“Thoughts are free and are subject to no rule. On them rests the freedom of man, and they tower above the light of nature.”

Thoughts are the conditioned response of your conditioning,unless you are aware of your conditioning and your able to observe life without using that conditioning as a ascreen from behind which you see life.

It might be said that there are thoughts (synthesized results of thinking) and there is rote memorization of patterns which require no process of thinking but are regurgitated by way of parroting in hopeful pursuit of approval by the weak and feeble minded.

Well said Terry. The quote is not diminished by conditioning as your thoughts are free regardless and are not subject to any rule. Free yourself from the herd and let your thoughts flow.....

Thoughts may have been free in his time but in today's politically correct /cultural Marxist (thought police) America you utter them at your own risk, reputation and your livelihood.

"If liberals were merely stupid, the laws of probability would dictate that at least some of their decisions would serve America's interests." -- Joe McCarthy

The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God ! Neither indeed can be. Paracelsus is given to much credit, he, standing in empirical scientific method. " Much of his theoretical work does Not withstand modern scientific thought " He progressively became much more frustrated and bitter ". Truth seeks reality, as theories fall by the wayside ! Most assuredly not in Plato's camp ! More to the shape of Roman influence. Siding with Aristotle. Man is brutish with knowledge ! Emulation of sound teaching brings forth knowledge of the good. Not frustration and doubt. The light of nature, the Creator and giver, of his Natural laws, expose Liberty and Freedom as a Universal language for all, Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard ! The heart is oracle and the conscience bears witness. As Natural laws of morality are prior to experience ! Experience is our guide to temper the being ! His statement speaks of truth, but not on its behalf !

Though I love my enemy, and pray for them, " Open rebuke is better than secret love "

The current occupying statist theocracy infesting this land now have thought legislation in place - next step, control. Carnal man self imposes rules on thought - to be free or otherwise. AND, as per towering over the light of nature, carnal god's actions at legal positivism disprove the statement.

The scope of your freedom depends on the more applied rules, some may principles, to your thoughts.