It goes both ways

Before I start this rant, let me be perfectly clear: I am not attacking, condoning, siding with any belief structure. I think they all have their positive points and their darker sides. With that being said, I saw a news article today that made me wonder about the so called religious freedom we claim to have. The story talked about a woman that heads a group that claims it wants to help Muslims leave Islam. Here is the link: http /www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/26/national/main6522407.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;morenews

"Pamela Geller, who leads an organization called Stop Islamization of America, said the ads were meant to help provide resources for Muslims who are fearful of leaving the faith.”
What??? I’m a wee bit confused. I thought this was a country free from religious totalitarianism, where you are free to believe, or not believe,whatever you want without any type of persecution. Where, you don't have to worry, about having someone shove their belief down your throat. I thought that was the country I lived in, maybe I was wrong. I never could ever understand the need for people to wear their religion on their sleeve. And why is it always the so-called Christian faith that has a problem with this? Why do they feel they have to make a public display of their faith? Doesn’t the Bible preach against this?

(NOW HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD as recorded in Matthew 6:5-13:
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.)

It seems to me like all of the grandstanding and bible thumping that I see is in direct conflict with what was written. How I read it, your actions should announce your faith, not your words. I see too many people announcing “I am a Christian” according to the Bible, you shouldn’t have to do that. But then again, you can’t effect political change unless you are vocal. Isn’t that what this is all about? Using your faith, to move politics in your direction, to me is a slippery slope. How far do we go? Whose rights do we trample on in the process? How far do we go in order to considered moral and righteous? And who decides who makes the cut? These are questions that I don’t think we are really considering. Like I said before, I'm not out to attack Christianity, but it’s the only one that I see actively trying to mold our culture in a image that it wants. And what really scares me is when we wrap our beliefs in perverted  mixture of patriot fervor, and religious certainty. When you put those two factors together, you have the making of some of the worst atrocities in human history.
Do we really want a Christian Theocracy? Do we truly want religion ruling every aspect of our daily lives? For some, that would be a utopia. And if that makes them happy, great, more power to them.  History has shown that mixing religion and politics never works well. I think Thomas Jefferson described it best

"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes." --Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, 1813. ME 14:21
Let’s get real OK? The very ones that are screaming for religious freedom are the very same ones who are intolerant of any other faith. They want their faith to be protected and revered, but at the same time, fight to silence others. You can’t have it both ways’ freedom for one means freedom for all. I don’t think this is something the religious right truly understand, and that’s what’s really sad.  You see, I don’t believe that Mrs. Geller has a nefarious intent behind her actions. I truly believe that she thinks she is doing the right think. And who knows, maybe she will win some over. But here is my question, how would she react to a billboard advertising help to anyone wishing to leave Christianity?