http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/ Science, religion and politics from a Trinidadian plant ecologist Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:53:35 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/#comment-35 Gunfighter Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:02:05 +0000 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/#comment-35 Well done! Well done!

]]> http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/#comment-34 Ian Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:59:24 +0000 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/#comment-34 I agree with you a loss of freedom isn't a necessary consequence of a state religion. But the experience in the UK has not always been good for freedom of expression. I've lived with school prayers - all you learn from them is to dismiss religion as being just as stupid as other aspects of school. When religion becomes an arm of government, it's likely to hurt personal freedom. When religion becomes an arm of government it's almost certainly going to harm that religion. I agree with you a loss of freedom isn’t a necessary consequence of a state religion. But the experience in the UK has not always been good for freedom of expression. I’ve lived with school prayers – all you learn from them is to dismiss religion as being just as stupid as other aspects of school. When religion becomes an arm of government, it’s likely to hurt personal freedom. When religion becomes an arm of government it’s almost certainly going to harm that religion.

]]> http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/#comment-33 Larry Fafarman Mon, 02 Jul 2007 08:53:12 +0000 http://ianramjohn.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/the-role-of-the-church-in-the-state/#comment-33 There is no correlation between separation of church & state and freedom & democracy. For example, among countries and regimes with state religions, the UK has a lot of freedom & democracy but the Talilban is a tyranny. Nonetheless, I think our separation of church and state is a good idea so long as we are sensible in how we apply it. For example, I am in favor of a ban on school prayer but I am opposed to a ban on criticisms of evolution theory in public schools. There is no correlation between separation of church & state and freedom & democracy. For example, among countries and regimes with state religions, the UK has a lot of freedom & democracy but the Talilban is a tyranny. Nonetheless, I think our separation of church and state is a good idea so long as we are sensible in how we apply it. For example, I am in favor of a ban on school prayer but I am opposed to a ban on criticisms of evolution theory in public schools.

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