"Our nation was founded on Christian principles that protect the rights of all people."

This is simply a political propaganda statement to make such a claim. Christianity has no copyright on the 'Golden' rule.

Beliefs are as such: One can weave whatever story they want to have, paint as pretty a picture they would like to show to others, and disregard or delete whatever ugly facts that may have actually taken place in order to justify their established position.

For Christianity has a long, dark, dreary past history of subjugating the rights of others, especially those of the female gender, as well as those that are unable to properly defend themselves. Notably, the burning of witches in Salem, Mass., the condemnation, rape and murder of millions of native Americans Indians labeled as 'heathens' by Christian missionaries and Jesuit priests. Christian priests have long thought they are above natural laws by ignoring their own biological urges. As a result, countless numbers of women & children have been sexually mistreated & abused. Look around you, reports of such incidents are continuously in the news.

To accept any notion as a belief is to close oneself to experiencing the Truth for oneself. Because belief means that which is borrowed from others and accepted as one's own truth. It is an attempt to take a shortcut to reach the Ultimate. It is accepting someone else's ideology as the Truth without actually experiencing the reality of it for oneself. The moment when someone accepts belief, then that individual has stopped looking to experience truth for himself.

"Throughout our history we have never complained about any other religion or belief system and always allowed these other religions to practice in peace."

This is simply not true. For one example, just look at what had taken place at Waco, Texas. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4298137966377572665#
All the military, the FBI, the townspeople, Janet Reno & President Clinton... most, if not all, no doubt these people were upstanding Christians. Look and see it for yourself! - How they chose to see the Branch Davidians as evil people, pointing their fingers at others, and not once ever looking within themselves as the very source of this 'evil' that has blinded their vision.

It is easy to take a belief, mold it, take out the ugly parts and place it as the foundation for whatever agenda one would like to create. It is simply nothing more than a marketing strategy.

I was hoping, RJ, that you would have something to say that was your own, instead of copying and pasting what Tim Turner has said.

Best regards,
turiya