Did Jefferson really say that "Religion is the most perverted system that ever shone on man"?

[SarahM32]

17. Yes, and there's a big "stumblinglock" preventing its resolution.

And it is the son of man, the modern Messiah, who removes the stumblingblock of false beliefs and myths and thereby resolves the conflict and the debate.

“ ... but he that takes refuge in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain. And He will say: ‘Clear the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of My people. For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth (angry); for the spirit that enwraps itself is from Me (KJV says: “for the spirit should fail before me”), and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him, I hid Me and was wroth; and he went on frowardly (willfully) in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and requite with comforts him and his mourners. Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the Lord that creates the fruit of the lips; and I will heal him.” – Isaiah 57:13-19

As is explained in the article on Isaiah Chapter 53, unbeknownst to most Christians (and Jews and Muslims), that speaks of the same son of man who the people “esteemed as stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4)

It also speaks of the same son of man that Jesus of Nazareth spoke of, saying:

"The days will come when people will want to see one of the days of the son of man, and they shall not see it. So they will look here and there, but do not follow them. For as the lightning lightens all parts under heaven, so shall also the [work of the] son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected by his generation." (Luke 17:20-25)

As is explained in the article on Prophecies Re: He Who Fulfills Them, Jesus was not speaking of himself in that instance, because Jesus suffered only on the last day of his life, not first or beforehand, but only after he had completed his mission. Furthermore, Jesus was accepted by multitudes of Jews, Greeks and others in his generation. And even if he may have used the term “this generation” (as was reported in Luke), that term was used in several different instances referring not to that generation but ours, the generation of the modern son of man who comes at the end of the age (aeon).

With correct understanding of the prophets, including Jesus, you can see that Jesus was speaking of the next son of man whose message (work) is sent before him and can be seen in a flash, like lightning, all over the world (over the Internet).

Now back to Isaiah – Jesus said that the next son of man would "first be rejected by his generation" knowing the prophecies in the book of Isaiah, and knowing that it is written:

“(God) has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand has he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he hid me; And said unto me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. And now, says the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength." (Isaiah 49:2-5)

Isaiah was writing about the modern son of man as an old man, which he is now. He is hidden and has labored in vain. He feels physically spent and yet takes refuge in God to be his strength, and he is like Jacob (who wrestled with God).

As both Isaiah and Jesus foretold, at first he is not recognized as a servant of God, and because his message is rejected for so long, his faith will waver and he will sometimes fear that all his work has been in vain and for nought. And it will be as if he is hidden in the shadow of God’s hand. (Isaiah 42:1-2, Isaiah 49:2-5, Luke 17:24-25, Isaiah 49:4; Isaiah 51:16, Isaiah 53:4, Isaiah 57:15-21, Isaiah 62:11-12)

That's the present reality. And things will not improve until enough people finally get the message that will resolve the conflict, reconcile the Abrahamic religions with each other and with all the other major religions, and enable humanity to start building upon a foundation of understanding to progress into a brighter future in which we finally have government of, by, and for the people and use the common wealth for the common good.
.