When the government puts its imprimatur on a particular religion it conveys a message of exclusion to all those who do not adhere to the favored beliefs. A government cannot be premised on the belief that all persons are created equal when it asserts that God prefers some.

Harry A. Blackmun
About This Quote

In whichever nation a government represents, whether it be an Islamic or secular state, it must be guided by the principle of the rule of law. A government cannot be premised on the belief that all persons are created equal when it asserts that God prefers some. This is the message conveyed by the government to those who do not adhere to the favored belief system. The message is that those who do not share that belief are second-class citizens, citizens without rights.

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