John Locke's Letter of Toleration is intriguing due to two key factors: the idea that everyone should be allowed to worship freely (not including atheists) and the society in which it was written. The concept of religious freedom is a very worthy endeavor to strive for as it is a freedom that many would consider essential to their lives in todays world. The importance of his words cannot be understated because even though he may have been less forgiving when it came to no religion, he was very understanding when it came to the differences in peoples beliefs as he thought that a king could not and should not be able to dictate the personal thoughts of his subjects. This belief of the non-absolute power of those in power is one that continues to influence the world today. The society that Locke wrote his letter in was one of deep religious division as Protestants and Catholics were literally at each others throats attempting to prove through force of arms that they were the superior form of worship. Locke entered into this fractured world at once saddened to see his fellow Christians die while believing that their disputes could be solved through mutual understanding and tolerance; thus his letter was born.
I commented on Hailey Morgan and Moriah Nelson
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