Politics and Religious Freedom

"In a democracy that is free and robust, an opinion is no more disqualified for being "religious" than for being atheistic, or psychoanalytic or Marxist. Religion in public is but the public opinion of those citizens who are religious. Religious institutions may understand themselves to be brought into being by God, but for the purposes of this demoncratic polity they are free associations of citizens. As such, they are guaranteed the same access to the public square as are the citizens who comprise them. It matters not at all that their purpose is to advance religion, any more than it matters that other associations would advance the interests of business or labor or radical feminism or animal rights or whatever. "

"...Most Americans recognize, however inarticulately, a sovereignty higher than the sovereignty of "we the people". They believe there is absolute truth but they are not sure that they understand it absolutely; they are, therefore, disinclined to force it upon those who disagree. ... We do not kill one another over our disagreements about the will of God because we believe that it is the will of God that we should not kill one another over our disagreements about the will of God. It is among the truths that we hold. "

- Richard Neuhaus A New Order of Religious Freedom