Would there be religious wars in the US if we weren't under secular rule?

Answer 1

Hard to say, but I'm sure I would prefer not to live in a theocracy.
Theocracies tend to rule by religious decrees, that are often irrational and detrimental to the people. Because there are no democratic institution in which to register dissent, the discontented are more likely to resort to violence to try to get their way. So terrorism, riots and political violence would certainly be more prevalent.

Answer 2

Not inevitably, but there would be a major risk of religious conflict, up to and including war.

Given the language now seen used, for example:
"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist. " --Pat Robertson. 1-14-1991

"I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good...Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a Biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism."--Randall Terry, 8-16-93

(Yes, they're not typical, but it doesn't take a consensus to start a war.)

And belief is largely down to geography. If the federal authority goes one way, some states could go another. And that's been seen before!
Have a look at the maps:
1)by church
2)by percentage of adherents in overall population
3)source page.

Answer 3

There would be no wars anywhere on earth if all governments were not under Satan's rule...
1 John 5:19: "We know we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the [power of the] wicked one."

Isaiah 2:4: "And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore."

Daniel 2:44: " And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite;"

So look forward to the coming of that Kingdom, which the foundation is being laid already.

Jesus taught us to pray for it...

Matthew 6:9 & 10: "“YOU must pray, then, this way:

“‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. 10 Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth."

Revelation 11:18: " But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time for the dead to be judged, and to give [their] reward to your slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.”

Answer 4

Probably -- there are religious wars going on in the US right now, but so far they're just wars of words and politics. If there was one religion that was "government sanctioned" (we're close to that now, closer than we've been in a long time, but fingers crossed that we can throw the hypocritical god crowd out in 2008), all those who belonged to religions that were not the government-sanctioned one would be awfully angry, and would almost surely take their fight to the streets at some point.

All over silly make-believe fairy-tale "gods" that don't exist in reality. All over silly doctrinal differences between sects of the same religion, not just different religions. People cling to their particular religion, which they feel guarantees them a ticket to heaven -- and get awfully angry when they think somebody else is cancelling that ticket :(

Answer 5

R T
It seems there have been wars over different religions the entire history of the world,Look at Cain and Abel
Cains smoke went downwards and Abels went up to God . Cain figured if Abels not around maybe his smoke would rise . it all seems to stem from the :my god is better than yours" train of thought . Personally if you have a religion , follow it peaceably, and leave others alone. But than you have people who believe only their god should exist so they try to subjugate other religions by war , Can't we just get along , we would be able to take care of each other and make the world all fuzzy and comfy

Answer 6

I'm sure there are folks out there who would love to control everyone else's religious beliefs and practices, and who would take advantage of a non-secular rule in order to impose those beliefs on others.

To some extent, they already are. The so-called "Defense of Marriage Acts" and bans on gay marriage are based on religious bigotry, not legal standings. That there are members of clergy of specific religious beliefs who are not able to present opening invocations at civil meetings is another. That some members of the military are unable to have the symbol of their faith placed on their grave marker in military cemeteries because the VA doesn't allow their symbol is another example.

Answer 7

I think religion maybe the cause of wars to begin w/...as far as secular rule in the US...you've got a fundamental baptist in charge atm so I don't see where the leadership is secular atm...

Answer 8

Possibly, but I think we would end up with a very oppressive christian theocracy. When one looks at the history of christians being in control, it's not a pretty picture.

The commandment to "Love they neighbor as thyself" never really caught on with most of them. We see that right here; proclaiming godly love and oozing hatred at the same time. It's sickening.

In the respect, I don't think "The Handmaiden's Tale" is very far away from being an accurate portrayal.

Answer 9

Yes, and it has always been this way. John Adams (second President of the United States) knew that only the rule of law protected people from the violence of conservative religious beliefs:

•"Oh! Lord! Do you think a Protestant Popedom is annihilated in America? Do you recollect, or have you ever attended to the ecclesiastical Strifes in Maryland Pennsilvania, New York, and every part of New England? What a mercy it is that these People cannot whip and crop, and pillory and roast, as yet in the U.S.! If they could they would.

It was for this reason that religion, and Christianity in particular, is purposefully excluded from have any role in the governing of the country and public life. There is not a single reference to God, Jesus, or Christianity anywhere in the US Constitution.

This was further clarified in1797 by the young US Congress:

•“As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion”

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/barbary/bar1796t.htm


and by James Madison

•Christianity neither is, nor ever was apart of the common law.

•The establishment of the chaplainship to Cong[res]s is a palpable violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles: The tenets of the chaplains elected [by the majority] shut the door of worship agst the members whose creeds & consciences forbid a participation in that of the majority.”


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Pedestal4...

I agree that there are those today who wish America and Americans harm:

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 Invoking God’s Thunder: On the Reverend Jerry Falwell
 by William F. Buckley, Jr., September 18, 2001

What Jerry Falwell said on the 700 Club program was that the sins of the nation incurred the wrath of God. Pat Robertson agreed. After a day or two of pretty general clamor, including a disavowal by President Bush, the language was slightly changed. What happened, Falwell elucidated, was not a direct aggression engineered by God, but the forfeit of God's special protection.

"Falwell and Robertson," the economic analyst Andy Tobias wrote on his website, "have convinced themselves that when a hurricane hit Virginia Beach (Robertson's neck of the woods), there's no meaning to it, and that when a hurricane fails to hit Orlando as predicted in retribution for Disney's equal-rights policies for gays, there's no meaning to it, and that when AIDS devastates the (straight) population of Africa, or 6 million innocent Jews and 3 million innocent Cambodians are exterminated, God merely works in mysterious ways. But when religious fanatics crash planes into the World Trade Center because they believe it will take them to a special place in heaven, this is not caused by a fanatic religious certitude greater in degree but not entirely dissimilar from their own. Rather they conclude that it is caused, at least in part, because people like me [Tobias is gay and the treasurer of the Democratic National Committee] have made God mad."

Answer 10

As long as there is more than one religion on this planet, there will always be religious wars. The US isn't solely to blame for religious wars, as is the case for any other country or religion.