Keep state out of religion

[SecularMotion]

Try to imagine what our country would look like if the “wall” that separates church from state were dismantled. Which church would you choose as the Church of the United States?

The majority of Americans would probably answer “Christian.” But Christian isn't a church. As we know, Christianity is divided into two broad sections, Catholic and Protestant. Catholics make up the largest religious community in the United States with nearly 100 million adherents. If we went by sheer numbers, then the Church of the United States would be Catholic.

Undoubtedly, Protestants would find this problematic. Southern Baptists make up approximately 16 percent of believers and form the third largest group after Catholics and non-believers (nearly 20 percent). They might have an inside edge on becoming the country's official religion. I suspect that many of the other Protestant denominations like the Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists and just regular old Baptists would have a problem with the radically conservative Southern Baptist Church of the United States.

It wouldn't be long before many of us would also have a problem when our tax dollars were collected to support a religion that we might abhor. Politicians would cater to the Church of the United States giving more and more public funds in return for public support. Soon, the national church would have laws passed that force Americans to attend its churches and follow its biblically interpreted laws.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Keep-state-out-of-religion-5706413.php

[safeinOhio]

1. What made us great is that this is

a non-sectarian country. No sect favored over another, or we would be more like Northern Ireland. Over 30,000 Christian sects in the world and almost everyone of them think the other is bound for hell. Being non-sectarian also implies this is not an Atheist country either. When we all learn to coexist we can live in peace.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. It would bring back a hilariously uncomfortable chunk of American History wherein people used to

kill each other over which edition of the bible would be taught in schools.


On the other hand, it would fracture the right-wing and also religious power base of the Republican party, wherein the various religious groups have achieved a sort of cease-fire for the last 40-60 years or so.

[hrmjustin]

3. Make it the Episcopal Church to piss off the right wingers lol.

If other countries have an official religion that is their business but I am glad we don't do that here.

[Starboard Tack]

4. I think it should read "Keep religion out of State"

Nevertheless, I agree with the separation of church and state. Who wouldn't? Oh right ISIS and Iran.

The irony, of course, is that having a state religion or not has had little impact on most, if any, countries. Especially in Europe.
European countries with state religions include the UK, Denmark, Norway and Sweden on the Protestant side and Italy, Spain and Portugal on the Catholic side. All these countries are very tolerant of all religions and none take religion very seriously. Maybe because they've all been there and done that too many times in the past. Essentially, they've grown out of their religious past. It has become pretty irrelevant. Those countries also, with the exception of Italy and Portugal, have monarchies (constitutional monarchies, that is), which they don't take too seriously either, but what the heck. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Meanwhile, we have the US, which is in a constant turmoil over religion, though the separation between church and state is built into the constitution. Go figure.

Here is an interesting link listing atheist politicians of note, including Prime Ministers and Presidents of countries who have official state religions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_atheists_in_politics_and_law