>Bertvan:
>>>Long after ID is the majority assumption in the US, England will be stuck
>>in
>>>the dark age of "random mutation and natural selection". Why? England
>>>doesn't have an ACLU.
>
>We do have an equivalent of the ACLU. It's called Liberty (formerly the
>NCCL). (http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/). It isn't very concerned
>with religious matters, probably because religion isn't a major
>issue here.
I've heard that a lot of European countries have a state religion which is
widely ignored. In fact I've read speculations that religion does poorly in
Europe *because* of the state religion. However, I have also read that
American creationists commonly do speaking tours in (common? non-private?)
schools because there's no law to forbid it. Fortunately they seem to be
ignored also.
>Susan Brassfield:
>>England has a state church. You, as an agnostic living in England would
>>have your taxes go to support a religion in which you did not believe. The
>>writers of our constitution thought that was a tad unfair. I agree. So does
>>the ACLU and if you were smart, you would agree also.
>
>The Church of England itself is not supported by taxpayers. Its income comes
>from donations and investments
>(http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/frame_funding.html).
I try to learn something new every day, and this was today's tidbit!
thanks! :-)
>On the other hand, the C of E has more than its fair share of
>grant-maintained schools, compared with other religions, and those are
>supported by taxes. (http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/educator.html)
>But these schools are required to teach the national curriculum, and I'm
>sure they don't teach creationism!
Oh, I doubt it! I also read last year that the Church of Scotland used its
muscle to prevent Pat Robertson from investing in the Bank of Scotland
because they didn't consider his religion to be an acceptable version of
Christianity. American-style fundamentalism is not considered to be
compatible with what they consider to be Christian values of tolerance and
kindness.
>Needless to say, I'm in favour of dis-establishing the Church of England
>(and so are a majority of people according to a recent poll), but the issue
>is mostly symbolic.
Good luck. It may only be symbolic, but a state religion in today's diverse
world is a bad idea.
Susan
----------
For if there is a sin against life, it consists not so much in despairing
of life as in hoping for another and in eluding the implacable grandeur of
this one.
--Albert Camus
http://www.telepath.com/susanb/
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