A convention of democracy is that government should promote the common good. Citizens' common good is based in their shared civil interests, including security of themselves and their possessions, equal basic liberties, diverse opportunities, and an adequate social minimum. Citizens' civil interests ground what John Rawls calls “the political values of justice and public reason.” These political values determine the political legitimacy of laws and the political constitution, and provide the proper bases for voting, public discussion, and political justification. These political values similarly provide the terms to properly understand the separation of church and state, freedom of conscience, and free exercise of religion. It is not a proper role of government to promote religious doctrines or practices, or to enforce moral requirements of religion. For government to enforce or even endorse the imperatives or ends of religion violates individuals' freedom and equality: it encroaches upon their liberty of conscience and freedom to pursue their conceptions of the good; impairs their equal civic status; and undermines their equal political rights as free and equal citizens.

中文翻译：

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民主，宗教与公共理性

民主惯例是政府应促进共同利益。公民的共同利益基于他们共同的公民利益，包括他们自己和财产的安全，平等的基本自由，多样的机会和适当的社会最低要求。公民的公民利益奠定了约翰·罗尔斯（John Rawls）所说的“正义和公共理性的政治价值”。这些政治价值观决定了法律和政治宪法的政治合法性，并为投票，公开讨论和政治辩护提供了适当的基础。这些政治价值观类似地提供了适当理解教会与国家分离，良心自由和宗教自由的条件。政府在宣扬宗教教义或习俗方面没有适当的作用，或执行宗教的道德要求。政府执行或什至认可宗教的命令性或目的性侵犯了个人的自由和平等：它侵犯了他们的良心自由和追求善良观念的自由；损害其平等的公民身份；破坏了他们与自由平等公民平等的政治权利。