Would that the radical religious right (of all religions) understood this...

The "Golden Rule" is actually completely wrong headed... it is backwards... real tolerance and kindness is to "treat others as they would have you treat them"... the key here is that the reciever should define what they want/like, not the giver. So do not force upon me the hateful rules of Your Creator, but rather let me live by those of mine.

While individuality is grand, it is hardly the root of all good...

I know no athiests who lack in this virtue... and all that I know who are Islamic are actually very tollerant... to label the group based upon the actions of a very small and highly radical minority is inappropriate and... well... intollerant of difference in and of itself.

... and remember, free speech is not the same as freedom to indoctrinate our children or otherwise waste the people's money on spreading the word of your god...

Only the ignorant think they know everything... or even could know everything...

But even folks w/ bad ideas none the less have ideas, and often flurish when freedom vanishes (evidence King George's effects upon us).

The two measures are orthogonal and either can exist in either...

There is nothing that keeps the study of these religions out of the public schools, as an acedemic study (e.g. comparitive religion, etc), but NOT as a means of indoctination... there are lots of other for such indoctrination (homes, churches, etc). It is not about "free speech", but rather about "inappropriate use of power" (something King George seems to sadly know a lot about). Thankfully our founding fathers understood this, even if most today do not.

"True Believers" cast stones at that which they do not understand while steadfastly believing in that which they were told as little children... at least science understands its strengths and weaknesses...

He would not want you to pray for our dying republic, no, he knew that praying was not the answer, but rather action! Take action to take back our elections from the unverifiable electronics that are being fostered upon us! Take back our legistlature from the rich! Take back our executive from the radical right and religion. Take back our courts from the morally and ethically corrupt who not only allow this to occur, but actually enable it! Take action! Down with King George and all of his hench men!

Yet another indication that the US was not founded as a "Christian nation"! Interestingly, it is amazing how many "Christians" today fail to remember that Jesus was a Jew and that "Christianity" was not created until several hundred years after his death... and yet still attempt to claim that it is a "2000 year old" religion as if that is some accomplishment of note... you want an old religion, don't turn to it or any of those of the god of Abraham, look to nature centric religions for religion with a long history! ;-)

That an educated person knows not the difference between "mythology" and "leading scientific theory" is an indictment of both our educational system and the sick power of the radical religious right's ability to pervert our very language to their own ends. In a marvelous turn of events, we find David & Joe on the same apparent side here! ;-)

In fact, one might point out that the god of Abraham is the issue, as not only is Christianity full of a history of blood and violence, but so too is the historical records of the Jewish and Islamic religions (note, religion, not true faith, as I agree with David (who should never be label with such an honorific title as "liberal", how typical of a radical & delusional pseudo-conservative to do so!) that there is a difference, even as he then condems a quote that is about organized religion rather than the faith at the heart of these teachings).

I believe he has a point there... ;-)

Religious liberty is not only freedom of religion, but also freedom from religion! Each must be free to choose their own path to their own form of salvation. This quote seems to miss that "freedom from" part and is thus lacking.

As they say "God help us", cause its clear that the crazies who all want us to worship like they do are dragging us down the drain.

The above tripe shows how important this basic truth is... a study of comparitive religion is one thing (a good thing), indoctrination and claiming that teaching of science and scientific theory is the same as religious indoctrination is quite another.

"The government" is not just a "group of people" (implying that it is no more than people), it is also an instrument of society as well as subject to the interesting dynamics of groups... that groups really can be/are more (or in some cases less ;-) than the sum of those who make it up. The other key to this quote seems to be the word "usually", for we all know that there are some who are superior within their ranks, as well as many who are inferior... as is the case with all groups (mathmatics of averages & medians asside ;-). So, while the words may be true in some sort of exactness, the sense of the quote still seems to be very off the mark... and when quotes are subject to misinterpretation they get low ratings.

Even those who perp evil upon our world can now and again speak truth, as King George has done here... and we are here to rate the quotes not their source. On a related note, sadly, it seems too many in this age have forgotten that USA is not founded upon Christianity, but rather upon (among other things) a separation of church and state... a freedom both of and from religion. Jesus was indeed a great man, but there have been many such men in history... and in too many cases their followers have perverted their message... as has occured with many who claim the mantle of Christian.

Hard to know what is being said given the lack of context... could be that they only want 1 agent for change every 2000 years, or that they admit that mistakes as big as their persecution of an agent of change is something that is undesirable... either way, it is poorly stated (as presented here).

The sad thing is that so many still believe this way today... prefering to believe in the 7 day creation of the world just a few thousand years ago rather than scientific evidence otherwise... no wonder we are in such trouble!

But the evils of censorship are even greater...

While SOME of the founding "fathers" were religious, THEY saw the truth of the sense of this quote (unlike King George Then and King George Now).

Such concepts as absolute "right" and "wrong" are too nebulous, better to ask how many have been persecuted for the wrong of having disagreed with those currently in power...