Politics and Religion

I saw something today on Facebook that brought this topic about, so bear with me – its kinda short.  Some politicians and pundits seem to be constantly insinuating that only people who go to church and are Christians are good and only ‘good Christians’ can be ethical or moral.

As a Jeffersonian Constitutionalist and a member of a sizable subset (albeit still a minority) of voters, I am very interested in this topic.

I fully agree with the idea that our government, state and national both, should be held to high ethical standards and conduct themselves with politeness and observe all good manners.  However, I see no need to bring religion into the discussion of government. Socrates, Aristotle and Aesop – among many others –  were promoting and discussing ethics and morality long before any church or religion became involved.

I found some quotes from my main politician, TJ, helpful :

But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.  -Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

I inquire after no man’s religion, and trouble none with mine; nor is it given us in this life to know whether yours or mine, our friends’ or our foes’, is exactly the right. – Thomas Jefferson, letter to Miles King, 1814

And, reluctantly, some books on how damaging religion can be in our politics :
Liars for Jesus
Fighting Words
Idiot America
Over the Cliff
Common Nonsense