Religion and the Polis

The public sphere is no place for religion. This is because the soul is exclusively personal and every one decides for themselves how to care for it.  There is no way to make it a corporate enterprise without dishonoring some.  The society ( indeed any collective) has no soul, no morality.   It has a character, but morally it is never more than a mob of individuals.  Its morality must legislated into existence by conscientious individuals and overseen by monitors. 

Reason is shared by individuals across religious and cultural boundaries as are the basic human understandings of justice, fairness, equality, rights, etc.– metaphysical gifts that are unique to humanity but still not quite “religious”, though religions of course are interested in these things as well.  Religious communities mostly don't even pretend to be inclusive.  So in a society that espouses equality there must be no religious influence (except perhaps some principles that are pan-religious like the Golden Rule).  Therefor it is inappropriate for a secular society to talk in terms of religion.  Any time religion of any but a general kind enters public dialog as a source of morality it is contrary to democracy.