As an atheist I spent some years reading philosophy to gain an understanding of the secular foundations of ethics, and reached an understanding that satisfied me. (for those interested, see http://www.atheistnexus.org/pr... ). Then I heard a Christian declare that the Absolute Truth about ethics was the teachings of Jesus. So I asked "What DOES Jesus teach about ethics?" I went through the…

In his, "A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America" [1787-1788], 

John Adams wrote: 

"The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature; and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history. Although the detail of the formation of the American…