Shalom,

As a secular person, I think that the only entity of supreme importance is the human being. I don't care if there is a God or not. I know that in my life, and in all of our lives, there are human beings, animals, flowers and inanimate objects, but there is no God. If people want to believe in a God, then it is their right to be wrong.

I have rights and duties. The religious person has rights and duties as well. We are both equals. We (we the secular, we the religious) have rights for we exist! My rights take no precedence over theirs, and I can't just relinquish my rights in favor of the religious. The reverse is true of the religious person's rights.

I don't expect the dati'im to "give up" any rights, but if they try to force me to do give up my own, then I will resist.

I think (and I purposely don't use the word "believe") that all people, secular as well as religious, can live with equal rights and equal duties.

Sharon