I want religion to be important in our society, just not any one religion.  Given the huge divide that exists in fundamentalists (Protestant or Catholic) and those who are more tolerant - I don't even want to live in a nation in which the Christian faith has power.  Influence, yes.  But not power.  

But maybe religious tolerance is a dream that can't be realized - the American dream of tolerance seemed to work when Christians were the majority and when Christian culture was everywhere - ten commandments in government buildings, every city had Christmas lights and manger scenes in city parks.  The few people of other faiths were easy to "tolerate" because they had to fit into the established Christian ethos.  Shoot, Protestants even came to be tolerant of Catholics so much so that the intolerance has almost disappeared - I have been called a "Papist" in years.

But look around the world.  Religious intolerance has gotten worse.  Is "religious freedom" really possible?  Even here?