Amos "In matters of civic discourse and policy, one's religious impressions should have no weight or play. Understanding this is, in my humble opinion, a key civic responsibility"

But you know that's impossible! We are all informed by our beliefs whether we are religous or atheist, and of course in any debate or act of law making, it is impossible for us to go against our own selves (unless of course we are bribed or threatened). We would be denying our own selves.


"**That's why we have laws against murder, thievery, rape, etc. People's religious convictions drove them to vote for such laws**

I doubt it. The concern that informs such laws is an inherent sense of justice and ethics. Occasionally these sensibilities find their way into religious codes, but that is not their origin."

The first obvious question here is 'why do we have an inherent sense of justice and ethics?'