Freedom Versus Liberty in a Democracy

I am beginning to think that a nation, such as ours, with a mixture of peoples from other national backgrounds, other values, other dreams, and especially other religions cannot succeed as democracies. In fact, just the growing blanket of human beings over the face of the earth begins to smother any possibility of successful governance by humans from now into the future.

Religions, and other forms of belief cannot find common ground, because they are the most important aspects of what makes human beings human, and they, therefore, cannot mix except on some values attributable to all of us. Established religion with its belief in a god or gods is probably the most motivating value of all. It is also the least malleable to force or change.

Those of us nonbelievers, who are called by various titles, such as atheists, heathens, God-haters, and other unsavory names, on the other hand, have values of our own, many, with the exception of the belief in a god, similar to many of those who are devout worshipers.

Religion and philosophy are too important to human beings to be governed, one over the others, in a mixed society where leaders can be chosen on the basis of religion sheerly by the numbers of one group over another. In a democracy, therefore, religion just cannot have a role in government anymore than can atheism.

As a result of a president who has used religion in the most venal manner to accomplish his designs, we have become, not a democracy, but a continent full of people who cannot and will not accept the beliefs of others. Rather than voting for conversion or exclusion, the votes of those who have done well, would do better by directing our votes toward the needs of those who have not.