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To: Always Right
I am not sure what you mean by coercion.

Physical force used to obtain compliance. For example, some religious people would outlaw contraception if they could. They would gladly use physical violence to prevent or punish me for buying/selling/using it. The same goes for material they deem obscene. That's what I mean.

Many Libertarians seem to think that freedom to express religious views is coercion.

I certainly don't share that view. Keep in mind that while I am an ardent free speech defender, and that applies equally to religious views, these views cannot be made through government, because this nearly always involves tax money to provide a forum. I see this as a parallel to coming to my door, sticking a gun in my face, and forcing me to pay for speech. This is wholly unacceptable.

As Jefferson wrote: "that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical; that even the forcing him to support this or that teacher of his own religious persuasion, is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to the particular pastor, whose morals he would make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most persuasive to righteousness, and is withdrawing from the ministry those temporary rewards..."

This in no way means that that religion has no public place. Stand on a soapbox on a street corner and proclaim your faith, pay for advertisements of all sorts, etc, These are in the public arena, but aren't paid for by money gotten through the use of force against unwilling sponsors.

Sure I am against the use of government force to impose religion, but government, with the blessing of Libertarians, use the government to surpress individual religious views.

Only government sponsored speech. Speaking of your own accord and with your own money is your unalienable right, and I strongly defend that as much as my own.

45 posted on 01/15/2002 7:43:26 AM PST by freeeee
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To: freeeee
Only government sponsored speech.

Government sponsored speech should not be biased against religion either. Currently only an atheist is free to express his beliefs at a high school graduation ceremony. A religious person is censored.

116 posted on 01/15/2002 8:33:39 AM PST by Always Right
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