In better times the religion of the tribe or state has nothing in common with the private and foreign superstitions or magical rites that savage terror may dictate to the individual.

The restriction of religion to private life therefore does not necessarily threaten the vital interests of the majority religion if there is one and it protects minority religions from tyranny of the majority.

In Lincoln's day a President's religion was a very private affair. There were no public prayer meetings no attempts to woo the Religious Right. Few of Lincoln's countrymen knew anything at all of his religious beliefs.

Things are coming to a pretty pass when religion is allowed to invade private life.

Just in our lifetime our society has become looser and more private it becomes extremely difficult to hold to any permanent commitment whatever least of all to organized religion.

It is very reasonable to worry about the harm done by organized religion and to prefer looser and more private arrangements.

What was a really private and nice relationship was judged and made to be something ugly.

I did learn one great lesson from a past relationship and that was to never talk about relationships in print again because I'd rather live my private life than read about it.

My parents are artists in their world in the world of modern artists you are supposed to just go into your studio and tune everything out and your entire relationship with your work is supposed to be a super private one. That was the way to do it and you weren't deeply truly artistic if that wasn't the way you were engaging the press.

Until we have a better relationship between private performance and the public truth as was demonstrated with Watergate we as the public are absolutely right to remain suspicious contemptuous even of the secrecy and the misinformation which is the digest of our news.

If one could be friendly with women what a pleasure - the relationship so secret and private compared with relations with men. Why not write about it truthfully?

The 'anti-globalisation movement' is the most significant proponent of globalisation - but in the interests of people not concentrations of state-private power.

I am of mixed minds about the issue of privacy. On one hand I understand that information is power and power is well power so keeping your private information to yourself is essential - especially if you are a controversial figure a celebrity or a dissident.

Washington State has a strong tradition of a positive relationship - positive working relationship between labor and management whether in the private sector or the public sector. It needs to continue to be that way.

The job numbers are positive. We've had more jobs created now than were lost during the recession. We're seeing that the creation we're seeing those numbers not only grow but shift toward the private sector and shift toward full-time employment and these are all signs that the recovery is taking some hold but we're not out of woods.

Indeed our particular concept of private property which deters us from exhausting the positive resources of the earth favors pollution.

Would that the simple maxim that honesty is the best policy might be laid to heart that a sense of the true aim of life might elevate the tone of politics and trade till public and private honor become identical.