SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: epicure who wrote (72849)8/21/2003 1:22:30 PM
From: Neocon  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 82486
 
Interesting, but irrelevant to my point.

I will comment on it briefly on its own merits....Religion is a part of culture, and cannot, I think, be expected to be hidden in the attic, like some crazy aunt, rather than displayed publicly as affecting other aspects of cultural life. Thus, even if there is strict disentanglement of government, the public square will not, in fact, be naked, but will be full of creches and tv stations saying Happy Hannukah! and parades in Little Italy for the Feast of San Gennaro and parades in Chinatown for the Lunar New Year, and so forth. But, of course, there is never likely to be strict disentanglement. For example, the National Cathedral is likely to remain for sometime our quasi- non- denominational church for memorial services and other events surrounding national disasters or the demise of the great. The Armed Forces will continue to provide chaplins. Presidents will still refer to the importance of faith in their lives. And so on. Thus, its seems that the only question is when the entanglement is too much, not whether there is some. I would say that the favoritism shown has to be egregious for it to be worth a court case, and that as long as there is even- handed treatment, there is no beef. My preferred solution, then, is one where the various religions are treated fairly, but not in an exclusionary manner, more like by inclusion, relative to factors like the proportion of people likely to affected or the importance of the holiday.........