We're all God botherers, apparently

Theophany

Theophany

Theophany

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27121879

Not content with the fact that they're going to steamroll Labour in the 2015 General Election, it seems that the Tories are intent on making it as difficult as possible for themselves in order to level the playing field by making idiotic sweeping statements (hey, does Ian Duncan Smith post in GD?).

Apparently us atheists are "deluded" for thinking that the UK is not a Christian country.

Now, personally I don't have anything against religion. I was raised in a Catholic household and come from a deeply Catholic Italian family, however it sticks in my craw a little that the line between church and state seems to be blurring here for no obvious or tangible benefit. Claims that our tolerance of others is some kind of religious benefit seems like a non-sequitur to me (and, oh, I don't know, anybody who knows anything about the history of religion).

So GD, what do you reckon? Is the UK still a Christian country? Should politicians create such an asinine debate? If we are a Christian country, should we be? Will Shaquille O'Neal ever return to the NBA?
 
State and church should be separate, religion has no place in government and Cameron should resign for further blurring the lines
 
There is only one god I worship: the Golden Turtle God

Stories of the Hoàn Kiếm turtle began in the fifteenth century with Lê Lợi, who became an emperor of Vietnam and founder of the Lê Dynasty. According to legend, Lê Lợi had a magic sword given to him by Kim Qui, the Golden Turtle God. One day, not long after the Chinese had accepted Vietnam’s independence, Lê Lợi was out boating on a lake in Hanoi. Suddenly a large turtle surfaced, took the sword from Lê Lợi, and dove back into the depths. Efforts were made to find both the sword and the turtle, but without success. Lê Lợi then acknowledged the sword had gone back to the Golden Turtle God and renamed the lake Hoàn Kiếm Lake (or Hồ Gươm), “The Lake of the Returned Sword”.
 
Hey mumma mia! Op is a da behave!

Yeah its still a Christian country. Nothing wrong with that IMO. Modern Christian tradition and teachings are on the whole are quite acceptable, its only the fun-de-mentalists that spoil any religion for everyone.

This only works though if you have the sanity to be able to distinguish church from state/law and treat it more like a social club than the divine rules of an all powerful god that will smite thee like an slug.

I have no problem of someone wanting to be part of something bigger or to give them a purpose in their lives but please don't ram it down my throat. Unless its really, really hard.

When politicians go full retard and start quoting scriptures and stuff its such a turn off. Its a calculated turn off though, obviously right now the demographics say spouting religious gash will win more votes than keeping quite... a simple numbers/votes game. 25 years time when we have all grown up, or are dead (if i have my way) our generations will probably rofl and lol at this kind of vote winning approach.
 
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One thing that does get to me is the inability to say Merry Christmas, but having been told to say Happy Holidays or when your kids can't do a nativity play but they do one with Aliens in instead. All because there are kids from all walks of life. I'd say that we are still historically a Christian country, sure. Whether it should have anything to do with politics, that's another matter.
 
Semantics

Britain is not "a Christian country", however Britain does have a 'Christian Heritage'.

But then we also have a slave owning heritage, but I doubt Mr Duncan Smith would like Britain being described as a 'slave country'.
 
estebanrey said:
Semantics

Britain is not "a Christian country", however Britain does have a 'Christian Heritage'.
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Which are VERY different things.

Before we had Christianity, we were all Pagans, but no-one goes calling us a "Pagan country"

Before we had that, there were dinosaurs, but I've never heard the UK referred to as a "Dinosaur country"

"It is arguably our Christian heritage, with its innate tolerance and inclusivity"

Riiight...

Avcq6Al.jpg
 
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Theophany said:
Now, personally I don't have anything against religion. I was raised in a Catholic household and come from a deeply Catholic Italian family, however it sticks in my craw a little that the line between church and state seems to be blurring here for no obvious or tangible benefit. Claims that our tolerance of others is some kind of religious benefit seems like a non-sequitur to me (and, oh, I don't know, anybody who knows anything about the history of religion).

So GD, what do you reckon? Is the UK still a Christian country? Should politicians create such an asinine debate? If we are a Christian country, should we be? Will Shaquille O'Neal ever return to the NBA?
Click to expand...

There isn't a line between church and state, that's a phrase associated with the USA. We have an established church (headed by our head of state) which is very much a part of our state, the UK is officially a Christian country regardless of how many people aren't bothered by religion. We do act more like a secular state but the Queen, the bishops in the house of Lords, tax payers money going to local churches etc... demonstrate otherwise.

The USA however isn't a Christian country but, politically, pretty much behaves as if it was.
 
estebanrey said:
Quite, the Christian tolerance that condoned slavery, made women second class citizens and even today want to reverse the gay marriage law.
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Yeah, it seems a bit *weird* to be calling the UK a Christian country, whilst supporting and passing gay marriage laws.

Just cherry pick the bits that get you support I guess...
 
dowie said:
There isn't a line between church and state, that's a phrase associated with the USA. We have an established church (headed by our head of state) which is very much a part of our state, the UK is officially a Christian country regardless of how many people aren't bothered by religion. We do act more like a secular state but the Queen, the bishops in the house of Lords, tax payers money going to local churches etc... demonstrate otherwise.

The USA however isn't a Christian country but, politically, pretty much behaves as if it was.
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I'm not sure what your point is regarding it being a phrase associated with the USA. It's a pretty fundamental political question that is not confined to the borders of one state or another. Our head of state is a figurehead with no demonstrable powers, so their position as head of the church is pretty irrelevant, much the same as the Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords.

Should the Church have involvement in the governance of a country? I don't believe it should; why should the beliefs of one group influence how a country is governed? It seems absurd to me.
 
We have Christian heritage, but we barely have a majority of Christians in this country, thank ****. For one man to attempt to define us is just ridiculous. He's clearly playing the religious card to gain the religious demographic (which probably includes much of UKIP's support), whilst alienating many people who do not want to be defined as a religious country at all.

If I had had any intention to vote Tory, it has all gone out of the window now due to Cameron's sweeping statements. In the last week or two, Cameron said that he's "continuing Jesus's work" I think. I mean...wtf! He's full of ****. If Jesus's work was to not really do much, then he'd be right, but that is not the apparent case.

We really need to separate heritage, and actual attendance and observance of a religion. As many have already stated, the church should in no way be connected to the government, other than the governing of the church by the government.

It is right to say that, for the majority, we have a strong Christian morality, but the morality that my children will have, the their children etc will be based on a mix of cultures, religions, absence of religions, personal experience, and basic human instinct of not ****ing everyone else over.

Cameron is a dick.
 
Westyfield2 said:
Erm, not sure what the slavery thing is all about? It was a Christian bloke that fought for the abolition of slavery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wilberforce
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However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way.

Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT
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If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for only six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. If he was single when he became your slave and then married afterward, only he will go free in the seventh year. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife will be freed with him. If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave, and they had sons or daughters, then the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master. But the slave may plainly declare, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children. I would rather not go free.' If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will belong to his master forever.

Exodus 21:2-6 NLT
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The Queen is the head of the church and bishops sit in the House of Lords. I think it's reasonable to say that we live in a Christian state.

I'd also say that, yes, we're a culturally Christian country. Our laws are based on Christian values and our strongest relationships are with other culturally Christian countries. However, we're also culturally pagan to a certain extent too. Holidays like Christmas have pagan roots.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that we're a Christian country though. Less than 150,000 people regularly attend church in this country. I wonder how many of those only attend because they're trying to get their kid into the local faith school? :p
 
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