The Mind of Alan

[ Alan's note: I'll go one step further...if you cannot use religion in making laws, what is the atheistic way to establish absolute moral principles? What atheistic moral principle requires a 65MPH speed limit? What atheistic moral principle requires we pay for welfare? What atheistic moral principle rejects prostitution as a valid occupation?

I'm not saying that I can't give arguments why each of those are legitimate government concerns, but without God morals are relative, not absolute -- and how can absolute laws be based on a foundation of sand? Ultimately an atheist's source for absolute moral principles is himself/herself -- and I'd much rather trust God for those :-)

Ultimately I feel that a political opinion I have based on my religious beliefs is just as valid as one an atheist holds without any spiritual basis (and visa versa). However, I see just the opposite argued -- if I have even the smallest spiritual reasoning in the foundation of a view, that's somehow forcing my religion on someone else and thus is (absolutely) illegitimate.

In circumstances like that I believe the religion (and morals) of atheists are forced on me... ]