explains the government as containing “fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as public reasons” (page 161). He explains the reasoning for the error-filled society that the government has built, saying, “And why subject it to coercion? To produce uniformity. But is uniformity of opinion desirable? No more than of face and stature” (page 161). Many people have suffered in the journey of Christianity trying to reach pure uniformity, and yet it is unknown if reaching that potential is even possible.

Jefferson futher explains his beliefs in detail in a letter to Benjamin Rush. Jefferson says, “To the corruptions of Christianity I am, indeed, opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian in the only sense he wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; and believing he never claimed any other” (page 163). Philosophers did a good job in creating precepts that relate to the people and the governments. They “embraced, indeed, the circles of kindred and friends, and inculcated patriotism…as a primary obligation…” (page 164). However, they lacked in creating “peace, charity and love to our fellow men, or embraced with benevolence the whole family of mankind” (page 164). Jews believed in one God, Deism. “But their ideas of him and of his attributes were degrading and injurious” (page 164). Jefferson believed they needed reformation. Jesus is described of being of poor condition and his education mull. He is also described as being meek, patient, firm, disinterested, and benevolent. He lived his life correct and innocent. Jesus wrote nothing himself and the recordings of his works are only from memory, and after much time after the event, recorded by the “ignorant men” who heard him preaching or saw his kindness. Jefferson claims that Jesus fell victim to jealousy of the altar and the throne. Jefferson believes the doctrine to be “defective as a whole, and fragments only of what he did deliver have come to us mutilated, misstated, and often unintelligible” (page 165). Jefferson says that Jesus created a system of morals that “would be the most perfect and sublime that has ever been taught by man” (page 165). Jefferson praises these morals. Jefferson states with approval of these four works of Jesus: 1. He corrected the Deism of the Jews, confirming them in their belief of one God, and giving them juster notions of his attributes and government. 2. His moral doctrines, relating to kindred and friends, were more pure and perfect than those of the Jews; and they went far beyond both in inculcating universal philanthropy, not only to kindred and friends, neighbors and countrymen, but to all mankind, gathering all into one family, under the bonds of love, charity, peace, common wants and common aids. A development of this head will envince the peculiar superiority of the system of Jesus over all others. 3. The precepts of philosophy, and of the Hebrew code, laid hold of actions only. He pushed his scrutinies into the heart of man; erected his tribunal in the region of his thoughts, and purified the waters at the fountain head. 4. He taught, emphatically, the doctrines of a future state, which was either doubted, or disbelieved by the Jews; and wielded it with efficacy, as an important incentive, supplementary to the other motives to moral conduct.

Jefferson’s view of Christianity is parallel to those that are Enlightenment-influenced because his viewpoint is founded on the belief of liberty and equality. Jefferson criticizes the government and seeks out for a change, including a lack of corruption and an acceptance of all religions and beliefs. Jefferson says in his Notes on Virginia, “Let us reflect that it is inhabited by a thousand millions of people. That these profess probably a thousand different systems of religion. That ours is but one of that thousand. That if there be but one right, and ours that one, we should wish to see the 999 wandering sects gathered into the fold of truth. But against such a majority we cannot effect this by force. Reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free enquiry must be indulged; and how can we wish others to indulge it while we refuse it ourselves” (page 162). Jefferson reiterates his belief in the separation between church and state. He gives examples and explains that both Pennsylvania and New York are not tied down with a religious establishment and have still been very successful. They are deemed successful in the eyes of Jefferson because they have sustained peace and order. He goes on, saying, “They have made the happy discovery, that the way to silence religious disputes, is to take no notice of them. Let us too give this experiment fair play, and get rid, while we may, of those tyrannical laws. It is true, we are as yet secured against them by the spirit of the times” (page 162). Along with these beliefs, Jefferson also felt strongly about the blasphemy of superstition.