George Washington Quotes
It is our boast, that a man's religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws.
Washington, George. "From George Washington to the Members of the New Church in Baltimore, 27 January 1793." The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 12, 16 January 1793–31 May 1793, edited by Christine Sternberg Patrick, University of Virginia Press, 2005, pp. 56-57.
In 1858 the Catholic Church virtually controlled much of the Mexican state, owned much of the land, and was opposed to all notions of separation of church and state. At that time in the “War of Reform” vast changes began abolishing ecclesiastical courts, barring church land ownership, and eventually prohibiting churches from running schools and clerics from criticizing the government.
Abdul Rahman, Afghan citizen, had converted from Islam to Christianity 16 years before. Conversion from Islam is a capital crime under Sharia Law which was the law of Afghanistan even after the Taliban had been overthrown. He was jailed and threatened with death. Statements like this and others made directly to the government persuaded the Afghan politicians to go against their mullahs who demanded the death penalty as is proscribed by Islamic Law—Sharia. The judges tried to get Rahman to recant and he would not (see {589518}). So they finally decided that he must be mentally insane and therefore could not be tried, and the problem was solved that way.
Williams was the first theologian who not only advocated religious toleration but argued that Christianity demanded it and the separation of church and state.
George Washington was the first President of the United States (1789-97), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the current United States Constitution and during his lifetime was called the "father of his country".
