Comments on: Religion and life http://academicfreedomblog.org/2007/04/26/religion-and-life/ An opportunity to discuss the interface of faith, science, and culture Sun, 20 May 2012 12:09:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Luke http://academicfreedomblog.org/2007/04/26/religion-and-life/#comment-27 Luke Sat, 05 May 2007 21:39:03 +0000 http://academicfreedomblog.org/2007/04/26/religion-and-life/#comment-27 I can’t comment on the Christian experience, but I can comment from an atheist point of view. I believe that it goes both ways, I experience the same types of reactions from Christians or anyone with theistic belief system. I personally feel that a society’s success today is judge by its level of secularization. As compared to other countries America is only above Turkey in its acceptance of evolution as fact. While the Constitution does not contain the words “separation of church and state” it is a widely held belief and an important one. A view that was not widely held in early America when the majority of the population were Christian. As an example of religion influencing policy, slavery was Biblically justified supported even though it’s clearly wrong. "The right of holding slaves is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures, both by precept and example." --R. Furman, Baptist, of South Carolina This is an example of a modern day public figure openly expressing his Christian beliefs: "No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." --George Herbert Walker Bush, Former U. S. President, 1988. I can’t comment on the Christian experience, but I can comment from an atheist point of view. I believe that it goes both ways, I experience the same types of reactions from Christians or anyone with theistic belief system. I personally feel that a society’s success today is judge by its level of secularization. As compared to other countries America is only above Turkey in its acceptance of evolution as fact. While the Constitution does not contain the words “separation of church and state” it is a widely held belief and an important one. A view that was not widely held in early America when the majority of the population were Christian. As an example of religion influencing policy, slavery was Biblically justified supported even though it’s clearly wrong.

“The right of holding slaves is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures, both by precept and example.”

–R. Furman, Baptist, of South Carolina

This is an example of a modern day public figure openly expressing his Christian beliefs:

“No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.”

–George Herbert Walker Bush, Former U. S. President, 1988.

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