Name: Anonymous 2006-08-19 11:00
With the world how it is today, could America and other countries be better off with an existentialist athiest government system? Currently, we have seen that declaring religious intent during campaigns is not only a good idea, its almost impossible to do otherwise. For example, the 2004 elections between Kerry and Bush showed the absurdity of requiring yourself to align your agenda to a specific branch of religion. Bush came out and said plainly that he was against Stem Cell Research and Gay Marriage because of his beliefs. Kerry followed suit by saying that he didnt agree with those subjects either, yet he would look into them. There was no polarization between ideas. Voting for Kerry or Bush didnt nessecarily mean that you were voting for Gay Marriage or Legalized Abortion: if Kerry had, he would have lost the Cristian vote.
Likewise, student are being taught creationist science and biblical history, both of which are notable pseudosciences at the very least. Our school systems are deteriorating because of religious extremists calling for equality in education, when in truth they are holding it back. In science itself, we arent allowed to go forth on many experiments and procedures because of the religious public's opposition of technology that to them disproves or does otherwise to god's will.
In global politics, wars, genocide and social inequality are rampant. America itself is seen as a collective evil of what Christianity can bring, much like how we view Iran, Iraq and Lebanon as the evil that Islam can bring. Such ideals create bigger rifts and more prejudice, causing the cycle to repeat unto itself.
So my question is would society as a whole be better or worse if America were to declare itself an athiest country? Churches and temples would not be state sanctioned, and the seperation of church and state would go into full effect. Religion would not be frowned upon or hated, but would be treated in history as a cultural universal that no longer has any funcions in our Age of Science. An existential society would no longer have to bind itself within the confines of a religious majority, and autonomy would become the social norm. Technological and social aspects would grow under the prospect of not being held back, as would political, since new leaders would not have to dictate their agenda around a religious majority, while global politics would be safer since we no longer would have the cross hanging over our heads as an excuse for extremists to rally armies to their sides against us.
Any thoughts?
Likewise, student are being taught creationist science and biblical history, both of which are notable pseudosciences at the very least. Our school systems are deteriorating because of religious extremists calling for equality in education, when in truth they are holding it back. In science itself, we arent allowed to go forth on many experiments and procedures because of the religious public's opposition of technology that to them disproves or does otherwise to god's will.
In global politics, wars, genocide and social inequality are rampant. America itself is seen as a collective evil of what Christianity can bring, much like how we view Iran, Iraq and Lebanon as the evil that Islam can bring. Such ideals create bigger rifts and more prejudice, causing the cycle to repeat unto itself.
So my question is would society as a whole be better or worse if America were to declare itself an athiest country? Churches and temples would not be state sanctioned, and the seperation of church and state would go into full effect. Religion would not be frowned upon or hated, but would be treated in history as a cultural universal that no longer has any funcions in our Age of Science. An existential society would no longer have to bind itself within the confines of a religious majority, and autonomy would become the social norm. Technological and social aspects would grow under the prospect of not being held back, as would political, since new leaders would not have to dictate their agenda around a religious majority, while global politics would be safer since we no longer would have the cross hanging over our heads as an excuse for extremists to rally armies to their sides against us.
Any thoughts?