Because of the side of the argument that I take, people tend to make that assumption about me. I sure as heck am not going to tip my hand before there is any lucre in the pot. :o)
Lets clear the water. I like Paine, but I do not take him seriously.
One of my colonial ancestors was a Thomas Paine (1612-1706). He was Robert Treat Paine's great grandfather. I tried to find out if the revolutionary era Thomas Paine was related. As far as I know, there is no connection. Anyway, I've read a lot more about him than by him.
"Common Sense" was like a best seller, but don't ask me to remember the number of copies printed. The number was amazing, considering the size of the population. It had a huge impact on the history of our nation.
Secularist zealotry is just as dangerous as religious zealotry and I oppose them both.
My own special niche seems to find opposition by all! lol
America belongs to all of us.
Sure, but all I want is my own little corner of it. I think that is pretty much what most of us want.
Both those who demand America be a Christian nation
It is a Christian nation, but there is no law that makes it a Christian nation. It is built into it, through the majority of it's people. No piece of paper, no matter how well thought out defines a nation. A nation requires a certain amount of agreement about what is on that piece of paper. Zealots are working hard to change what's on the paper, without bothering to change their fellow citizen's hearts.
The secularists push to change the what's on the paper. They hope that pushing all signs of Christianity out of view will make it lose it's place in the society. The Romans tried it & that was back when we were really outnumbered. To me it seems kinda stupid to ignore the parts of history that you don't like.
The secular push causes the deeply religious to push back. I'm ready to give each side their own corner, so they can have everything they want. My only rule would be that both sides have to leave everyone else alone.
and those who demand America be Godless scare the hell out of me.
They don't scare me. I still have the basic fabric of the country watching my back.
That's where I'm coming from.
I figured as much. You should have started laffing earlier. I was pushing the ridiculous button pretty hard.