The Apalling Spectacle of American Christianity

[Locutus]

Well, if we're talking money, Europe just got a little more fanatic: Dutch 2 Euro coins have a the text "God zij met ons" on the side (litterally this means so much as "May God be with us" but "In God we trust" would do as well)

The main reasons to have this was because it's a tradition (originally text was put on guilders to prevent forgery but with modern coins it's not all that important anymore) and to keep the Dutch religious fanatics happy (they're not quite as fanatic or powerful as American fanatics but they do exist).

So the infidel and heretic Dutch turn out to be the most pious people of Europe

[KrazyHorse]

Good points Roland.

It's always seemed sort of strange to me that the US started out as the most progressive country in the world in terms of government, yet seems not to have moved very much since then, to the point where it appears downright old-fashoned to much of the rest of the Western world.

[ZoboZeWarrior]

Originally posted by Locutus
Well, if we're talking money, Europe just got a little more fanatic: Dutch 2 Euro coins have a the text "God zij met ons" on the side (litterally this means so much as "May God be with us" but "In God we trust" would do as well)

You're right, the religious history of USA roots up to the protestant settlers (Dutch, Anglican ...) fleeing a too catholic Europa.

[Timexwatch]

While we're on it, when will Europe begin to do away with state funding of churches and religious schools? I know that state funding of religious schools in Britain is especially bad as compared to the United States...


Just food for thought

[Roland]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
While we're on it, when will Europe begin to do away with state funding of churches and religious schools?

Varies from state to state.

I'm not religious, but I wouldn't want to change that. For a simple reason - as long as all private schools get similar support, you can in effect take your education-tax-euros from a public school to a private one, and only pay a modest tuition, usually. Makes for some competition, and we don't have to listen to politicians blahing about "vouchers"....

Some scandinavian churches are state-funded; I assume also in the UK. In Germany the church-tax only applies on members, it's just administered by the state. And in France, seperation between church and state is more like the US model.

[*End Is Forever*]

timexwatch,

I agree with you entirely... however, in practice, it's not much of an issue. They're hardly "brainwashing schools" for the most part, and plenty of, say, non-Catholics attend Catholic schools and so on.

The USA may pretend to be have a secular government, but the reality is anything but. If anything, the UK bordering on the opposite.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by *End Is Forever*
They're hardly "brainwashing schools" for the most part, and plenty of, say, non-Catholics attend Catholic schools and so on.

Same here in the Netherlands, Catholic schools are really only have the word Cathlolic in their name (and you'll see some crosses on the walls and stuff) but they don't really teach you Cathlicism or anything. In fact, I went to a Catholic school myself and when I 'went in' I didn't know what I was but by the time I 'came out' I was a convinced atheist and proud to be In the meantime I had learned far more about Islam and Buddism and such religions than about Christianity...

[*End Is Forever*]

Out of all my friends that went to a Catholic school, I don't know any that are still Catholics...

[Buck Birdseed]

State funding of religious and other private schools is a relatively new Phenomenon in sweden and one that (hopefully) will be reversed soon. "Free Schools" drain resources from public schools while obviously giving out unbalanced education.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Snapcase
"Free Schools" drain resources from public schools while obviously giving out unbalanced education.

We already know that they give out a better education than public schools, Snapcase. That's the whole point of thier existance.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Snapcase
State funding of religious and other private schools is a relatively new Phenomenon in sweden and one that (hopefully) will be reversed soon. "Free Schools" drain resources from public schools while obviously giving out unbalanced education.

Well, of course I don't know the situation in Sweden but in my experience religious schools in the Netherlands are better than non-religious schools: next to the standard curricullum(sp?), most of them have a course which (most) non-religious schools in the Netherlands seem to lack. It's called something like 'life philosophies' (I'm not sure what the proper English term would be): it educates students about religions and other ways of life: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confusionism, atheism (humanism and other forms), New Age, etc. IMHO it was by far the most valuable course I ever followed in my entire life.

[ZoboZeWarrior]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
While we're on it, when will Europe begin to do away with state funding of churches and religious schools? I know that state funding of religious schools in Britain is especially bad as compared to the United States...
Just food for thought

Religious school in France are all private.
In public school, religion isn't allowed !

[Tolls]

Locutus:
The pound coins here have one of:
"pleidiol wif i'm gwald" - True Am I to My Country (or home sweet home is Wales)

"Decus et Tutamen" - an ornament and a safeguard

"Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" - No One Provokes Me with Impunity

"Dei Gratia Regina Fidei Defensor" - By The Grace of God, Queen, Defender of The Faith

So one God one, but that's what happens when your head of state is also head of the church I suppose...

[loinburger]

Look on the bright side: at least most American religious nuts aren't militant.

[absimiliard]

Abortion-clinic bombings Loin. That's pretty much all that needs be said.

(But I will grant you that none of them have military forces capable of taking on the secular government, though I believe that's less by their choice than by necessity.)