• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Tennessee passes Law, schools must display “In God We Trust”

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Well then, we both think the other is hypocrites because of examples we both disagree are related. I guess we are done.
Oh, I don't use the "h" regarding you.
I only said that you don't get to use it.
This should not be taken so personally.
We're just disagreeing about minor stuff.
 

Jesster

Friendly skeptic
Premium Member
That's fine. I am just replying to your reply to me. I'm voicing why I think this focus is off, that this ruling isn't a big deal and why I think the US view of what is secularism is destructively polarizing and doesn't seem to be helping us getting past evangelical legislature the way other countries have. Countries that don't sweat religious iconography on public lands, etc.
Our constitution differs from others though. We also have major political entities attempting to push religious agendas on our people with spots of success that take hold very effectively. They always word it as if it's intended to be secular, but that's the only way they can get these laws passed. It has an effect here though. Unlike some European countries who see religion as mostly just a part of their history, religion is being pushed here as "The American Way" by far too many. The influence hits especially hard when it's introduced to our children in bold displays at their schools. They are the future of our country, and these politicians are trying to make our future increasingly religious through government means.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
The slippery slope argument could apply here. After all, the motto's becoming national law has been used here as argument for the TN law. And the TN law could very likely be used to support teaching creationism, since TN is now ostensibly a Christian state.
Once again, having things like 'endowed by our Creator' or other Christian codified language in our official documents did NOT mean the founding fathers believed we were a Christian nation, and they clearly said so. Nor is 'because it's what Christians believe a good reason for barring anything. Not teaching it because it's not science is a far better reason, and one plenty of countries with a Christian majority and no separation of church and state came to.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Once again, having things like 'endowed by our Creator' or other Christian codified language in our official documents did NOT mean the founding fathers believed we were a Christian nation, and they clearly said so. Nor is 'because it's what Christians believe a good reason for barring anything. Not teaching it because it's not science is a far better reason, and one plenty of countries with a Christian majority and no separation of church and state came to.
The religious language of the Declaration Of Independence was ditched in the Constitution.
The history is what it is, but then the law also is what it is.
And so I oppose an ostensibly non-Christian country having a Christian motto.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Our constitution differs from others though. We also have major political entities attempting to push religious agendas on our people with spots of success that take hold very effectively. They always word it as if it's intended to be secular, but that's the only way they can get these laws passed. It has an effect here though. Unlike some European countries who see religion as mostly just a part of their history, religion is being pushed here as "The American Way" by far too many. The influence hits especially hard when it's introduced to our children in bold displays at their schools. They are the future of our country, and these politicians are trying to make our future increasingly religious through government means.
None of those countries I mentioned, UK, Scandanavia, Canada see religion as just a part of their history. They are still by majority active Christians with politically active churches, even church joints with the state. I agree that we have far more fundamentalist presence here but that doesn't seem to be helped in any way by our butting heads over whether the ten commandments should be visible on public property, or if there should be a cross on ground zero. Just seems to make the fighting worse, more polarized, with more radicalizing on both sides every day imo.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member

Jesster

Friendly skeptic
Premium Member
None of those countries I mentioned, UK, Scandanavia, Canada see religion as just a part of their history. They are still by majority active Christians with politically active churches, even church joints with the state. I agree that we have far more fundamentalist presence here but that doesn't seem to be helped in any way by our butting heads over whether the ten commandments should be visible on public property, or if there should be a cross on ground zero. Just seems to make the fighting worse, more polarized, with more radicalizing on both sides every day imo.
So you see the fundamentalist problem in our country as well then. I absolutely disagree with you about butting in though. There was a time when atheists didn't butt in here. The effects show in our history. I'm personally glad that things have changed. I will attempt to continue that trend.

I don't know how you think I'm taking the radical stance on this, either. If that were the case, I'd be pushing for more than just a secular middle ground for everyone. I'd be pushing to make everything more atheist, which I absolutely don't want to do.
 

Jesster

Friendly skeptic
Premium Member
We still have laws on the books which forbay atheists from public office in some states, that doesn't mean it's enforceble.
Canada also came before us in the vast majority of civil rights issues where religious opposition was commonly the core problem.
We don't post those above our schools though.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
We still have laws on the books which forbay atheists from public office in some states, that doesn't mean it's enforceble.
Canada also came before us in the vast majority of civil rights issues where religious opposition was commonly the core problem.
Our anti-blasphemy laws were gutted by USSC decision in 1952.
Obsolete laws are typically left on the books.
But Canuckistan's anti-blasphemy law was enforceable.
They've finally become as progressive as Americastan!
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
So you see the fundamentalist problem in our country as well then. I absolutely disagree with you about butting in though. There was a time when atheists didn't butt in here. The effects show in our history. I'm personally glad that things have changed. I will attempt to continue that trend.

I don't know how you think I'm taking the radical stance on this, either. If that were the case, I'd be pushing for more than just a secular middle ground for everyone. I'd be pushing to make everything more atheist, which I absolutely don't want to do.
I'm not saying you are. I'm saying I don't believe fights like this show any evidence of helping with our fundamentalism and instead it's making a breeding ground for more reactionaries. Including a 'more logical than thou, religion is a cancer' group of atheists more prevalent here than anywhere else in the world. We have a fundamentalism problem, not just a fundamentalist Christian problem.
Because there are more Christians fighting for secularism than atheists.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Our anti-blasphemy laws were gutted by USSC decision in 1952.
Obsolete laws are typically left on the books.
But Canuckistan's anti-blasphemy law was enforceable.
They've finally become as progressive as Americastan!
Except for our terrible track record of progressivism compared to theirs.
 

Jesster

Friendly skeptic
Premium Member
I'm not saying you are. I'm saying I don't believe fights like this show any evidence of helping with our fundamentalism and instead it's making a breeding ground for more reactionaries. Including a 'more logical than thou, religion is a cancer' group of atheists more prevalent here than anywhere else in the world.
And I believe it will help. Problem? People will clash over this topic, but nothing is ever gained when people just stand by and let things be. The old generations will die out and the new will come in to replace them. I just want that new generation to have better foundations.

We have a fundamentalism problem, not just a fundamentalist Christian problem. Because there are more Christians fighting for secularism than atheists.
And I see those Christians as my allies. I'm not opposing Christianity. I am opposing fundamentalism.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
All state constitutions are subordinate to the federal Constitution.
Note also that the 1st Amendment is included in The Incorporation
Doctrine, making it explicitly applicable to the states.
Which is why having religious iconography and religious motto doesn't matter, because it ij no way makes theocracies enforcable, just like in the state constitutions. And we really shouldn't get our panties in a twist about it.
 

Jesster

Friendly skeptic
Premium Member
Which is why having religious iconography and religious motto doesn't matter, because it ij no way makes theocracies enforcable, just like in the state constitutions. And we really shouldn't get our panties in a twist about it.
It sure made the big school motto enforceable.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Which is why having religious iconography and religious motto doesn't matter, because it ij no way makes theocracies enforcable, just like in the state constitutions. And we really shouldn't get our panties in a twist about it.
If panties weren't to be twisted, why then RF?
 
Top