Should the government actively discourage religion?

Question

I don't mean encroaching on freedom of religion in any way. Actively discourage it in a similar way it discourages smoking etc.
(maybe by removing tax free status, educating children on the pitfalls etc.)
Surely religion is as damaging to ones mind as smoking is to ones body.

Giving a tax exempt status is effictively support for religion

Answer 1

No. In the same way that the government cannot endorse or promote religion it cannot discourage it either.

Answer 2

government can not, should not and will not show any encouragement or discouragement of religion. as for teaching children to the pitfalls of religion is laughable, there is so much controversy over the public school sex ed that a anti-religion ed would likely be treated the same way.
if government did discourage religion mass protest would a arise and put a quick end to it.
So, no American government most likely will not encroach on religion

Answer 3

The government should discourage a national religion. Thats what the Constitution allows and that also fits with what Jeff said in that letter that people say is somehow part of the Constitution. Our founding fathers left the nationalized Anglican church of England and started a nation here with freedom of religion, and called for a separation, not from anything being within 200 yards from a public building, but from the government creating a nationalized religion.

Answer 4

No, but they shouldn't actively ENcourage it, either. Lately religion has been paramount in political debates, and high ranking officials have been using it to justify their actions. I realize this country was founded on Christian principles, however, it was also founded with the belief in freedom of religion, and no one should be penalized or discriminated against for believing in something different. Nor should religious beliefs dictate the actions of government officials (especially the President). No one cares if you continue a war because God told you to, all they care is that their loved ones are dying and nothing is getting better. America is supposed to be a FREE country, and it is becoming less and less so everyday. There is no "right" religion, despite what each individual religion thinks; and so the government should be religion neutral - sprituality and religion should be a personal matter, one in which each individual has their own relationship with whichever God they believe in, and one in which no one is told or preached to about what is and isn't right or moral. The government is there to govern us, that is, enforce rules and laws that have been agreed upon by the majority of our nation. They are not there to push or force religious beliefs onto anyone - that's what cults are for.

Answer 5

It is my personal belief that religion is an ideology rather than a health concern (like smoking). And the government has no right controlling or influencing the way I think. So it should regard religion the same way it does regard any other personal outlook on life. There are no laws against optimists/cynics, so there should be no laws against the religious/the non-religious.

Oh and tax exemption is bullshit.

Answer 6

in the end the government is not qualified from speaking out on the plusses and minuses of religous views and it is best left to the individual conscience and discresion... this would become a political process not a search of truth process quickly and in the end be worthless

on the subjects of pitfalls of world views....going to hell is indeed a rather serious pitfall of being an atheist and God is indeed real but the government unqualified to speak authoritatively on this. In the case of Roe v Wade the court declared itself unqualified to say if a unborn was a person and could not andwer the question. Imagine a government compaign like this one: smoking is really bad and the last issue at final judgment is "smoking or not smoking" and lemme tell you ... the lake of fire is NOT the place to be.. all the enjoyment is in heaven which is a world of love

if there is a pitfall of religion it would be substituting a sold mechanical religious practice for a living relationship and saving faith in God

Answer 7

I do believe religion is a sort of poison to society but also our country was founded on it in a way. Are forefathers intended that this country have a kind of Christian theme... but I myself believe that the greater intention was to create a place of equal rights and fair treatment to all, because these people were prosecuted themselves. They only wrote it the way they did because they themselves were of that faith and wanted it to be a very passionate document. I think the major problem with America is the way we mix the church and the state... it's sickening in a way that we put so much effort into trying to legislate morality. Instead of trying to convince everyone what is right or what is wrong according to society, and focus more on the major issues of un equal treatment a main example being gay marriage, it is a direct reflection of America’s judgment on morality only looking though Jesus tinted spectacles... Surly without the concept of a destructive belief we would be happier and more productive people, if only we could all accept the fact that we only exist to exist and try to fulfill our needs and to acomplish great things.

Answer 8

You don’t see the bigger picture… Religion is not a state of thinking but a fact of life. Firstly what is Religion? Religion is what it is… Ok ok I am talking about what it is to you…

Is it a waist of time like smoking and drinking? To you yes but People do smoke and say it helps it gets that person trough the day… good or bad Religion Helps people even if it is like smoking!. So go for it make it a bad thing people will still do it make it a good thing and people will still do it Government is a joke to begin with!

Answer 9

The reality meanwhile is that atheists have practically no chance to be elected. The American people overwhelmingly want people with faith in God to run it's government. And because the government should carry out the mandate given to it by the people, no the government should not actively, or otherwise, discourage religion.

Answer 10

They should treat religions like businesses, definitely by removing the tax exemptions at least. The government, from the foundation of the USA, has been saying "seperation of church and state" but we have not had a single President who was Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindi, or anything outside of Christian (mostly Protestant).

Answer 11

No government in the free world has the right to encourage or discourage the practice of religion, as it cannot encourage or discourage any of the freedoms that it offers; that's the beauty of Democracy!!!