E Archer, I never have heard Bush or any of his followers say anything like "bomb the unbelievers because they don't believe in 'the book' and that makes them bad". Where has religion even come into the picture? (Besides the fact that the terrorists all just happen to be Muslim). Bush never has claimed to be fighting this war in the name of God or Christianity that I've ever heard.

The purpose of government is to protect the lives and rights of it's citizens. It does so by enforcing laws and punishing law-breakers and by providing a national defense. The root of our laws is the Judeo-Christian moral law, so in a sense the government cannot be divorced from religion. I don't agree with a theocracy or that we should have a State sponsored religion. Religion in government schools? Why is the government involved with education in the first place? I believe our Constitutional Republic is the best form of government going, but our government operates so far outside it's Constitutional boundaries and has for so long, we have no concept of what a true Constitutional government looks like.

Marxism is the religion of the Left.

Nuff said.

He must not have known what he meant, but I guess you do Reston. Amazing.

Reston, why don't you enlighten us on what the Founders meant by "well regulated Militia". The "right of the people ... SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" seems like a pretty clear justification for a lack of regulation to me.

That quote scares me a lot more than any weapon.

What kind of mentality? Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot come to mind. I'm certainly no Bush apologist, but when you hear the left using the "H" word (Hitler) when talking about Bush, I just think ... I don't recall any Waco or Ruby Ridge or Elian Gonzales events during Bush's terms.

Right on Sheree!

Great quote. Gale, I'll just be polite and say I'm glad you're not in charge. You need to read Orwell's "1984" so you can see where your line of thinking leads.

The definition of where our country is today. I had hoped the "conservative" Republican party being in control would help our nation get back on track, but it hasn't happened. Unconstitutional and extraconstitutional laws continue to pour through the legislature unabated. I think now that the earlier stalemate was better. At least that slowed the growth of the federal government a little. The effect of these "voluminous" laws as Madison stated above is that people start getting in the habit of ignoring the laws which promotes anarchy. Then no laws are considered binding.

For Robert and Anonymous ... "I do believe that where there is a choice only between cowardice and violence I would advise violence." Mohandas Gandhi "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." Jesus in Luke 22:36 “If indeed all men were Christians, and every nominal Christian was led by the spirit of Christ, there would be absolutely no need of the sword; for there would be nothing but justice, truth, and love in the world. But reason dictates, that, so long as the wicked shall use the sword in support of vice, the righteous, who are in power, must use it in defense of virtue.” From a sermon, “The Bible and The Sword” by John Fletcher, London, 1776.

If people like Anon in Reston had their way, the government would have total control over the populace, and we would be defenseless to fight tyranny.

Socialists/Communists fear guns.

You don't take away the rights of law-abiding citizens because criminals commit crimes. Besides, criminals, by definition, don't obey laws ... that includes gun control laws.

"When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it." ... and I guess these all-wise, all-knowing politicians are just the ones to limit it. That is such elitist crap, it makes me want to puke. The politicians are the ones abusing personal freedom by stealing it from the people.

If only that were still so.

Timeless words ... strange how those same words seem timely today. I wonder why it is that the fight for liberty must continually be waged.

The Civil War was not fought to end slavery. Lincoln's stated purpose was to preserve the Union and thereby maintain the control of the Southern states by the federal government. The slavery issue was brought up late into the war to bolster waning support of the Union cause. Lincoln was attempting to take the moral high ground so to speak. We have Lincoln and the Union victory to thank for the massive federal government we have today along with the abolition of state's rights.

Another point ... we have a choice in accepting the edicts of the church unless we live in a Theocracy (which we don't). Government has power to imprison us or kill us if we don't follow their edicts. What can the church do to you if you choose not to follow them?

Joe in Rochester, The church does not take away your freedom. Every man is free to choose to follow Christ or to reject Him. Christ says He came to set men free, but yes, we then have to live by His rules ... WOW ... freedom with rules to follow ... what a novel concept. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

I don't think Theophilus figured on the quality of the "fellow-citizens" our public schools would be putting out 200 years later.

This negates about 90% of the laws we have on the books and pretty much all of the gun control laws.

Very well said.

"There is nothing noble about killing people, or threatening to kill people. which is all hand guns are for." -- Jack Stanley, Green, OH. Jack, that is a very shallow-minded statement. There are evil people in the world. Good people need a means to protect themselves from evil people. Handguns are used all the time to SAVE innocent lives ... and not just by the police. There is nothing noble about me or my family dying at the hands of a criminal. I value life, but does that mean I should value the life of a criminal so much that I refuse to protect my life or the life of my family when threatened with violence?