2007-10-26 05:28:22 · 17 answers · asked by primary_chem 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes
2007-10-26 05:34:01 · answer #1 · answered by bongobeat25 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the constitution, the US government is supposed to be a secular establishment regardless of the religious beliefs of either the president or congressmen.
Unfortunately, both Bush and many of the Republican legislators do their best to force their religion on the rest of us by writing it into US laws and policies. The Republicans would apparently just toss the constitution in the trash given the chance.
2007-10-26 05:40:47 · answer #2 · answered by Azure Z 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is an interesting question on several levels. The basic answer must be that all three U.S. governmental branches must "act" non-religious (or perhaps "secular") by virtue of the Constitution. That is the result of the separation of church and state.
However, reality on the ground is more complex. We are a pluralist society with several competing themes: puritan, Judeo-Christian (several flavors), Euro-enlightenment, and our own home-grown "don't-tread-on-me" independence.
So when the president openly declares a particular religious belief it does skew how governmental institutions are used and perceived.
It's a danger that I hope braver and saner people will recognize.
2007-10-26 05:37:59 · answer #3 · answered by kwxilvr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, we have one president who was a minister at one time. James A. Garfield.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Garfield#Trivia
The US government is supposed to be secular. There are some who want to be able to use the government to promote their religion or to make their religious views laws. US citizens have to be constantly on guard to prevent that. Luckily, we do have some checks and balances (given by the constitution) that help prevent or rectify when a theist uses his/her government position in a non-secular fashion.
2007-10-26 05:37:09 · answer #4 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, though we still have too much religion getting into politics. I think the President can be a theist without imposing his or her religion on the nation, but I also think that often times they do their darndest to shape lawmaking in accordance with their religion. I mean, in a republic composed primarily of Christians, you can't really avoid it, as much as you might otherwise wish. Still, MOST of the time, church and state stay separate.
2007-10-26 05:35:10 · answer #5 · answered by average person Violated 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The US government could hypothetically be a secular establishment again, yes. But it isn't anymore.
2007-10-26 05:32:28 · answer #6 · answered by STFU Dude 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well yeah.
BTW, "Christians" only have the right to worship as they each see fit BECAUSE the US is secular. A lot of them think it would be cute if we were officially a "Christian Nation," but all that would mean is that we'd have to decide which brand of Christianity to run with. And our model for that is not the USSR, "Near of DN," but more like Iraq.
2007-10-26 05:31:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The federal government is a secular institution, as we can clearly see from the Constitution. However, there's nothing demanding the states to be secular, although that's generally been the case.
2007-10-26 05:31:50 · answer #8 · answered by Convictionist 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No. That's just the packaging. We present ourselves as a secular government, but really we are not. We're a "Christian Nation" the preaches tolerance, so the rest of the world will envy us and love us, but truthfully... just no.
2007-10-26 05:49:23 · answer #9 · answered by ►solo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. While their numbers are dwindling, Christians (many in name only, but I digress) are in the majority. In a democracy, that means that a Christian will have some automatic "points" in any general election. It's not some grand conspiracy, it's just the current demographics of the US.
2007-10-26 05:33:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋