Congressman says he doesn't believe in God

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I'm pretty sure there are catholic schools in secular Canada too.

Sooo..in terms of church/state the fact that we have publicly funded religious schools means...what?

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

Sooo..in terms of church/state the fact that we have publicly funded religious schools means...what?

Absolutely nothing...which was exactly my point.

[Knut]

I dont see it as a rediculous exaggeration....

Church and State now is not what it was in the middle ages where the church ran the show... now it is religious ideologies influencing the policies.

For instance Stem Cell research. The potential benefits of it outweigh the costs even at this point, yet GW is opposed to it.

It is easy to make policy based on religion, wheras actually making an informed choice about what is best takes more effort.

It is always easy to polarize in the opposite direction of a perceived enemy. Ie. Respond to Islam with christian leanings.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Hesla

I dont see it as a rediculous exaggeration....

Church and State now is not what it was in the middle ages where the church ran the show... now it is religious ideologies influencing the policies.

For instance Stem Cell research. The potential benefits of it outweigh the costs even at this point, yet GW is opposed to it.

It is easy to make policy based on religion, wheras actually making an informed choice about what is best takes more effort.

It is always easy to polarize in the opposite direction of a perceived enemy. Ie. Respond to Islam with christian leanings.

GW isn't opposed to stem cell research. He's opposed to funding embryonic stem cell research with public money. There's a difference and when you are accusing someone of being against something you should be very precice in your wording.

Are you telling me Canadian lawmakers aren't influenced by their religious beliefs? Further, are you telling me that moral beliefs don't figure into decisions made by those who claim no religion? Is morality dependent on religion?

[Cain]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

To be fair, it's a lot less dangerous for a democrat to make this kind of statement then you'd suggest. Republicans tend to be the churchy types, so for a republican to make this statement could very well be political suicide (especially in the south). But for a democrat it could very well boost his popularity depending on where he is representing.

As for people voting for people based on their religious views, why is that so scary? All it says to me is that to those people the social aspect of government policy is more important than the fiscal.

It is scary in my opinion...because also in my opinion, religious views do not come close to defining a person. So if someone were to base a vote on that alone, then that is a very scary proposition, as there are a ton of other factors that go into who a person is, and that vote could be potentially given to the worst candidate for actually performing the job needed to be done, but shares the voters belief in god...Tell me that doesn't sound shortsighted.

You believing in god, and a politician believing in the same god, this does not come close to meaning you have the same values, you are both good people...or really anything at all....besides you both believe in god.

[JimmytheT]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

GW isn't opposed to stem cell research. He's opposed to funding embryonic stem cell research with public money. There's a difference and when you are accusing someone of being against something you should be very precice in your wording.

Are you telling me Canadian lawmakers aren't influenced by their religious beliefs? Further, are you telling me that moral beliefs don't figure into decisions made by those who claim no religion? Is morality dependent on religion?

In short no, some of the most immoral people (ie murderers, rapists, thieves, pedophiles) identify with some form of religious denomination, and some don't. Some violent people are raised in religous households and some are not. Some of the most virtuous people can be religous and some can be atheist or agnostic.

Morality is dependent on the individual, based around how they were raised, as well as biological factors (ie. mental disorders, psychopathy etc.)

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by JimmytheT

In short no, some of the most immoral people (ie murderers, rapists, thieves, pedophiles) identify with some form of religious denomination, and some don't. Some violent people are raised in religous households and some are not. Some of the most virtuous people can be religous and some can be atheist or agnostic.

Morality is dependent on the individual, based around how they were raised, as well as biological factors (ie. mental disorders, psychopathy etc.)

Thank you.