Those among them that have not received our religion do not

Hear, O seekers of justice and harmony, the words of Thomas More, who in his vision of Utopia declared: “Those among them that have not received our religion do not fright any from it, and use none ill that goes over to it, so that all the while I was there one man was only punished on this occasion.” These words, though wrapped in the garb of a fictional tale, carry a truth deeper than fiction: that tolerance in matters of faith is not weakness but wisdom, not a fracture of unity but its foundation. More, writing in the sixteenth century when flames of persecution often consumed men for their beliefs, dreamed of a land where men might walk in peace despite their differences.

The origin of this saying is found in Utopia, More’s imagined commonwealth, where justice is not measured by the sword alone but by the harmony of the people. In that land, men are free to worship differently, and though there is one preferred faith, no man is coerced nor tormented for seeking the divine in another form. To punish a man for his conscience, More suggests, is rare and lamentable, not the practice of a just society. Thus, through this vision, he offered both critique of his own world and counsel for the ages: that peace in religion is possible only through restraint and respect.

Consider the weight of this vision. In More’s Europe, men were burned at the stake for heresy, wars raged between Catholics and Protestants, and suspicion of the “other” was deep as the roots of oak. Yet in his Utopia, he dared to imagine a people who did not “fright” others away from their beliefs, nor abuse those who converted. This was radical, for he proclaimed that the sword cannot make true believers, nor can fear plant the seeds of genuine faith. Only freedom allows belief to flourish honestly.

History offers a striking example of this truth. In the young United States, centuries later, the principle of religious freedom was enshrined in law. Though not always perfectly practiced, it provided a foundation upon which Jews, Christians, Muslims, and countless others could live together without the endless wars of Europe. Contrast this with Spain’s Inquisition, where conversion by force bred resentment and hypocrisy rather than unity. Here, More’s wisdom shines like a beacon: coercion corrupts faith, but tolerance preserves both society and the soul.

The meaning, then, is not merely political but spiritual. To use violence or scorn to enforce religion is to misunderstand its purpose. Faith that is compelled is no faith at all. The divine does not seek slaves but willing hearts. Thus, a society that refrains from frightening or abusing others for their beliefs shows greater reverence for truth than one that wields fire and steel in its name. More’s words remind us that tolerance is not the enemy of religion—it is its protector.

The lesson for us is clear. If we would live in peace, we must allow others the same freedom we demand for ourselves. We must never coerce another in matters of conscience, nor scorn those who walk a different path. Instead, we must build societies where belief and unbelief alike can breathe freely, for only in such a soil can truth grow strong. To punish belief is to punish the soul itself, and to force belief is to plant falsehood in the heart.

Practical wisdom follows: practice tolerance not in word only but in deed. Restrain your tongue from mockery, and your hand from oppression. Defend the rights of others to worship, or not to worship, as they will, for in doing so you defend your own. And above all, remember More’s vision—that punishment for faith was the exception, not the rule, in the just society he imagined. Let us strive to make this vision real, not merely in books, but in life.

Thus, let the words of Thomas More echo as counsel for the ages: “Those who have not received our religion do not fright any from it, nor use any ill who go over to it.” For in these words lies the wisdom of peace, the seed of justice, and the reminder that true faith needs no chains to endure.