Church and state Quote by Thomas Paine

All religions accept that there is something called 'criminality.' And criminality cannot be excused by religious fervour.

— Wole Soyinka

“...the first object of religion next after the suppression of unlawful violence or appropriation should be the suppression of inaccurate statement, and to deny…

— LH Mills

“The tendency in legalistic religion is to mistrust God, to mistrust others, and consequently, to mistrust ourselves.”

— Brennan Manning

Wherever there is a settled society, religion is necessary; the laws cover manifest crimes, and religion covers secret crimes.

— Voltaire

“In all religions, as in all legal systems. people find ways to skirt the rules. We obey the letter of the law without honoring…

— Sy Montgomery

Religion is a strange, wonderful thing. More crimes have been committed in the name of righteousness than any other notion.

— Tom T. Hall

“Underneath all notions of justice is a set of faith assumptions that are essentially religious, and these are often not acknowledged.”

— Timothy Keller

I know of no crime that has not been defended by the church, in one form or other. The church is not a pioneer;…

— Robert Green Ingersoll

Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.

— Thomas Paine

Among all the religious persecutions with which almost every page of modern history is stained, no victim ever suffered but for violation of what…

— Richard Mentor Johnson

“... [E]xperience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of Religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries…

— James Madison

“The crimes of religion pale in comparison to those of secular regimes. This doesn't justify wrongs done in the name of Christianity, but it…

— Scott Klusendorf