The Problem with Christians

[Huggy Bear]

The argument on our side was that Denmark is a secular society, despite the existence of an official state church as a relic of its theocratic past.

He's (as usual) bending facts to the shape of his prejudices.

Hanky, meet Huggy. Enjoy!

No, it was made pretty clear we were talking about the government of Denmark.

I think you can also make a case for the society not being all that secular when 84 percent of the population support the church with taxes.
http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledg...s-mediator

Although there is freedom of religion, there is no equality of religion, as the state sponsors only one church – the Evangelical Lutheran Church called Folkekirken, the “People’s Church.” It receives some twelve percent of its income from the state, but its largest source of income is the church taxes paid by its members. Most Danes – 84.7 % in 2001 – are members of the church, yet very few of them actively participate in it.

[robvalue]

Denmark. It's like Godwin's law for Huggy.

[Esquilax]

Denmark. It's like Godwin's law for Huggy.

It's the quickest way for him to make everything about himself, of course he loves it.

It's also, not coincidentally, about ninety percent of what he posts these days. Pretty obvious priorities, there.

[TheRocketSurgeon]

The argument on our side was that Denmark is a secular society, despite the existence of an official state church as a relic of its theocratic past.

He's (as usual) bending facts to the shape of his prejudices.

Hanky, meet Huggy. Enjoy!

No, it was made pretty clear we were talking about the government of Denmark.

I think you can also make a case for the society not being all that secular when 84 percent of the population support the church with taxes.
http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledg...s-mediator

Although there is freedom of religion, there is no equality of religion, as the state sponsors only one church – the Evangelical Lutheran Church called Folkekirken, the “People’s Church.” It receives some twelve percent of its income from the state, but its largest source of income is the church taxes paid by its members. Most Danes – 84.7 % in 2001 – are members of the church, yet very few of them actively participate in it.  

"...yet very few of them actively participate in it." You're doing it again!

For fuck's sake, I'll let the Danes tell you themselves:

Compared with most other countries in the world, Denmark’s societal institutions and popular mentality have been shaped by Christianity to an exceptional degree. It can be asserted that religion is more firmly entrenched in Danish society than in many other countries.

In practice, Christianity today comes to the fore, however, primarily during solemnisations surrounding birth and death. That is to say like the other Nordic countries, particularly Sweden, Denmark is  also among the world’s most secularised countries, in which religion and Christianity play only a minor, often indirect, role in public life.

http://denmark.dk/en/society/religion/

[Huggy Bear]

No, it was made pretty clear we were talking about the government of Denmark.

I think you can also make a case for the society not being all that secular when 84 percent of the population support the church with taxes.
http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledg...s-mediator

"...yet very few of them actively participate in it." You're doing it again!

For fuck's sake, I'll let the Danes tell you themselves:

Compared with most other countries in the world, Denmark’s societal institutions and popular mentality have been shaped by Christianity to an exceptional degree. It can be asserted that religion is more firmly entrenched in Danish society than in many other countries.

In practice, Christianity today comes to the fore, however, primarily during solemnisations surrounding birth and death. That is to say like the other Nordic countries, particularly Sweden, Denmark is  also among the world’s most secularised countries, in which religion and Christianity play only a minor, often indirect, role in public life.

http://denmark.dk/en/society/religion/

Your point is moot.

What I clearly said was that the debate was about the government of Denmark, not the society.

What I said above however is that "I think" a case can be made for even the society not being all that secular, when the majority of Danes supports the church financially.

And by the way, that debate happened about 8 months before you even joined the forum, how are you so emotionally invested all of the sudden?

[Esquilax]

And by the way, that debate happened about 8 months before you even joined the forum, how are you so emotionally invested all of the sudden?

The only one "emotionally invested" in that is the person harping on it literally more than a year after it happened, to the exclusion of any other subject. I'm beginning to suspect that that thread is a large part of your personality at this point.

Do you dream about it, Huggy? How many pages of it have you made into inspirational posters? Do you need an intervention?

[IATIA]

Must I remind you of a certain incident where all the atheists were on the wrong side of the argument despite the PROOF being presented?

There was a discussion on whether or not Denmark has a secular government, I pointed out the fact that since Denmark had a state sanctioned church that it was in fact NOT secular. Every single atheist involved in the discussion claimed it was indeed secular, despite the proof it was not.

I never engaged in that discussion, so your statement "all the atheists" is incorrect.

And FYI - RELIGION IN DENMARK

In practice, Christianity today comes to the fore, however, primarily during solemnisations surrounding birth and death.

The state’s support for the Church of Denmark today is primarily managerial and administrative in character.

[Huggy Bear]

Must I remind you of a certain incident where all the atheists were on the wrong side of the argument despite the PROOF being presented?

There was a discussion on whether or not Denmark has a secular government, I pointed out the fact that since Denmark had a state sanctioned church that it was in fact NOT secular. Every single atheist involved in the discussion claimed it was indeed secular, despite the proof it was not.

I never engaged in that discussion, so your statement "all the atheists" is in correct.

And FYI - RELIGION IN DENMARK

In practice, Christianity today comes to the fore, however, primarily during solemnisations surrounding birth and death.

The state’s support for the Church of Denmark today is primarily managerial and administrative in character.

All atheists involved in the discussion...

You apparently are trying to make a case for the government of Denmark being secular. So I can include you on that "atheist" side then?

[TheRocketSurgeon]

Yes, being on the side of actual facts, ones not distorted by religious indoctrination/ideology, does tend to indicate a person is a skeptic...

...and we all know that skepticism is the gateway drug to outright atheism.

(Edit to Add: And no, we're QUOTING DENMARK'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE ABOUT THEIR OWN NATION. That's not "making a case".)

[IATIA]

You apparently are trying to make a case for the government of Denmark being secular. So I can include you on that "atheist" side then?

Nope just stating facts.

However, if you want an argument, Denmark's government does support the people's church, but it appears to me, from Denmark's official website, that the government is secular in practice.

Prostitution in Denmark ("Prostitution" in Danish) was decriminalised in 1999, based partly on the premise that it was easier to police a legal trade than an illegal one.  

Government-sponsored drug consumption rooms may be helping save the lives of drug users in Denmark. Addicts can use drugs safely and without being judged.  

Denmark is a country in Western Europe with legal gambling. There are 6 cities with gambling facilities in Denmark.