I am seeking answers.

[hamsterjill]

9. Because they have been preached that for so long that they've forgotten how to think for themselves.

Well, for one thing (because there are many)...

As a Christian myself, I hear this kind of crap from people all the time. "Obama is trying to take away our religious freedoms", etc. That frustrates me, personally, to no end!

I do believe that there is some history of a relationship between the government of the United States of America and Christianity, in general. Like the "In God We Trust" on money, etc.

BUT...the Constitution says exactly what you illustrate. So any relationship has been created more by habit than by law. There is no law making Christianity the national religion.

I truly find when I encounter these types of people that I am dealing with someone who hasn't taken the time to think any of their assertions through. They are merely espousing the same things that they've heard from the pulpit. When questioned, just as you illustrate, they generally can't or won't answer, and storm off in a huff. They cannot fathom the notion that they are denying religious freedom to someone who believes differently than they do.

The fact that they choose not to think for themselves does NOT excuse them, however, in my opinion, because they need to think for themselves, and they are responsible for their own behavior. Hate is still hate, regardless of whether it is camouflaged in scripture.