You can't write about the past and ignore religion. It was such a fundamental mind-shaping driving force for pre-modern societies. I'm very interested in what religion does to us - its capacity to create love and empathy or hatred and violence.

We must not enable anyone to impose his personal view regarding religion on others by force oppression or pressure.

I don't believe there's any inherent darkness at the center of religion at all. I think religion actually is a morally neutral force.

The American way was for commerce personal relationships and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.

I grew up with the religion of 'Star Wars ' frankly. That's when I realized there is something bigger out there... and it's called The Force.

We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host it has been a major force in shaping England into such a tolerant society.

I was 21 in 1968 so I'm as much a child of the '60s as is possible to be. In those years the subject of religion had really almost disappeared the idea that religion was going to be a major force in the life of our societies in the West anyway would have seemed absurd in 1968.

What is especially important is addressing the question of how religion can be enforced through political means and what can be done to create a political environment that on the one hand acknowledges the role of religion in society while on the other hand does not impose one religion on the populace at the expense of all others.

The major civilizing force in the world is not religion it is sex.

After all enforced national bilingualism in this country isn't mere policy. It has attained the status of a religion. It's a dogma which one is supposed to accept without question.