American Secularism

July 9th, 2004 Chris
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This is an excerpt from Donna Bowman’s review of Susan Jacoby’s new book, Freethinkers: A History Of American Secularism

Organized religion, in one or another of its Catholic, Protestant, and evangelical forms, has opposed just about every advance in freedom and equality Americans have achieved since the country’s founding: an intentionally God-free Constitution, the abolition of slavery, and civil rights for blacks, as well as women’s suffrage, reproductive freedom, and economic equity.

If past leaders hadn’t been hostile to religion, the overwhelming Christian opinion of their times – that God appoints worldly powers, slaves should be obedient to their masters, and women needn’t vote – never would have been challenged.

Food for thought, all ye faithful sheep.

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