I have been watching this thread with increasing interest, at this point I simply have to speak up.

. While it is important to keep history in mind, that does not always make it relevant to modern priorities. There is no Spanish Inquisition right now. There are no clergy burning people anymore in America.

This is very true Tom, but I feel it important to add this; There are a substantial number of citizens of this country who would like nothing better than to return to that sort of society. Like Mary Anne, we have more than our share of ‘frothing-at-the-mouth-witness-to-the unsaved-till-their-ears-bleed fundies here. I have been accosted one more than one occasion by them. They leave me be now, except as an example of someone doomed to the very innermost depths of hell.1

As for the last part of your post, again, where the hell do you live that people do this stuff? Someone threatened your kids if they didn't convert? Anywhere I've EVER lived, this would have gotten some local religious nuts some serious bruises if not broken bones. Of course, like I said, I've never lived anywhere that has the concentration of religious nuts you seem to have. Are these Mennonites? Some other odd local sect? You are the only person I've ever heard of that seems to dwell in some Puritan time warp.
I can understand given your situation why you might have a low threshold of nerves concerning religion. But for most of the country, it isn't the largest threat to our liberties, either inside the country or out.

I think you miss a point Mary Anne is trying to make, and one I have slowly come to agree with. A great deal of Right’s base is made up of people who have deep religious convictions, and think that they have the mandate from the High Holy to force their views and beliefs on the rest of us. They have begun a slow insidious infiltration of the political system via starting at the local level and working their way up, usually on local school boards. Remember all the fights about Creationism vs Evolution being taught in schools? The almost monthly legal battles about prayer in school? On the coasts this may not be as evident. But, the view from the middle of the country is much different. Those of us who reside in the ‘vast wastelands’ that you fly over while traveling between the coasts are finding the struggle more and more difficult to live, believe or not and teach our children and grandchildren secular and religious beliefs that we hold true.
Religious fanaticism is far from gone in Human society, and I include all sects Christains have slaughtered their share, as have Muslim, Hindu and any number of others. It cycles, sooner or later we'll have another wave of 'Christians' who will dust off the Inquisitors's Robe and get back to the business of 'coverting the heritics'.

When one of them began actually physically pushing me toward a church bus I balked and asked him if he believed in God and and Afterlife. Shocked he stopped and stared at me before shouting he most certainly did. I informed him if he did not remove his hands from me immediately I was going to insure he would meet God a lot sooner than he thought. They leave me alone now, except to use me as a subject for preaching about the unholy stubborn sinner.