Freedom From Religion

So many conflicts among Americans these days come down to religion. It's fine when a concept is universally accepted—for example, we pretty much all agree that murder is wrong and should be against the law. However, there are many issues left up to voters that aren't so black and white—capital punishment, abortion and gay marriage, to name a few.

Unfortunately, most people are not philosophical thinkers, so in many instances, which side of an issue a person takes comes down to his or her religious beliefs—beliefs that they think everyone should share. I find this disturbing, especially in a country that was founded by people who called for separation of church and state and freedom from religious persecution. And it's ironic that the religious right is largely Republican, a group that complains that there's already too much governmental interference and power.

I am a big fan of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a freethought organization that "works to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism, and to promote the constitutional principle of separation between church and state." I wish everyone would really think about these concepts before selfishly casting votes that hurt others.