|
Is America becoming a theocracy?
|
|
I don't pay much attention to politics (I mean, why play favorites? XD), but I have noticed that in a few of the major controversies in the country, religious reasons seem to make for the majority of the arguments against issues such as abortion and gay marriage. However, the Constitution clearly states that there is to be a SEPERATION between CHURCH and STATE. The thing that concerns me is that politians are actually considering these as valid arguments. I know that the United States government is...
"You know what? I can't tell if you're brilliant or retarted." "Ah, I get that a lot."
|
|
Re: Is America becoming a theocracy?
|
|
(stupid psp) ...already a combination of Democratic, Republican, Aristocratic ideals, but is it going to become a theocracy now, too?
"You know what? I can't tell if you're brilliant or retarted." "Ah, I get that a lot."
|
|
Re: Is America becoming a theocracy?
Link |
by
on 2006-08-17 14:38:47 (edited 2006-08-17 14:55:42)
|
|
(please use the edit feature rather than double posting) religious argument aside, if the people don't want to allow stem cell research, gay marriage, abortion, or civil rights, they can vote people into office who agree with their views. thats their right to vote, even if what they want is stupid, hurts people, or is morally flawed. we should attack faulty arguments, like ones which invoke one god or another as having secular authority (which ought not to be the case because of separation of church and state!). we also have to address the views of the people. people who preach (in the literal religious sense) hypocrisy and bigotry must be held accountable for their actions and their own words. it is a mistake to allow god's will to substitute our own. bush has stated publicly that he thinks god made him president. he's a lunatic, a religious man, and a leader, but not a RELIGIOUS LEADER (which defines a theocracy). by this i mean he has no priestly title or whatever. he does imply by this statement, however, that his word is the word of god. this would seem to place him as a religious authority. clearly, to appeal to the republican majority, bush does well to be openly christian and to stand by the good book and its modern interpreters. this in and of itself is not a problem. the interpreters of the bible who say gays are sinners and will burn in hell before they will be allowed to legally marry are the problem. not bush himself, directly. this is subtle, but important to understand if we want to solve the problem(s). From wikipedia, "Theocracy is a form of government in which a religion and the government are intertwined." I think this definition is too vague. Religion is intertwined with religious people. People are intertwined with the (elected) government. Some people are religious people. Therefore, religion is always somewhat intertwined with the government, by transitivity. It is a matter of the degree to which is important. 
|
|
Re: Is America becoming a theocracy?
Link |
by desertpunk
on 2006-08-17 20:40:30
|
|
We're more likely to become an atheistic country than theocracy for many reasons. But realize that it's not religious reasoning on those issues as much as values. There's churches ordaining gays. Blacks and Klansmen marching together protesting illegal immigration. Log Cabin Republicans. Fetal-stem-cell researchers dismissing the efficacy of adult stem-cell therapy because of who's funding them. The truth is mostly in between the extremes. Also, it is the press that sensationalizes stories. |