Government both oppresses religion– whatever religion is not currently the accepted one. Hence our Bill of Rights. A quick look at the Middle Ages (or even the current state of affairs in the Middle East) would be most instructive. At each of these points in time there are accepted religions and unacceptable religions. King James, I believe, created the Anglican church because he didn’t want to be beholden to the Pope. And all of England had to be Anglican. The Roman Catholic church is notorious for the same kind of folly– mixing government and religion.

And that is the problem. Whenever religion is mandated, all others are persecuted. However, the basis of this country founded on Christianity and freedom of conscience means that you’re free to be hedonistic and I’m free to be Christian and the government will not (or should not) interfere with our right to believe whatever we choose. And that is the Christian principle.

The problem that I see most of the times when I come to this discussion (and you’re exhibiting the same logical fallacy) is equating the teaching with the practice. Jesus said that His kingdom was not of this world and that salvation is a free choice, not something to be coerced or forced into. This is exactly the opposite of the crusades. True Christians died for their faith– they did not hold high office and kill people who disagreed.

And lastly, if you believe Jesus and what He taught He taught that He was the Son of God, sent to die for the sins of the world, and that He rose again from the dead. He taught that He created the world, etc. That flies in the face of your former statements.

“The tendency of all government… is to oppress religion”? Where did you come up with that one?

Factions throughout Europe before the Age of Enlightenment (not Darwin’s time as we have established) razed and battled and killed. These factions had religious overtones.

Religion is something to be feared.

But, he’s a nugget for you. I believe in Jesus and what he taught. Jesus is just like Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr., men who were oppressed and fought back with the only means at hand, peace.

I never said Darwin was a part of the age of enlightenment. Thomas Jefferson was. It was a time when western intellectuals realized that the formation of a stable nation must not have religion in any part of its architecture. We’d be like Iran if the founding fathers didn’t remove themselves from religious zealots.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment

Saying “there is no god or God” changes reality as much as me saying “there is no Michael.” You are there, and so is He. And the important thing to know is that He died in our place for the wrong things that we have done.

It’s in the historical record, there’s mountains of evidence. You are certainly welcome to believe what you will, but you should at least look into it before categorically rejecting it.

Oh, and by the way, before you go using date discrimination you should know that Darwin was alive February 12, 1809 – April 19, 1882– not so far removed from the 18th century you vilify.

People are dying and going to Hell today and we have the answer. What are we doing with it?

That is an awful thought. You are hideious.

Anna