...Strictly speaking this [the statement in blue] isn't true: France has a secular government; the USA has a non-sectarian government.
Islam, therefore, is profoundly at odds with the values of the West. For we in the West, whether liberals or conservatives, accept church(mosque)-state separation. We no doubt argue heatedly over what exactly it entails, but we are agreed on the main principle. I regularly criticize the shysters of the ACLU for their extremist positions on this question; but I agree with them that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion . . . ."
This raises a very serious question. Is Islam -- pure, unEnlightened, un-watered-down, fundamentalist, theocratic Islam -- deserving of First Amendment protection? We read in the First Amendment that Congress shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion. Should that be understood to mean that the Federal government shall not prohibit the establishment and free exercise of a totalitarian, fundamentalist theocratic religion in a particular state, say Michigan?
The USA is a Christian nation with a secular government. Suppose there was a religion whose aim was to subvert our secular government. Does commitment to freedom of religion enjoin toleration of such a religion?
The difference is very important:
* a secular government will tend to frown upon (and seek to control) religious belief and expression;
* a non-sectarian government will tend to favor religious belief and expression ... without taking sides or seeking to control the people's religious expression.
Moreover, the rationale of the government of the USA, that is to say, the Constitution of the United States, presupposes Christianity. So, the non-sectarianism of the US government, is, properly speaking, non-sectarian with respect to sects of Christianity. Other religions (including atheism) are tolerated to the extent that they are "well-behaved" ... as Mormonism was not 150 years ago, and as Islam can never be and still be Islam.
The false idea that "the USA has a secular government" was invented and is primarily pushed by atheists/secularists who *want* America to have a secular government ... the easier to use the stick of government to beat on Christianity.
And (to satisfy any stickler for detail), and as far as "The USA is a Christian nation" ... at one time, no doubt. These days, it's more accurate to say that America is a "Christian-ish" nation.
2 comments:
You seem to have a personal, idiosyncratic notion of the term "secular." I use the term, particularly as applied to government, in its common, ordinary sense to refer to the concept of being separate from, not connected with, or neutral toward religion.
The United States was founded as a "secular" government in that sense, as is clear from the Constitution which expressly founds the government on the power of the people (not a deity) and says nothing substantive of god(s) or religion except in the First Amendment where the point is to confirm that each person enjoys religious liberty and that the government is not to take steps to establish religion and another provision precluding any religious test for public office.
You assert, without explanation, that the Constitution "presupposes" Christianity. What you mean by that is not apparent. While Christianity in its various sorts was the dominant religious influence in society at the time of the founding, the Constitution says nothing to suggest the government is somehow "Christian."
I've actually just done a post on this topic over at my blog.
http://thephantombloggers.blogspot.com/2010/10/america-christian-nation.html
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