John Adams Quote 

"The priesthood have, in all ancient nations, nearly monopolized learning.... And, even since the Reformation, when or where has existed a Protestant or dissenting sect who would tolerate A FREE INQUIRY? The blackest billingsgate, the most ungentlemanly insolence, the most yahooish brutality is patiently endured, countenanced, propagated, and applauded. But touch a solemn truth in collision with a dogma of a sect, though capable of the clearest proof, and you will soon find you have disturbed a nest, and the hornets will swarm about your legs and hands, and fly into your face and eyes."

by:
John Adams
(1735-1826) Founding Father, 2nd US President
Source:
letter to John Taylor, 1814
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Reader comments about this quote:
As true today as it was then.
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US		 
Absolutely. Today's secularism, or the atheistic - human secularism, as legislated the national establishment of religion by the supreme court proves Anonymous from Reston's comment.
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
What Adams spoke of is known today as "cognitive dissonance" where the mind involuntarily rejects information that is not in line or cognizant with previous beliefs or actions. And I say, two of the world's greatest problems are the impossibility of anyone seeking the truth on any subject when they believe they already have it and the great zeal with which deceived people defend their deceptions. As for the Bible, far too many either blank out or cut out the 2nd verse in Revelations because it conflicts with their dogma. It reads: "These things are at hand." If they acknowledge existence of this verse, they will not accept what "at hand" means. It is rare person who wants their beliefs challenged. Why am I different: It is because I never read the Bible until I was 50 and had heard very few sermons so I did not have 50 years of deception to defend.
 -- Dave Wilber, St. Louis MO		 
Ever so true~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 -- dragonswizardz		 
More: I guess millions are taught that Jesus is coming but NONE can produce one verse that says, suggests, hints or implies that Jesus will come IN OUR FUTURE though 20 verses say He would return before the disciples all died. Why do we differ? It is because the 2nd most powerful force on earth said their god (Lucifer) "is dedicated to the unification of all races, religions and creeds." To impose their religion on the world, they must control all divinity schools and that requires unlimited money. To get unlimited money, they created the Federal Reserve in 1913. They are quite successful at getting millions to accept their religion that is based on unfulfilled prophecy. Preterists believe ALL prophecy is fulfilled. If you want info on this, contact Ed Stevens in Pennsylvania at: preterist1@aol.com "My people perish for lack of knowledge" Hosea 4:6
 -- Dave Wilber		 
At hand goes along with the fact that 666 was code for Nero. The code 666= Nero to the Jews and 616 = Nero to the Greeks. The Greek version of Revelation uses 616 instead of 666 and for many years people thought it was a translation error. Nero fit the prophesy to a T but the question remains - was he the only one?
 -- warren, olathe		 
Religion cannot be allowed to have the power of the state to compel because it will certainly be used.
 -- Ken, Allyn, WA		 
Adams observation rings true of all men, not just religious folk. Scientists and academicians know they dare not challenge conventional evolution, upon penalty of loss of tenure, grant, position, future publishings. It is common knowledge that the political party bosses largely run Congress, not our elected officials. Dare to oppose party orthodoxy and you will be ostracized and shunned financially in your next election bid. For a military officer to seriously challenge strategic or tactical orthodoxy is to end one's hope for promotion and career (Gen. Billy Mitchell, Viet Nam, weapon systems the military said they didn't need, didn't want, but got anyway). Even archaeologists are persecuted and controlled by the "priesthood" of those who control digs, grants, and archaeology-laws. Most notable is the Israel Antiquities Authority, who has censored free intellectual discussion and publishing, persecuted individuals and even caused their arrests on dubious evidence (for allegedly manufacturing fake artifacts, but which many professionals defend as authentic). So don't think this is a "religious person" phenomena. We have met the enemy, and it is us.
 -- Paul, Union, WA		 
A hornets nest indeed... here they come. ;-)
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Warren, you did a fantastic job of changing the subject! "At hand" means not distant in time or space. "Am I a God at hand, sayeth the Lord or am I a A God afar off.?" In Bible but don't have time to find. I found it years ago, searching "at hand" on my CDROM Bible.
 -- Dave Wilber, St. Louis MO		 
That is what I said Dave. Revelations had lines in it that inferred that the prophesy was not far away.
 -- warren, olathe		 
I can attest to this since I grew up in the "bible belt"
 -- Robert, Huntsville, AL		 
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