The Roots of Political Freedom

Political freedom requires valuing each person's life and happiness on this earth as an end in itself -- not merely as a means to secure some unknown afterlife.

Political freedom requires respect for the authority of each person's rational judgment -- not deference to the supposed commands of God and his earthly representatives.

Political freedom requires justice in dealings with others -- not conformity to arbitrary rules and commands of scripture.

Political freedom requires people to make their own way in the world by their own efforts -- not dependence on favors granted by God for abject pleading.

Political freedom requires regarding other people as innocent until proven guilty -- not as sinful by nature.

Political freedom requires taking life on this earth seriously -- not regarding it as a trial run for the next life.

Religion cannot be a foundation for political freedom. If mankind were a mass of wretched, sinful, unworthy servants seeking the bliss of the afterlife, with almighty God presiding over them as absolute lord, then religious dictatorship would be the only proper political system. Thankfully, that's not the case.

So if you think that freedom is a Christian value, think again.