James Russell Lowell Quotes
Puritanism, believing itself quick with the seed of religious liberty, laid, without knowing it, the egg of democracy.
Although the Puritans were the first religious group of immigrants who came to America for religious freedom, once the obtained it, they were terribly despotic in trying to force others to adopt their religious views. By seeking religious freedom the planted the seeds of democracy. By denying it to others, they also planted the seed of the First Amendment. Those who insisted upon separation of church and state always cited the Puritans as example one of what can happen with an established church in America.
James Russell Lowell, 1819-1891, U. S. Ambassador to Spain & England, “New England Two Centuries Ago”, My Study Windows, 1871
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Ironically, without the word “wicked” most people would regard the first sentence as a good description of elements of a modern democracy. It illustrates that for the Islamic fundamentalist democracy substitutes the rule of man for the rule of God, freedom of speech allows heresy and blasphemy to to uttered and communicated, and religion which is supposed to inform and direct politics. So what is good for the lover of democracy is the very thing that is bad for Islam. This is not a uniquely Islamic viewpoint. It has been and is held by fundamentalist Christians and Jews as well who would return to Biblical law punishing blasphemy and heresy with death and have religion drive all politics.
The same phrase was used by Count de Montalembert at a Catholic conference in Malines, August 20, 1863, and is sometimes attributed to him.
Note the absolutism of the word unbounded.
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.
James Russell Lowell was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets that rivaled the popularity of British poets. These writers usually used conventional forms and meters in their poetry, making them suitable for families entertaining at their fireside.
