God, Family, and the Green Bay Packers

[richard duncan]

Thanks to Jim Maule and Bob O'Brien for their examples of religious
persecution in the 17th Century. Of course, history is replete
with instances of people being persecuted for speaking out (or
believing in) the *wrong* religion. My observation about "religious
harassment" was designed to suggest that in modern America we have
laws (and social customs) that punish or discourage *all* religious
expression in the workplace and other "public" places. Marie had asked
why sportstalk is ubiquitous and Godtalk rare in our culture. I tried
to suggest at least the beginning of an answer. In modern America we
don't burn those considered heretics at the stake; instead,
we marginalize *all religions* and call it "religious neutrality."
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             Rick Duncan (rduncan at unlinfo.unl.edu)

"The only solid hopes for the well-being of my country depend not so
much on her fleets and armies, not so much on the wisdom
of her rulers or the spirit of her people, as on the persuasion
that she still contains many who, in a degenerate age, love
and obey the Gospel of Christ, on the humble trust that the
intercession of these may still be prevalent, that for the sake of
these, Heaven may still look upon us with an eye of favor."
         --William Wilberforce