Quotable

"Lately, what has been of great concern, in addition to what I've already said, is the merger of...religion and politics. Because I happen to be a Christian and I think my religion teaches me that you should render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's. Thomas Jefferson, one of our Founding Fathers, said that we should build a wall between the church and state. That wall is being deliberately and ostentatiously, not secretly, broken down. So, there has been an increasing merger in this country of fundamentalism on the religious side, fundamentalism on the political side, and the two have come together."

-President Jimmy Carter, On the Dec. 5 "Daily Show"

"We must protect the wall of separation because that wall protects the structure of American democracy and the continued vitality of religion. Our freedom is the envy of the democratic world and those who aspire to it. ... What we are protesting today are those, however good and decent their intentions, who are not satisfied with pursuing their own freedom of conscience and belief; who want others to say their prayers, celebrate their holidays, teach their beliefs in public schools, fund their religious activities... consistent with their values, inconsistent with true religious liberty."

-Abe Foxman, National Director Anti-Defamation League

Dec. 5 speech at Fairfield University

On Sunday, I attend church, like so many other Atlantans. But at one particular service, a guest speaker, David Barton, spoke. Throughout his biased and at times blatantly false presentation, I sat in disbelief.... Barton tries to make the Republican Party sound as though it is the righteous party of America.... There is no righteous political party. They are created and made up of men, not God. This used to be clear to the religious leaders of America, but now they have started to abuse the trust given to them by their followers and the power granted to them by God. They abuse this trust every time they try to persuade their congregation to vote for a specific political party and lead their sheep in believing that it is against God to do anything but.

-Amber Brestle, Kennesaw State University student

Dec. 13 Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Copyright Americans United for Separation of Church and State Jan 2006
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