Great MSN article on religion and politics

[pasadenaboy]

7 myths.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2089641/

[cprise]

1. This is a repub hit-piece on secularists

It says that secularists don't believe in God. But most secularists are Christians who believe that certain aspects of society should be kept religion-neutral.

He also tries to paint secularists as "extremists"! He employs a twisted definition of a minority to mean something different. A minority is a minority, and the extremists in Saudi Arabia don't get a pass just because they are numerous. Religious fundamentalists are extremists because they believe everyone must share their religious beliefs in all aspects of society (gov't etc.); they are anti-secular and anti-atheist and anti-other-religions.

Secularists believe that people won't have freedom of belief in their private lives unless no religious views are imposed in public life. But this author tries to paint all secularists as people who a) don't believe in God and b) want to impose that personal/private disbelief on others. i.e. secularists are really Soviet-style anti-theists trying to punish people for their personal religion.

The article is actually quite shrill if you look at what it's trying to imply.

[michaud]

3. amen!!!

I read it the same way!!!

[cprise]

4. Welcome to DU michaud

It's always great to see how DU keeps gaining intelligent new members.

:)

[michaud]

5. thank u

thank u, :smoke:

i've been reading quite a bit, wondering who to pick for President.

I like Dean, Clark and Kucinich.

[michaud]

2. let me surmise

I think that the Democrats should be proud to be Liberals. I do not think the Democratic party should appeal to religion to win an election. By not appealing to religion is in fact our greatest winning attribute. We believe in the separation of Church and State most adamantly and I for one do not approve of trying to use "religion" in politics.

I was watching the DNC debate the other night and noticed they had a prayer and the prayer centered around which candidate would God have us pick. I found it a very honest and sincere acknowledgement to our creator and what was great is they let a woman do the prayer!!!!

I think our candidate is only required to say whether he believes in God or not. He doesn't have to say he is Christain to appeal to the mass majority of American voters, because one thing the Democratic Party hasn't realized is how to appeal to the majority who dont even vote...the Securlar Liberals, those who dont participate in some wierd way I suspect because they see there rights and privacies taken away from them and they wonder if it's religious people who are behind it.