Senator Barry Goldwater, 1981

There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs.
There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or
God, or Allah, or whatever on calls this supreme being. But like any powerful
weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The
religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their
religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into
following their position 100%. If you disagree with these religious groups on
a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money
or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across
this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must
believein A, B, C, and D. Just who do they think they are? And from where do
they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And i am
even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious
group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll
call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of
the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the
name of conservatism.