Who would've guessed that Donald Trump would be the agent of ascendant theocracy in America?
FWIW, here's a common dictionary definition of secularism: "the principle of separation of the state from religious institutions." Is this what Bill Barr finds troubling?
FWIW, here's a common dictionary definition of secularism: "the principle of separation of the state from religious institutions." Is this what Bill Barr finds troubling?
Who knew that Thomas Paine, in 1794, was part of "an unremitting assault on religion & traditional values." books.google.com/books?id=4ktMA…
To folks like Paine and most of the other founders, separation of church and state meant that people were free to believe whatever they'd like in their capacity as private citizens. Secularism is not anti-religious, it's anti-theocracy. 
"Infidelity consists in pretending to believe what he does not believe." Interesting...tell me more about that Bill Barr.
"When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind, as to subscribe his professional belief to things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime."
Paine had great respect for Jesus as a historical figure whose moral teachings about human equality were of tremendous value and significance. Paine honored him as a "virtuous reformer and revolutionist."
"Revelation, when applied to religion, means something communicated immediately from God to man. No one will deny or dispute the power of the Almighty to make such a communication, if he pleases...But it is revelation to the first person only, and *hearsay* to every other."
