Blog - Thomas Jefferson

Our Forefathers’ Gift

Posted by Roberta Grimes • February 24, 2024 • 12 Comments

My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring! My native country, thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love! I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills, My heart... Read More

Young Thomas Jefferson

Posted by Roberta Grimes • April 02, 2022 • 23 Comments

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That... Read More

Judging History

Posted by Roberta Grimes • December 04, 2021 • 75 Comments

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.– That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”... Read More

Thomas as a Spirit Guide

Posted by Roberta Grimes • October 03, 2020 • 62 Comments

“Of publishing a book on religion, my dear sir, I never had an idea. I should as soon think of writing for the reformation of Bedlam, as of the world of religious sects. Of these there must be, at least, ten thousand, every individual of every one of which believes all wrong but his own.”... Read More

Thomas Jefferson After Death

Posted by Roberta Grimes • September 26, 2020 • 47 Comments

“I was in an atmosphere of beauty, countryside, scenery which was magnificent. I remember seeing various relations and friends who all seemed terribly, truly excited to see me, all crowding around me, welcoming me, showing me around.” – Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), from his Leslie Flint interview (1960) Soon after he ceased incarnating, the being who... Read More

Thomas Jefferson on Jesus

Posted by Roberta Grimes • September 19, 2020 • 52 Comments

“Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half of the world fools and the other half hypocrites.” – Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), from Notes on the... Read More

Happy Birthday to Liberty!

Posted by Roberta Grimes • July 04, 2020 • 12 Comments

Oh beautiful, for heroes proved in liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine, ‘Till all success be nobleness and every gain divine. – Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929) from “America the Beautiful” (1895) The purpose of human life is spiritual growth, and... Read More

The Long Tail of Slavery

Posted by Roberta Grimes • June 20, 2020 • 57 Comments

Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, Nobody knows but Jesus. Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, Glory hallelujah! – From a pre-1865 Negro spiritual, author unknown Every human being of every shade is a member of a single race. Modern Europeans are in fact east Africans. This scientific certainty has been achieved only very recently,... Read More

Empathy

Posted by Roberta Grimes • May 30, 2020 • 40 Comments

The road is long, with many a winding turn That leads us to who knows where, who knows when. But I’m strong, strong enough to carry him. He ain’t heavy. He’s my brother. – Bobby Scott (1937-1990) & Bob Russell (1914-1970), from “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (1969) If people were nothing more than... Read More

Planning For Spiritual Growth

Posted by Roberta Grimes • October 19, 2019 • 87 Comments

This universe exists to give us a place where we can begin to grow spiritually. It may serve other purposes too, but I haven’t seen good ideas about that; and it is clear now that this material universe is key to the process of helping us all to embark upon an eternity of ever more... Read More