One point the writer of the article made is that one reason (perhaps the primary one?) that the rhetoric gets so heated nowadays is because of the public stance taken by our US government. I suspect that if, as Guest 8:38 implies, our government today were "profoundly secular" instead of being 'Christian' - and worse, not the kind of Christian secular people can respect - the religous right would be agitating in the same way and louder.

I think, in other words, if our government made a point of dismissing all religious input and was contemptuous of 'believers' there would be an uproar greater than there is today.

If our government, on the other hand, were balanced as I think it has been in the past, i.e., some government officials articulated religious beliefs and others made a point of telling us that their private beliefs were just that - private - I don't think it would become an issue.

Interesting comment about the Episcopals. Since January I have been the part time secretary of a local Episcopal church. Since I'm not a 'churched' person I haven't attended a church other than to hear some friends of mine sng (Think KT!)in a good 40 years or more. I found it surprising to learn that the Episcopals make a point of admitting they don't have the snswers and indeed distrust easy answers. In fact, I have heard the rector aver something and then add, But that's heresy so I'm not supposed to say that.