11-04-2016, 02:44 PM
(11-02-2016, 03:45 PM)taramarie Wrote:(11-02-2016, 09:26 AM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote:That pretty much explains itself as to why religion and politics should not mix. One set of laws applied to all and not favouring one religion over another. Religion should stay personal. It explains some of the cultural shit fest that is America.(11-02-2016, 05:14 AM)taramarie Wrote: NZ is Christian majority but secular. We separate politics and religion. So to try to imagine my reaction to this religion/politics mesh would include a foreigner who is unimpressed. The two should not mix. I hear many kiwi's who are religious yet confused as to why America cannot separate the two. I believe places like Iraq behave in the same manner when it comes to mixing religion and politics so see why i am not impressed at all.
" Voting for the government to enforce God's will is natural and proper. To do otherwise might be judged as sin." <--- how disgusting.
I of course am in sympathy. I did however stumble across an expression of the other point of view.
Ku Klux Klan Wrote:"Make America Great Again!' It is a slogan that has been repeatedly used by Donald Trump in his campaign for the presidency," Robb wrote. "You can see it on the shirts, buttons, posters and ball caps such as the one being worn here by Trump speaking at a recent rally ... But can it happen? Can America really be great again? This is what we will soon find out!"
He continued: "While Trump wants to make America great again, we have to ask ourselves, 'What made America great in the first place?' The short answer to that is simple: America was great not because of what our forefathers did -- but because of who our forefathers were. America was founded as a White Christian Republic. And as a White Christian Republic it became great."
Tara, New Zealand is a secular country, like most of Europe and Canada. Iran and Saudi Arabia are religious countries. America is sort of in the middle. Some parts of America are just like Canada, Europe or NZ in this regard. Other parts are different, superficially no different, but if you scratch below the surface, kinda more like the sophisticated sections of Muslim countries, i.e. perfectly safe, good people all around--but not secular.
In flyover country we still have a fair number of true Christians. Folks who live their Christianity. Salt of the Earth. They are foster parents, staff food pantries, minister to prisoners. And plenty of other folks who are not Christians are also Salt of the Earth, serve as foster parents (like we did), staff privately-run free food distribution sites (like my wife who works with folks from the Kazoo Islamic Center at Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes).
She also volunteers at the East Side Neighborhood Food Distribution operation (where she is in the only white person there). I suppose they are Black Christians, but they don't wear their religion on their sleeve. It's just different here.