The Pitch: Banning All Religion

[colinmackay]

I thank you for your reply. I hope you didn't take my question about the Islamic conflicts in the EU as being confrontational, as the question was asked in curiosity not as an insult.

The reply you are quoting from is my reply to East, I didn't take your reply as confrontational in any way

It is interesting to know that Turkey's government is secular. That was not something I knew prior to this discussion. Though, I am aware that they have been trying desperately to get into the EU. I wonder if that is why the established a secular government.

As I recall they've been secular for some time, since before the formation of the EU. However, their current constitution dates only back to 1982.

Of course, the United States has always had a secular government and has had to have such a government given its history of diverse religious beliefs. Though, I am afraid that once again the British media has grossly misrepresented the United States to you. No, the U.S. does not have a 90% Christian population as you indicate above. It is no where near that number. Indeed, the number of people who claim to have ANY religious affiliation in the U.S. is lower than 90%.

I didn't say that the USA was 90% Christian. I did say that Turkey was 90+% Muslim

However, despite this seemingly high level of religiosity, only 9% of Americans in a 2008 poll said religion was the most important thing in their life, compared with 45% who said family was paramount in their life and 17% who said money and their career was paramount."

Interesting, However, I suspect that US politicians like ours tend to canvas religious groups more (hence skewing their policies more) because if a pastor, rabbi or imam tells their followers to vote one way or another a large proportion will likely follow. (For example, were I live there is a high muslim population in my constituency. The labour party have been fielding a Muslim candidate for decades and always winning. It took the SNP up until the last election to cotton on to this and field their own Muslim candidate in order to split the muslim vote.)

The British born Historian, Simon Schama, was in part inspired to write his book "The American Future: A History" because of all the misconceptions and oversimplifications his friends at home often made on religion and other topics of American cultural and politics. For some reason I always here that Americans know nothing of other cultures and nations, and yet, with the level of misinformation there is about the U.S. it makes me wonder how well informed people from other countries are. Schama's book is a good read if you have the chance.

I think you have to live and work in a country to really understand how it functions. I don't doubt there are holes in my knowledge. However, when I overhear comments from American tourists ("isn't it great they built the castle so close to the shops"/"do you have electricity?"/"Why are you wearing trousers? I thought all scotch wear skirts."/etc.) then it does help colour one's views as to the education levels expected in the USA that the tourist didn't at least read a basic guide book on the flight over.