should religion be kept out of public affairs?

Question

please read and comment:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,535543,00.html

Answer 1

Anyone who wants to force religion into law had best be prepared for the law to force its way into religion.

The godbots want to make homosexuality illegal? If the public is strongly in favour of gay rights, then we can legally force churches to change and accept gays. "If you discriminate against gays, we close your church."

The godbots want to make abortion illegal? Then the godbots andnfant their cults can be forced to contribute money for foster care and child support. "If you want these one month old fetuses carried to term, you are going to pay for them."

The godbots want to put cretinism - oops, creationism - into science classes? Then science and archeologists can forcibly teach the facts of evolution and the absence of evidence for "jeebus" in a church. "Here's today's sermon on abiogenesis and lecture on the facts of Nazareth's founding 1800 years ago."

Whenever I hear a religious clown demanding something, he sounds like a child who wants something for himself and doesn't want to share what he has. The godbots are, with few exceptions, infantile and petulant children in need of a new diaper and a spanking.


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Answer 2

It depends on what type of public affair. The article is about keeping religion out of the state, which is a good thing. Of course, people who work in public office take with them their whole history and upbringing. They can't just leave all of it at the door when they're elected.

However, they can refrain from pushing their religion through legislation.

A person might feel that war is good or bad because they think God said so, or Allah, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or even because they have actually thought about the issue and reasoned out the pros and cons of each side. And they'll form laws based on that belief. However, an elected official should not use their position to give special favor to others who believe in God, Allah, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster. They can push ideals, but they shouldn't push special favor for religious belief, itself.

Those who don't have that belief in whatever supernatural being should not be made second-class citizens. Laws should not pass that even give the impression of making nonbelievers in whatever religion second-class citizens. This is one reason the change to add "Under God" to the Pledge, and "In God We Trust" to currency is such bad law. It is divisive on grounds that it shouldn't be divisive on.

Answer 3

The article basically says keep religion out of public affairs because they're all excusive. Well so is atheism- it excludes all religions. So religion, which many people follow, is as legitimate as atheism in the public affairs of a liberal democracy.

Answer 4

yes all it will do is cause trouble that is what it has been dowing for 2000yrs it needs to be kept out of schools and out of politices and kept out of govermant we do not want to end up like the usa the church runing the goverment

Answer 5

Absolutely.

It was a good article, somehow I doubt it will get done though. There will be more religious violence before those in power are forced to see the truth.

Answer 6

religion is part of the public life of the society, though a private affair. yet removing it from public places or affairs only does more harm than good.

Answer 7

It is impossible to separate one's moral center and self from the action of making decisions.

Answer 8

yes

Answer 9

That would be an excellent start!

Answer 10

yes

Example sex ed...


Most teen pregnancies are caused by relgious interefearance in sex ed and contraception