State vs Religion

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Fan, I happen to think the vast majority of Faiths are good. I am a person of Faith myself. But when people of ANY State feel they need to have any religion interfere with the running of the State then I question just how insecure and how much Faith such people really have?

After all, if your faith is protected by the almighty then why do you need to worry about having it influence your State?

And with that, I'm out.

(Going back to the Rather Nice Images Thread) :biggrin:
So am I - and the last thing I want is my church running the country!
 
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Tbh just surprised me when I first heard it.

Fwiw I don't think religion has the influence people think even in places like where I'm from, Pakistan. Albeit it is portrayed that way.

Overall I do think it has an effect in small parts and I would argue in some countries it's not dissimilar to the UK

For a democracy and secular place the whole second to Iran and China doesn't really sit well looking at the raw data. That is a surprise, no?
I think religion has a huge influence on law making in ‘religious’ countries simply because it often governs the way that people think about situations. Indonesian people are very conservative in their outlook on life mainly because of Islam, which is the prediminant religion. This allows the state to continue to pass relatively conservative laws. Its changing as a more ‘wordly’ younger generation, informed by social media come through, but it will take time.
However I think this applies to all religious countries - not just Islamic ones.
Separating State and Religion is very important. However religion influences peoples thinking and the laws that get passed even by secular governments in these countries reflect that.
I wouldn’t class the UK as a country where religion influences government now, mainly because the decline of religion in the UK, but historically that was the case and the religious content of the House of Lords just reflects that.
 
Not sure Brunei guy is basing it on religion as such. He cites religious sources in some aspects but it's about context imo

I'm always reminded of benazir Bhutto when she claimed Pakistan was a Islamic country and she was all for it (words to that effect). Guy questioning her said but Islam says a woman can not be leader of a Nation. To which she basically said who said we follow Islam <laugh>

Even the Shia clerics are going against the teachings of Islam (these are not the difference of opinion type teachings, but clear cut ones). For example the scholarship to be the right hand of the president is a no no but they actively campaign on the leaders behalf etc.
Not sure where you are going with Brunei because it is quite clear that the imposition of Sharia type laws in the penal code are based on the Sultan's interpretation of religion. The Sultan has even come out and called for stronger Islam at the same time as he announced the new laws, some of which will also apply to the non-Muslims living in the country.

I hope that the other ASEAN countries will come out with strongly worded statements and actions against Brunei over this. I am also surprised how little press coverage has been given to the UK troops in there and how much pressure could be put on by threatening to remove these. As a supposedly all-inclusive employer it seems wrong that teh Britsh Army should be seen to be condoning these actions.
 
State vs Religion.

A conflict for the ages.

Were the Australian Rugby Union right in sacking Israel Folau after tweeting gay people are going to hell?

His defense is he is following the Bible's teachings.

That is some argument as the state and institutions like the ARU are political and mechanical organisations which change constantly on all things including ethics and morality.

Do they have the right to override religion which has been around for thousands of years?

Does the state and organisations like the ARU have the right to override and penalise people based on their belief systems?

His beliefs are his business, he can believe what he wants.

However, the ARU’s reputation is their business & he took to social media to post homophobic views. As with any employer / organisation, if in their opinion an employee / member has brought their organisation into disrepute with public pronouncements that are deemed unacceptable, then they are fully within their rights to remove them from their organisation.

Does the punishment fit the crime is maybe he more salient point in this case, maybe an unreserved public apology as opposed to a weak attempt at justification might have saved his skin here.
 
I knew someone would be along to google references to hell in the Bible.

Well done, you found four.

I would contend that in each of those instances, the word is used for dramatic effect, and that an eternity of torment, used to threaten illiterate peasants in the Middle Ages, has no place in contemporary Christian doctrine.

Brian hasn't got a clue mate, you're wasting your time
 
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There's a handful of bitter heathens on here...angry at the God they don't believe exists for the ****ty hand they feel they have been dealt

They have far too much to prove to the rest of us it seems...must be insecure about their own beliefs.
 
There's a handful of bitter heathens on here...angry at the God they don't believe exists for the ****ty hand they feel they have been dealt

Feminists and Atheists have far too much to prove to the rest of us it seems...must be insecure about their own beliefs.

What 'beliefs' have atheists got on that topic. <doh>

You have faith in that book, others that have looked see it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

The insecurity seems to be from those that need an imaginary friend and a book that takes away their personal obligation on how to behave.
 
Here we go another "God doesn't exist you bellend!" vs "Yes he does y'****!" thread.

Not really. It's more a question of the factual basis of a book some live their life by.

If a God was involved in writing those books, it was to find who was free minded enough to plough their own path and spot the flaws in the books, and dispatch the book followers to hell. <ok>
 
Not really. It's more a question of the factual basis of a book some live their life by.

If a God was involved in writing those books, it was to find who was free minded enough to plough their own path and spot the flaws in the books, and dispatch the book followers to hell. <ok>

In your opinion, but in reality you know **** all and can just theorise but you crack on.
 
In your opinion, but in reality you know **** all and can just theorise but you crack on.

My opinion has more factual basis than those that follow the books.

If people want to demand the right to be offended and upset at criticism of their belief, it comes with my right to question it.
 
What 'beliefs' have atheists got on that topic. <doh>

You have faith in that book, others that have looked see it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

The insecurity seems to be from those that need an imaginary friend and a book that takes away their personal obligation on how to behave.

Atheists have a belief system too you boring old fart.

Before you **** do you draw a smiley face on your hand? Just so that you can pretend you have a social life?