Dear Constance,

I don't care for Hinduism, the belief in the ancient Greek gods or any kind of supernatural mumbojumbo. Belief in the ancient Greek gods was once fashionable. Now it is no longer fashionable, and other forms of nonsense are fashionable. God, the soul, Nirvana, transmigration, sin and its transferability etc. are all human inventions. Sometimes the inventions take virulent form as Christianity did with the Inquisition, wars of religion and other viciousness, Islam did with 9/11, the suicide bombings and other viciousness, Judaism does with the idea that God is a real estate dealer giving out land, Buddhism does with its oppression of the Tamils in Sri Lanka etc. The reason the majority Christian states in Australia and the USA are not bad places to live is that the separation of religion and state has curbed Christian oppression. However, whatever brand of supernatural mumbojumbo one subscribes to it is all nonsense.

davidf writes

'The reason the majority Christian states in Australia and the USA are not bad places to live is that the separation of religion and state has curbed Christian oppression. However, whatever brand of supernatural mumbojumbo one subscribes to it is all nonsense. '

and the reason people are lining up to immigrate to secular states like China, North Korea and Russia is because all 3 foolishly tried to elimate and deny their Creator. I sure the god deniers are proud of their achievements. Thankfully wherever the foolish god deniers have tried to wipe out God's children the church ends up thriving.

Dear runner,

Neither China nor North Korea is a secular state. A secular state regards the religion of its citizens as none of its business. It neither promotes nor interferes with the exercise of religion.

Both North Korea and China control and/or suppress religion. Secular states have freedom of religion. This has been explained to you before, but you apparently don't understand what a secular state is.

Under communism Russia tried to suppress religion. Now Russia is no longer communist there is freedom for the indigenous religions but restrictions on missionary activities of outside religions.

I repeat. Neither China nor North Korea is a secular state.

davidf

'A secular state regards the religion of its citizens as none of its business. It neither promotes nor interferes with the exercise of religion. '

thats exactly what the fundie secularist are trying to do in Australia. They want to tell private schools who they can and can't employ. They also want to force doctors and nurses with a godly conviction to be forced to kill the unborn.

Secularism or ungodliness has been a miserable failure. Its dogmas have produce much much rotten fruit.

runner,

Why do you show so such a lack of knowledge. Does your religion forbid you to seek information? Read this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism

David

Dear runner,

You are still confused. Religion is simply no business of a secular state. Many religious people can and do support separation of religion and state. Barry W. Lynn is an example. He has been the Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State since 1992.He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

It might be good if you could understand what secularism is.

S. 116 is a section of the Australian Constitution.

The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

The above describes a secular state neither imposing nor prohibiting the free exercise of any religion. At present there is a lawsuit which maintains Australia is in violation of its constitution in having chaplains in the public schools. Since their qualifications are religious hiring them as employees of the state is a religious test for office.

Australia's constitution is that of a secular state. Since both China and North Korea interfere with the free exercise of religion they are not secular states.