One that didn't try and exterminate others?
Can an atheistic society live in piece with others and not try and exterminate them or oppress them?
I'm serious in this question and it is not an attempted slap at secularism. I have searched for a society like some here would like to have but have not found one single example of one that didn't oppress or try and exterminate others.
Look at China, the former USSR, Nazi Germany, Cuba etc...
Isn't this a strong reason to shun secularism?
Religious countries have had oppression but I don't know of any that killed millions like the secularist ones have. And before you try and use Nazi Germany as a "Christian" society, it won't fly. If they were a supposed Christian society why did Hitler exterminate millions of Christians? He pretended to be religious to win over the people and once in power he turned on them and killed even his top SS for being Christian.
2007-12-07 04:10:33 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
A secular society? Absolutely. Look at every single Western liberal democracy, including the US. They're pretty well all secular.
An atheistic society is a different kettle of fish. There has only been one example of state-atheism, imposed by Enver Hoxha in Albania and it was a pretty nasty situation. More because Hoxha was mad than because he was an atheist.
2007-12-07 04:25:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I doubt it. That naturally depends on your definition of "secular" somewhat :) You do realize there is no causal relationship between opression and lack of religion? Your examples appear to be either de-facto dictatorships, or in the case of naxi germany, elective dictatorship.
It's true that those governments were opressive. It's also true that they claimed no religion (apart from hitler as you mentioned). Here's the problem tho, it's a political issue, not a religious one. They didn't allow religion, free speech, free movement, or a market economy.. in all those systems the individual didn't really have any rights.
So, religion or lack of, was just a minor issue in an otherwise truly ****** up system. So, no, don't think secularism is to be avoided :) Btw, do you really want a "you're as bad as us" argument...? Want a list of the theist countries that have killed?
To be totally honest, nearly every country these days is more or less secular, religion just doesn't factor in politics. They might nominally have some official religion, I'll admit that, but it's really not a part of their politics. So, I'm sorry, but there are just 2 countries that I know of, that don't have separation of church and state on some level, Iran, and the Vatican.
So, which one are you from?
2007-12-07 12:56:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nazi Germany was Christian.
The USSR was paranoid after WWI (and Stalin was just paranoid anyway) and wanted as big a buffer as they could get.
Anyway just because communists are atheists does not mean That atheists are communists.
Look at the most secular counties: Japan, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Britain . . Are these oppressive counties? I guess you did not look very hard.
How oppressive a country is depends on the form of government not the religion. Dictatorships, communist, feudal, and theocratic governments are oppressive.
Democracies are inefficient but are much better places to live in.
2007-12-07 12:33:21 · answer #3 · answered by Simon T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Secular" does not mean "atheist." Secular means common usage by all different peoples of all different backgrounds/ereligions, with no one dominant. Communist societies were hardy Secular.
Re: Hitler: If you don't beleive Christians have killed other Christians, you don't know history at all. European history is full of it, ever since one "official" church began targeting rival early Christians 17 centuries ago.
Most decent secular societies were undermined by zealots opposed to secularity, not by secular society irself. Today, most Western nations have had thriving secular societies, some centuries old. I'm sorry the US seems to be falling by the wayside.
2007-12-07 12:19:44 · answer #4 · answered by Kara J 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The United States has a secular government. Just about every country in Europe has a secular government.
China, USSR, Cuba were (are) all so horrible because they were COMMUNIST countries, their failures had nothing to with secularism- it had to do with a non-functional political system. And extreme poverty.
2007-12-07 12:16:47 · answer #5 · answered by justin_I 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You need to define "secular society" better in order for anyone to really answer this. Do you mean a society which is not ruled by religion, or a society that doesn't allow religion? If it is the first, then there are plenty. The US, Canada, modern Europe, etc etc.
2007-12-07 12:15:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
There's a reason why many atheists are also referred to as "humanitarians".
And even if you think that Hitler only pretended to be a Christian, you can't deny that most of the Nazi soldiers were Christians.
2007-12-07 12:19:07 · answer #7 · answered by Gen•X•er (I love zombies!) 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's called the United States of America.
2007-12-07 12:35:34 · answer #8 · answered by clint 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You mix "secular" with "atheistic"...
France is a secular country, and as far as I know, it is not becoming an oppressive dictatorship.
2007-12-07 12:24:57 · answer #9 · answered by Axel ∇ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Has there EVER been a religious society that didn't become an oppressive dictatorship?
2007-12-07 12:14:09 · answer #10 · answered by CageKennelz24 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋