Wayne wrote:

"Great works have been done in the name of religion."

Dan sort of commented on this aspect but the great works certainly include art of all kinds. The most amazing music, sculpture and painting have been, and still are, done with the inspiration of religion. Secular art is usually far inferior. I'd be very hesitant to ban religions. Of course the fact religion has been recently used to justify an unjustified invasion and destruction of Mesopotamia influences our attitude.

Dan your quotes from Jefferson were interesting. This bit is alarming though:

"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the
people alone."

I understand that the USA has possibly the lowest participation in elections than any other democratic country. Perhaps it is because the following has been made impossible:

"It becomes expedient for promoting the public happiness that
those persons, whom nature has endowed with genius and virtue,
should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and
able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of
their fellow citizens; and that they should be called to that
charge without regard to wealth, birth or other accidental
condition or circumstance."

As Bob Dylan sang, "Money doesn't talk, it swears".