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"On a profound moral dilemma like slavery, one might expect people to derive their views from religion," writes professor Mark Smith. While counter examples can be found, the more common pattern over hundreds of years shows the tail wagging the dog: that is, secularism drove religion to abolition. Smith points out that Christian opposition to slavery was no where to be found in the colonies."

"The 10 Commandments did not positively influence the foundation of the United States. America would survive without them. Indeed, it survives in spite of them, because the United States is founded on ideals that are far more important, impressive, and timeless than anything Judeo-Christianity can offer."

"Nation-building must be done through calm, sedate reason...faith did not have a seat at the birth of our constitution; reason reigned."

"The Christian nationalists are arguing that a Christian nation is the basis of religious freedom; that a Christian nation is not only compatible with religious freedom, but a prerequisite.
In truth, religious freedom is not possible in a Christian nation or any other theocracy. The concepts are mutually exclusive. Each destroys the other."

"Open-minded. Is there such a thing? To be open implies spaciousness. Yet our minds are crammed full of self-protecting perspectives. It takes real work to sort through that overstuffed library of our emotions, thoughts, ideas, experiences, & beliefs for a new concept to find space on our mental shelves-particularly one that challenges a beloved viewpoint."

"People who are more likely to question the political status quo are more likely to question religion, and vice versa.

The political unorthodoxy of these men indicates that religion did not play a big role in their lives. If the founders had been Bible-beating believers, they may never have thought to revolt against an empire and declare 'independence.'"

"No. Shall. Ever. Many."
The wall between church and state was built by the founding fathers because they had seen what devastation and oppression could be accomplished by church and state mingled together.

"The opportunity of deep reading, however, is that we can take pause if we need to, we can sit with am idea or someone's experience, without being called on to evaluate it."

"By curating a library of variety in both genre and representation, you enrich the soil of your (students') understanding. Reading closely enhances critical thinking."