 [quote=garysher;166648] Quote: | An individual can assign his/her personal level of importance to other issues, but that level of importance is not necessarily the same as the whole of society. The whole of society doesn't mess with the level of importance of religion, it is neither supported nor suppressed by society. | Quote:
Again, you are agreeing with me that religion takes second place to any other special interest group | Religion doesn't take second place or any other place to any other special interest group. Religion has NO PLACE AT ALL in a secular government. Quote: |
A state religion is supported by the state, meaning citizens pay taxes to support that religion. There is no freedom of conscience when you must pay to support a religion in which you may or may not believe.
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Nonsense. There are many things which you don't support but are obliged to support through taxation. | Thomas Jefferson To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. Thomas Jefferson Source: Virginia Statutes of Religious Freedom, 1779
This is what happens when you have a "state religion", even if other religions are freely tolerated. In fact, the word "toleration" demonstrates that another religion is not on an equal basis with the recognized "state religion." Quote: The so-called "complete freedom of religion" could disappear in an instant if the state is officially a "religion." Our constitution states that "no religious test for office" shall disqualify anyone from serving, so why would we even make note of what religion an elected official supports?
There is "no religious test for office" for the House of Lords either.
The difference is that there are Muslim Lords in the UK, a country which you would define as a theocracy, yet there are no Muslim Senators in the US which brags about its religious freedom and its separation of church and state!
Which blows a gaping hole through your entire argument. | There is no reason why there cannot be Muslim Senators or Representatives in the US. We should not even be aware of what religion or lack of religion an elected official supports. The greatest danger to liberty lurks in the insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.
--Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis |