While I believe his approach is too strident to actually win over any converts, Richard Dawkins is a brilliant and resourceful genius in the effort to defend civilization against religion:
As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
This is from a treaty that was drafted in 1796 under George Washington, signed in 1797 by John Adams, and ratified unanimously by the US Senate.
Meanwhile, here’s Conservative icon, Barry Goldwater (again from Dawkins):
On religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God’s name on one’s behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.
I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in "A," "B," "C" and "D." Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?
And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of "conservatism."
Those who forget history… are often religious….
[updates to my response to Adam]
1. I meant, "with impunity"
2. You error if you pretend to quote John Adams in your defense.
Your quote of Adams says that he’s a religious person. But he’s clearly not talking about our government, but upon the principles of the men that achieved independence. It is clear, as he is quoted on that page I linked, that he separates the act from the principles on which it was achieved… like the boat being separate from the boat-builder.
What’s interesting about your quote is that, on the face of it alone, he says that the principles of liberty are as unalterable as human nature - pretty absolute; but that the principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable… as the existence and attributes of God.
Hell, even I can agree to that! There ain’t no such thing as God and the principles of Christianity are just exactly that eternal and immutable…
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