tippet,
First, a minor point, Secular Humanism is a philosophy not a religion. Nonetheless, I agree that the government should espouse no philosophy nor religion whatsoever. The one exception would be the obligation on the part of our government to espouse those ideals to which the constitution is based upon. And, as you well know, this too has it's pitfalls.
State sponsorship of religion can take many forms. If, for instance, a public school allows a Priest or Minister into the class rooms to evangelize students its not far-fetched to conclude that the school, a government entity, is sponsoring and funding, the proselytizing of students.
Obviously, there are individuals who work for government who are Christians and some who are secular humanists. They are entitled to their opinions, but they ought not to foist their views upon the unsuspecting. I don't mind if secular humanism or Christianity is taught in the school in an objective manner.
Your point about the government being responsible for persecution of non-establishment religions is certainly true, but you've over-simplified a bit. In Europe, even to this day, there has been a cozy relationship between Church and State. Often, it was the church itself that coaxed the State into taking action against the non-believers, the heretics and reformers. It wasn't just government persecution, it was a two-way street.
I thank you for your intelligent post. It's the first one I've seen on this thread. |
