Quote:
Originally Posted by MH
That i agree with.
Which means separation of religion from government and basic rights protected by constitution more or less like USA.
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Not really, because in reality there are plenty of laws and rules on federal state levbel that discmrinate non-bveolievers, there is a strong evangelical trend in the armed forces, and in local places communities are extremely hostile and supressive againmst non-theists/atheists/secularists.
There seems to be a big difference between the intentions expressed in the nation's founding papers, and the practical reality in place. In some states for example you are even banned from candidacy for pulbic offices if you do not believe in theistic deities, and campaigns by orthodox religious groups have led to the change of the formerly "neutral" writings on coins and notes ("in God wer trust" is relatively new a formula), and the chnage in formulation of the pledge of allegiance (one nation "under God" also is new").
However. Just to put the US example on secularism a bit back into relation. In Europe, most people and media associate it stronger with religious dogmatic rule than any other Wetsern nation, even before Poland, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. The European mean value of secularists in the population also is far ahead of that in the US (article linked in first post in this thread).