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“The cruel lessons of history, however, demonstrate that religions tend to assert dogmas as truth. When religious orthodoxies have been imposed as the sole basis for truth, the result has been intolerance, persecution, and atrocity. Religious truth is supernatural, accessible through faith; it does not reside in this world. Religion, therefore, must remain in the private sphere of personal belief. For personal liberties to flourish, bonfires of vanities cannot be permitted in public squares in the name of religion.
The stories told in sacred texts, myths, legends, and epic tales should inspire our imaginations; they should not, however, be erected as doctrines that dictate our laws and actions. To quote the Gospel of Matthew: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” We must approach civic discourse in a spirit that, while acknowledging the existence of spirituality, excludes religious dogma from political discourse and collective action. We must also be vigilant about dogmatic secular faiths—from irrational identity politics to political correctness—asserted with quasi-religious fervor. They too inevitably produce a culture of intolerance and persecution.”
― In Truth: A History of Lies from Ancient Rome to Modern America
The stories told in sacred texts, myths, legends, and epic tales should inspire our imaginations; they should not, however, be erected as doctrines that dictate our laws and actions. To quote the Gospel of Matthew: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” We must approach civic discourse in a spirit that, while acknowledging the existence of spirituality, excludes religious dogma from political discourse and collective action. We must also be vigilant about dogmatic secular faiths—from irrational identity politics to political correctness—asserted with quasi-religious fervor. They too inevitably produce a culture of intolerance and persecution.”
― In Truth: A History of Lies from Ancient Rome to Modern America
