I guess you really have to put yourself in each's shoes on order to appreciate their respective positions.

What is sad is when religion is used to justify the actions of a political establishment, and so far I haven't seen any political establishment that acts how God (no matter what name is used for Him) expects the human race to be.

In my lifetime I've seen political establishments claiming to represent every major religion against each other - and oftentimes against sub-groups within that religion. What's worse is that heinous actions - and they all are guilty of some - are done in His name as if the killing, mailing, imprisonment, eviction or subrogation of any human being or group(s) of human beings is a divine calling. What is ironic is that the significant documents of every major religion promote peace, tolerance and brotherhood - and to this day the reactionaries within every major religion find some way to whipsaw bigotry, fear and hatred against others based on distorted interpretations of the printed word.

The Founding Fathers of the United States were wise beyond their years. They learned from personal experience how a state religion can be used as a bullwhip, and made sure their new country would not find itself caught in the same state-religion web that has strangled Europe, Asia and now is starting to do the same in Africa.

How very lucky (blessed?) we are to be in this land where we have to put up with our neighbor in spite of our differences and live under the rule of law which directs we settle disputes and differences in court. That blindfold on Lady Justice signifies that no one is seen as special before the law, and that equality is what is supposed to exist before her.

I sure hope that someday our youth won't have to fight on foreign turf that's bloodied mainly due to religious intolerance. Do you think any of us will live that long?