Quote Originally Posted by DuncanONeil View Post
But christians seek not inclusion in civil law of anyu of the requirements of the religion.
Which Christians? Not these ones:
http://www.morallaw.org/
http://www.tldm.org/news7/judgeroymo...mmandments.htm
In the Bible the nature of the system to follow changes drastically between the two major sections. In that called the New Testament the nature of God and the mandates to the people is to be kind and helpful to all.
The other major religion in question with regard to laws also has a book divided in two sections. But a major difference is that the vengeful nature of the book actual can be seen to increase rather than ameliorate. So the choice is a benevolent system that does not seek to intrude, or one that essentially DEMANDS that its religious law must apply to all and that law is less than benevolent.
Which would be fine if it was the benevolent system that does not seek to intrude that people were trying to introduce to the law: but they invariably refer to the Old Testament, a document rather less liberal than the Quran (which does intersperse its bigotry with messages of peace and charity, unlike the OT.)

In any case, the whole point of the separation of church and state is to not have to choose which religion will dictate your laws: none of them should.
As I have said before, there are very few differences among the major religions of the world in their basic tenents.
Only to the extent that any code of behaviour for a viable society has to start with such basics as "Don't kill our sort of people," "Don't steal within your own community," and that most popular religious commandment, "RESPECT AUTHORITY." Once you get beyond the self-evident, they go off in all directions. Honour your mother, don't listen to women, be a warrior, turn the other cheek, all men are brothers, high caste is far above low caste, I could go on all day.

It's true that spirituality is much the same whatever religion people reach it by, but spirituality is to religion as good behaviour is to law: one is what people feel from within, which is human nature, the other is the system imposed on them, which is different everywhere.