There is an interesting article from an Arizona Campus Newspaper located here. It talks about a recent study done whose results seem to negate the necessity of religion in order to have a moral society. This article brings up some good issues about the effectiveness of religion in society, as well as the idea of America being a Christian nation.
As far as the need for religion in society, I am not sure the data described fully accounts for some of the trends that are seen. A huge factor in the occurrence of high religiosity alongside a high 'dysfunction' should be considered in the light of America's ability and pride in 'freedom', which frequently manifests itself as 'having your cake and eating it too'. Many people are religious in this country, and the freedoms that we have allow people to be more outspoken about this. But, Some of those same 'religious' folk are probably some of the 'dysfunctional' in the studies as well.
Then, if you want to look at whether America is a a Christian nation, well this could open a very long and in depth discussion. I have recently been reading more on this due to my American Church History Class. A good book to read might be Noll, Hatch, and Marsden's Search for a Christian America. To say one or the other I would definitely say that America is not a Christian. I wonder whether it is really possible to have a truly Christian government at all. Would Scripture even allow for that?
That's what I got, what do you Got?....
1 comment:
As far as America Being a "christian nation" I think not. First, the idea of a Chrstian Nation is really a throwback to teh old theocratic ideal, something God chose to run in the OT, but with HIMSELF in and ACTIVE and Miraculous way right in the midst of His people. We'll see that again in the Millenium, but until then...nopers. Any time in history where one religious group has attempted to control the poulace, rampant decay of the religion and suppression of the people (persecution and civil liberties both) has occurred. Think Rome, The Byzantines, England, France, and (gasp!) the American colonies. The church rule in various colonies in the early colonies was as repressive and dictatorial as any Catholic or Protostant repression in the old World. Seemingly inconsistent with a church rule is also the high rate of dysfunction seen in the colonies at this time -- drunkeneess, lewdness, divorce (things convered by an idealized christian right). A Christian nation, frankly, is scary to me -- which sect of recognized "Christianity"? Mormon? Pentacostal? Fundamentalist Baptist? What happens when one doesn't subscribe to every doctrine? Call me a Libertarian. Fine. But I shudder to think about legislative religion... and we won't even go into our "christian" fathers -- the rag-tag bunch of Deists, Theists, and Cultists who formed our society. Having read extensively of the writings of Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, etc. I wouldn't consider any of these men (touted by the religious right) as Christians, if one understands Christianity to consist of the belief in the divinity of Christ, his atoning death, and his physical and literal ressurection. But like I said, I won't go there...grins... hope all is well. Miss you guys muchly. Naomi
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