>>118
i'm an american, and i'm not pretending i don't see religious influence in my daily life. however, that is distinct from the question of whether or not god actually exists. this would have to do with human rights, what freedom actually is, the legal system, the validity of a particular religion, and our system of government in general. yes, it might be related, but it's not the same discussion. as a side note though, i agree, government and religion should be strictly seperated. however, if government continues to rule on the legality of certain practices which have implications related to morality/values, there will necessarily be an influence on government by religion, and so on the population at large. also, as long as you have a representative government in which a majority or significant power can influence elected officials, i think you're likely to see a strong mix of religion and state.