From http://libertymagazine.org/article/the-hope-of-peaceful-coexistence
Quote:
There are three crucial implications of Williams’ thinking: 1. All civil governments, authorized to implement the law by means of physical force, ought to be prevented from using force to instruct or punish conscience, thus ensuring freedom of conscience or religious freedom, which come to the same thing. 2. Governments that ensure religious freedom encourage peace; those that do not encourage violence. 3. Governments best designed to protect religious freedom also protect other basic rights within the framework of constitutional democracy.

How do the thoughts of "Roger Williams, founder in 1636 of the Rhode Island colony and himself an early apostle of religious freedom" compare with our thoughts of God's kingdom?

1. Does God implement His law by means of physical force to instruct or punish conscience? Thus meaning, we do not really have freedom of conscience or religious freedom?

2. Does such failure to have freedom of conscience lead to violence as history of “Christ’s wars” (site's next article) so show?

3. Does how we view God on these matters also infringe on other basic rights within the framework of constitutional democracy?