Is America a theocracy?

[E V I L]

Opeth fans:

All this week I had been hearing chants of "god bless america" and watching church services hear and there.

It's been nagging at me a bit all this week.

I'm an atheist so i'm wondering if I should feel ostracized or not.

That's on the personal level. Then I have this inquiry. Is america a christian nation? And should/do politics intertwine with religion?

(Perhaps it's a bit early for this thread. I mean no disrespect to anyone here, but let's keep the conversation going...)

 

[MetalManCPA]

For the most part, we are a Christian based world.

Politics and religion certainly do intertwine with religion.

And by the way - as hurt as I am, I take no disrespect in discussing this entire issue. In fact, I seem to have a need to talk about this.

Personally, I don't like to see politics and religion mixed, but I know it must be. These are 2 of the most powerful worldwide states of being everybody lives by. I can't quite explain it, but if I had a choice, I would like pure politics. I generally get mad if I don't like a political move, but religious tensions scare me. Religion, for all it's good, is the base for so much evil that occurs.

 

[MountainDweller]

Those terrorists are praising god for their success, while the US is saying "god bless america" and that god will help them win...

By the way, it's not a Christian world. While it's probably the biggest and most powerful (wealthy), I think it makes up only maybe a third of the world's population. Western civilisation seems to have a tendency of thinking they are the world.

To answer the question, yes, the USA is basically a theocracy, although it's unwritten, only because the constitution doesn't allow it and because the people wouldn't allow it (a good enough amount of non-Christian citizens being the reason). Christians are the ones in power here. Christianity (Puritism to be more precise) is the foundation of all US laws, it seems; many of which are borderline, if not flat out, unconstitutional.

 

[E V I L]

I think many of those in our government, in the legislative, judicial and executive branches, are religious (even fellatio-loving Clintonites are christian). But by definition, or in theory at least, these two things function separately. YOu can't be for impartiality and other people's right to justice if you have bunch of people in government being guided by their piety. And when they do, they are harshly criticized. And it's this dimension that is a dynamic in determining the uprightness of a politician. America may be on some level in reality theocratic, but "teleologically" if you will, it is inherently anti-theocratic and the development of its legislative body is (supposed to be) coursing along these lines. In fact progress has been determined against that criteria.

It seems in the past week, however, these sacred lines have been blurred carelessly. Maybe I am being overly-cynical, but everyone seems to be in a rush to plume their religious colors. When did people get so "godly"? And why is God the newest bandwagon?

I have nothing against people's findign a comfort in god, and in fact I think religion serves many positive existential, ethical, communal and sociological needs. But the issue bothers me a bit.

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by MountainDweller
Christianity (Puritism to be more precise) is the foundation of all US laws, it seems; many of which are borderline, if not flat out, unconstitutional.

Care to elaborate?

later.

 

[Sadistik]

Let me phrase it this way: 83% (roughly, going on loose stats) of the world outside the US believes in God. IN the US, 97%. I honestly DO feel like I'm constantly being looked down on by the majority of people in this country, which is why I am not too vocal about my atheism unless confronted. I actually had some (I thought) good friends last year break off their friendships with based on my religous viewpoints (which I would NEVER do to anyone based on theirs. Everyone has a right). As for the church services, whatever gets ya through the night, I guess, but I don't see how its helping...

 

[_Transparent_]

its up to you to think what you think is right. you dont have to lie to everyone and yourself, if you dont feel hurt its ok to say so, i doesn't make you bad or anything.

it reminds of something, Zanardi, a cart driver and former F1 racer lost both his legs in a crash on the weekend. i dont know why but i felt really sad because of that, more so than the new york incident, i really cant understand why either. maybe because the terrorist attacks seem so unreal

.

 

[Duvall]

I have a feeling that a lot of past presidents haven't been too religious, but the majority demands a person who has belief to best represent them.

If you've seen (or read) Contact (Carl Sagan), then that issue is addressed, and Ellie Arroway is looked over in the selection process because she isn't religious. Any president or other leader professing atheism or agnosticism would be similarly ousted.

I think Bush is profoundly religious, but I'm pretty sure that Clinton just went through the motions.

 

[Protocol]

I'll remind you all, at this point, that America is a continent. The u.s is a country.

I cringe every time I hear the silly "god bless america". It's not meant for America, it's meant for the u.s, it's _way_ over-used, and a lot of completely unreligious people seem to be shouting it at all kinds of inappropriate occasions.

Bleh.

 

[Mikael is God]

ok people have to chill out with talking about bush and clinton and all the presidents.... the president hardly does ANYTHING..... he is just a figure that reads speaches written by someone else, and he makes suggestions and has opinions, but its not the president who directly does anything.....

 

[requiem]

Originally posted by Mikael is God
ok people have to chill out with talking about bush and clinton and all the presidents.... the president hardly does ANYTHING..... he is just a figure that reads speaches written by someone else, and he makes suggestions and has opinions, but its not the president who directly does anything.....

And that, I'm afraid, is the problem....

 

[justus x]

Please. I can probably count on two hands all the people I know who seriously believe in God and practice Christianity. I know at least ten times as many people who would ridicule it at the drop of a hat. Everyone who feels the need to talk shit about religion (almost constantly for some of you, it seems, I'd think you could find something better to do) should realize that the number of people who are more than superficially religious is very small. It may seem like a lot of people are talking about it like they give a shit, but it's mostly a show.

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by Protocol
I'll remind you all, at this point, that America is a continent. The u.s is a country.

Bleh.

"America" is an accepted and prevalently used as a metonymy for the nation "USA." Your correction was unneccesary.

 

[Mr. Black]

Originally posted by Protocol
I'll remind you all, at this point, that America is a continent. The u.s is a country.

if we're being predantic, america is TWO continents

 

[Protocol]

>America" is an accepted and prevalently used as a metonymy for
>the nation "USA.

No. I don't accept it.

You don't agree that it's awfully presumptuous of a country to talk of itself as the only thing that matters in all of that part of the world?

 

[BillowOfZeal]

You don't agree that it's awfully presumptuous of a country to talk of itself as the only thing that matters in all of that part of the world?

oh yea well... .......the only cool thing about sweden is music and the bikini team........just kidding everyone has been so serious lately (which i understand) i thought id kid around a bit.
sorry,
Jay

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by Protocol
>America" is an accepted and prevalently used as a metonymy for
>the nation "USA.

No. I don't accept it.

Non-americans (i choose the term deliberately) also use "america" as a metonymy meaning "the United States." It's a common and convenient term and its meaning is understood by those using and reading it here.

You don't agree that it's awfully presumptuous of a country to talk of itself as the only thing that matters in all of that part of the world?

I do agree. But i don't like the unneccesary imput of anal retentive people who feel they have to be captious about everything. It's interesting at first, but after a while it gets annoying and corny. Try to be more substantial in the future!

 

[Wolff]

Originally posted by Protocol
>America" is an accepted and prevalently used as a metonymy for
>the nation "USA.

No. I don't accept it.

You don't agree that it's awfully presumptuous of a country to talk of itself as the only thing that matters in all of that part of the world?

No it's not. After all the people of this country are called Americans... do you get upset at the use of that word too? What's should we call ourselves, USA-ish?

Just deal with it.

 

[Duvall]

United Statesians?

I'm not American, I'm Canadian, though I live in the "Americas." Brazillians aren't "American," though they are South American. Just the way connotations and general global understandings have gone.

And I'd say as long as abortion is legal, America is clearly not a theocracy. If religion ruled, that'd be the first thing out.

 

[Lina]

Well, we're dangerously close to having exactly that happen.

I don't know all the history here, but it seems that politicians and the public in general have become much more outwardly religious in recent years. I don't remember seeing all these "I Love Jesus" bumperstickers in the past. And the most ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING phenomenon is that BOTH Democrats and Republicans are now embracing religion and thanking God after every speech. The Democrats didn't use to stoop this low. And of course Democrats are just trying to cater to the blind idiots who form the majority in this country. I just find this EXTREMELY unsettling. I feel hopeless, like we're slipping backwards as a society.

And this whole terrorist incident has only made people MORE religious, which is just beyond me. Don't people understand this entire thing is fueled by people's beliefs in God? Oh well, I'd rather not get into that, I guess.

But I've heard really upsetting things such as this: This woman was just released from the hospital today after being injured in the Pentagon attack, and she said that she survived because "God obviously has something great planned" for her. This is just sickening. And he didn't have anything planned for the deceased????? So insulting to the victims! But the media keeps playing this statement over and over again as a tribute to God's glory or some shit. Makes me so nauseous.