[lit-ideas] Re: Religion/Stated, was Vote Bush if...

I heard an interesting discussion yesterday on religion and the state.  The 
U.S. is a very religious country by Western standards.  60-70% of Americans 
take their religion seriously.  Something like 10% of Europeans do.  One of the 
reasons put forth is the fact that in Europe the state and church are often 
connected.  In the U.S. we have constitutional separation of church and state.  
It was suggested that when institutions are nationalized, interest is lost.  
Ironically, the very attempt by fundamentalist Christians in this country 
through the Bush administration to unite the Christian faith with the 
constitution may signal its demise as it goes from a religious to a political 
institution.  Indeed, the expression (said by ???) that power corrupts but 
absolute power corrupts absolutely was said about the Catholic church.  

They didn't mention that in Iran the state and religion are connected.  My 
personal explanation is that the Muslim religion differs from Western religions 
in that it is so much more authoritarian that it becomes life itself, and 
therefore cannot be compared to the West.


Andy Amago



-----Original Message-----
From: JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx
Sent: Oct 30, 2004 8:59 AM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Vote Bush if...

You guys tell it to Theoria (Tom Hart et al) -- I'm afraid to.  A hand  would 
likely come through my computer monitor and rip my head off.  I keep  trying 
to figure out how to explain to my kids why all their Christian friends'  
parents are for Bush (or have I mentioned this already?).  The Baptists  
because 
he's an alleged Evangelical; the Catholics because of the stem cell and  right 
to life issues.  <sigh>
 
Julie Krueger
trying not to despair

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