We have received feedback on this issue from people all across America. Review the graph to the left for a quick snapshot of the responses received to date, or read the responses below.

... apply to the way we conduct our lives. ...

January 28,2004

I think that when we invoke the word "God" in things we've said and mottos by which we live, we ultimately are referring to "we."

Try to replace "God" by "we" in each of these phrases, and it will make more sense that these are words and mottos that we think should apply to the way we conduct our lives.

... meaningless. ...

January 28,2004

Without freedom FROM religion as an option, freedom OF religion is meaningless.

... LIFE REVOLVED AROUND ...

January 28,2004

My church is not the focus of my life . Its gog who is my focus. and let me state this first , with all this debate over religion and church and state and those who dont want to aknowlege GOD........ who or what name is always invoked just before you crash into that car head on ! or just before that thug pulls the trigger of the gun that you have been looking down the barrel of. what do you say when you see some tragic sceen that you cant believe your eyes you just saw ? does any of this sound familure ? is it oh Darewin please help me ! or oh alla please no ! or oh faithful trees forgive me ! there are no unbelievers just before death.
Man rebukes the Bible because it teaches absolutes.
we want to believe that we are in control. look back at the ages for eons ALL MEN FROM THE BEGAINING OF TIME HAVE ALL BELIEVED IN GOD OR GODS IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF THEY WERE PAGAN OR NOT ALL LIFE REVOLVED AROUND THEIR GOD !!!!!!!!

... only a small role ...

January 28,2004

At no point in my life has religion ever played a large role in my daily life, only a small role. I do not currently make any decisions based on my religious faith and I never have made any of my decisons because of a church even in the past when I have belonged to one.

... society so free ...

January 28,2004

" In God we trust." That statement is found on the penny, the smallest denomonation of American wealth. It is by no means a myth that a vast majority in America has some sort of strong religious belief. Our forfathers moved to this country specifically for religeous freedom. Our country was founded on the base of religion.
At the same time we live in the most free society that has ever existed in human history. A society so free that it is even accepted that what is known to be the clear majority can be allowed to speak its mind and bend the will and intent of the obvious majority. It is almost a selfish that the opinion of 1 mans voice can all but dictate against what poles show 84% of America believes in. No one, especially not our government has ever dictated or forced anyone to do anything they did not believe in, yet this small majority is attempting to dictate to the rest of the country that we can not engage in what we already believe in.
I challenge anyone out there. What we have done has worked for the first 200+ years of our countries existence. Why do they feel it is so wrong and needs to be changed now?

... found the truth ...

January 28,2004

I live as much as I can according to God"s love message to all mankind (the BIBLE)as it is to be THE Guidebook for all< whether Jew or Muslim or Buddhist or Taoist< for in it is found the truth above all other belief systems<

... irrational. ...

January 28,2004

God-beliefs are irrational.

... based on ethics ...

January 28,2004

I make most of my decisions based on ethics or moral principles and by treating people reasonably and compassionately. Religion today is promoting bigotry of other peoples belief system.Around the world people are killing each other because they cannot agree on how they were created.Our Constitution started by saying"We the people" not We the Pope or "We the King or We the Christians.That is what has made our country great by being tolerate of all beliefs.Separation of church and state is absolutely essential for feedom for both to flurish.

... not in blank we trust ...

January 28,2004

God & Country, not Church & Country. In God We Trust, not in blank we trust. God is defined differently in the minds of many people. What harm is there in God (however He may be defined individually) being expressed in our culture? Why are we afraid of God?, afraid of "A" church, yes.

... We hate to do the right thing ...

January 28,2004

The only reason I am not "strongly agreeing" with the above statement is because I do not think of myself as "religious" as religion is only laws and bylaws that people place upon themselves to attempt to "perfect" themselves. We are all sinners. We hate to do the right thing. We want to live our lives the way we see fit. This is Not the life Christ has in store for us. But since we are only creatures of habit, and we can never be perfect, I do not like the label of "Religion", but rather that as "Christ Follower". I admit it, and I am willing to shout it from the mountaintops! I AM a Jesus FREAK! I LOVE Him!! He loves Me!!! I base my life on Him and His teaching. If you believe what Jesus says is true, then you MUST believe He is the Savior, the One & the Only! It is only my place of worship that gives me the scripture in a manner in which I can understand it and apply it to my life. It is not the place of worship that I follow, but the teachings of God and of Christ. You can take the person from the building, but you cannot take the faith from the person. If you believe that Jesus is the Savior and He is the Almighty creator and judge of the earth (Satan, the king of the earth - hence the trouble we experience on a regular basis), why would you not base your decisions based on Jesus' teaching?

... does not negate ...

January 28,2004

Religion plays a major role in my decisions. Most people hide the subjectivity of their lives behind buzz words and axioms. These truisms, when exposed for what they are,function as another form of a faith based system.Life, in its totality,is not presented to us in a concrete and mechanical form in which our experiences are isoluble and predictable. God Transcends the language we use to telescope his/her greatness but, at the same time, does not negate his presence in our internal /external community. We must continue to strive as a culture to express our appreciation.

... pillar of TRUTH ...

January 28,2004

Jesus & the Bible is the foundation for faith, church, school, judical system, goverment and our american way of life.It is our heritage.And our heritage is OUR HIS-TORY.It is our pillar of TRUTH.And my life.

... entrusting my fate ...

January 28,2004

I accept responsibility for myself. Morality is a human trait that is independent of any belief in any fantastic unsustainable myth about the organization of matter and energy in the universe, and I am far more comfortable entrusting my fate to leaders whose behavior is controlled by who they intrinsically are than to those whose actions are determined by some self-defined bargain with some dubious deity that rewards them with heaven (or paradise and 70 virgins) for doing what they otherwise can find no justification for.

... I would be ignoring ...

January 28,2004

If I agreed with this I would be ignoring the whole age of enlightenment, when western civilization threw off the yoke of religion.

... does not base ...

January 28,2004

From and long time to go religion is the biggest division of human race. As a human being, I have moral, but it does not base upon religious faith whatsoever.

... How long will we languish ...

January 28,2004

In my opinion as a Bahai, I know that God has destined for America the honor of leading the world spiritually.However, knowing that the spiritual body of America is suffering from diverse maladies, healing will only come when it turns to the Divine Physician. How long will we languish? How long will we turn to unqualified doctors?

... Reading the text ...

January 28,2004

I view the religious debate as an evolutionary event in our fragile democracy. Reading the text, and between the lines of current political statements, I see the United States as moving towards a fundamentalist Christian nation and sharpening the conflict with Islamic nations.

... oppress other religions ...

January 28,2004

Religion is no longer popular in Europe. The numbers of Atheists there are increasing.
Europeans have learned, through their experiences in World War II, that religion can play a significant role in government, and not always for the best interest of the people. In Fact we have seen the Pople apologize to the Jews for their significant role in the holocaust.
We recently supposedly just liberated Afghanistan from a society repressed by religion. It is frightening to see inkling of that type of religious oppression, being promulgated by the Evangelical and fundamental christians in this country.
Many of our founding ancestors arrived at these shores, to flee religious oppression. Only to oppress other religions.
It is time to educate ourselves, a secular society is the only way to end religious wars, religious persecution and religious bigotry.

... virtue is its own reward ...

January 28,2004

I am free from religion, i.e., I do *not* believe in the supernatural, but I do believe that virtue is its own reward. I look to science for explanations and conclusions about our universe, as well as our own humble little planet.

... be in constant prayer ...

January 28,2004

I strive to follow in His steps....
I couldn't do it without HIS guidance. Mother Teresa was a wonderful role model. She saw Christ's face in every face. She was God's love in action...We need to be in constant prayer for His direction...