“When writing the constitution for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, John Adams wrote:I must judge for myself, but how can I judge, how can any man judge, unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading.”

“I must judge for myself, but how can I judge, how can any man judge, unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading.”

“But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed? How has it happened that all the fine arts, architecture, painting, sculpture, statuary, music, poetry, and oratory, have been prostituted, from the creation of the world, to the sordid and detestable purposes of superstition and fraud?[Letter to judge F.A. Van der Kamp, December 27, 1816.]”

“Let the human mind loose. It must be loose. It will be loose. Superstition and dogmatism cannot confine it.{Letter to his son and 6th US president, John Quincy Adams, November 13 1816}”

“Government has no right to hurt a hair on the head of an Atheist for his Opinions. Let him have a care of his Practices.{Letter to his son and future president, John Quincy Adams, 16 June 1816}”

“The quality of any advice anybody has to offer has to be judged against the quality of life they actually lead.”

“You see, the quality of any advice anybody has to offer has to be judged against the quality of life they actually lead.”