“Every politician, every member of the clerical profession, ought to incur the reasonable suspicion of being an interested supporter of false doctrines, who becomes angry at opposition, and endeavors to cast an odium on free inquiry. Fraud and falsehood only dread examination. Truth invites it.”

"We hold these truths to be self-evident..." You can't be more open to the truth than that...

Appears Mr. Cooper invites us to have an ad hominem view of arguments. Consider the man he says, and it is so true. Look at the men of the cloth we have been considering lately. Preachers say what ever they think will more closely bind their clients (church members) to them either out of love or fear. Whether it is Rev. Wrights racism or Mrs. Palins preachers claim about Alaska being a last refuge state. When questioned about the last refuge claim that he preached to his local Alaskan congregation the preacher soft pedaled that idea to a more national audience. His attitude so fits the above quote. The fluff and bluff game seems to fit the political class and the clerical class equally. When will the sheep (that is us) ever wake up!

yep

The more we have invested in our beliefs, the less interested we are in discovering falsehood. Therefore, we choose politicians and clergy that tell us what we like to hear.

I think most individuals are looking to politicians and preachers to do for them, to be responsible for what to think, and what to do, instead of assuming the responsibility for their actions and what they think. I have just posted an article titled,"the Itch to preach is the Itch to Rule" on my Blog site, Octogenariansblog.com. I invite any-one to click on and read and comment. In the article I point out the analogy between Preachers and Politicians. I really enjoy the Liberty Quotes I receive via the internet. Thank you!! Anne Cleveland Gainesville, Georgia

nice site Anne

Anne, my wife is from Claxton Georgia, went to Lagrange College and was 3rd runnerup in the Miss Georgia contest in 1954.Contact us at kilpeg@austin.rr.com. We would like to exchange visits by email with you.

Some excellent comments here.

The exalted one seems to dread inquiries into his birth status...wonder why?