USA and it's fascination with religion

[Edwardo Piet]

Welcome Shinylight perhaps you'd like to introduce yourself in the introductions thread forum?

It's nice to have someone expressing that he is anti-theism. Are you also anti-theists though might I ask, you being an anti-theist? I myself am not anti theists, people vary. But I am anti theism. Are you the same or...?

My answer to your question is that I do not know basically. I think it's a tough question why America is this way, because the founding fathers' aims were to keep America Secular. That obviously failed!

P.S: Awesome sig, one of my favourite quotes.

EvF

[Retorth]

Oh yes, Welcome to the forums ShinyLight.

[binny]

Close to the Middle east in religosity? Just at wild guess. But would I be right in assuming you've never actually visited a Middle Eastern theocracy or even a SE Asian country in which Islam is the dominant faith? I base this rash conclusion on the belief that if you had you might be less inclined to make such a fatuous generalisation.

Well OK, you got me. I've never been to the Middle East. America probably isn't close, I wouldn't know. Actually I wouldn't know much of anything. I've never even left the US, not even to Canada and that's only a few hour up the road from me

[neverinchurch]

So my question is why are most Americans stuck in a religiocentric view of the world?. i.e that they must follow the word of Jesus Christ and the Bible.

It's an excellent question for which I don't know the answer. I suspect that there is more agnostics and atheists in America than we realize but they tend to label themselves as non religious. Then there are those who call themselves Christian but give the middle finger toward their own religion and live their lives as they please. I tend to think that another reason is fear of death. The idea that a loving God will provide ultimate bliss in the afterlife is something that many people flock toward because the alternative of being in deep sleep without any dreams forever is something that many just cannot accept. Sad but true.

Following the word of Jesus Christ and the bible...that just happens to be the dominant religion of the country.

[theblindferrengi]

I think most religious people in the usa were indoctrinated into their religion (christianity most likely) as a child, and then they keep their beliefs because of the atractivity of an idilic afterlife for eternity in paradise, that and they just never considered not believing in god because they have been all their lives. The easiest way to become president in the usa is to preach to them and apply religeon to the political issues, and say "god bless the usa" over and over and over...

Obama is nice because he doesent do that so much, and keeps his religion to himself, President Mush was terrible about that, he was more of a preacher than a politician, probably because of his lack of understanding of political issues.

100 years ago and before, it was expected of presidential canadates and presidents not to speak of their religious veiws/beliefs, and none of them did, also back then none of our money had god on it and neither did the United Statesian pledge of alligeance; it is amazing and somewhat scary how much the USA has degenerated over the many years.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

My answer to your question is that I do not know basically. I think it's a tough question why America is this way, because the founding fathers' aims were to keep America Secular

I don't mean to be difficult,really it's just that I've never understood that argument/comment.I've heard it used as you have and the polar opposite,usually from the lunar religious right. You're right,they're wrong. (See article 11 of The Treaty Of Tripoli)

BUT I was under the impression the USA was a Democratic type country.That its constitution may be (and has been ) changed to reflect the needs of 'we the people'. Surely the intentions of the founders are irrelevant



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Treaty Of Tripoli 1797

Article 11

Article 11 has been a point of contention in disputes on the doctrine of separation of church and state as it applies to the founding principles of the United States.
Article 11

Article 11 reads:

Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

Advocates of the separation of church and state claim[17] that this text constitutes evidence that the United States Government was not founded on the Christian religion. The Senate's ratification was only the third recorded unanimous vote of 339 votes taken. The treaty was printed in the Philadelphia Gazette and two New York papers, with no evidence of any public dissent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_T...Article_11