Re: Protestants and non-Protestants

[A.E. Brownstein]

Marci, of course, is more than capable of speaking for herself. But I would 
think that the reference to religious "intensity of belief" that thrives in 
an environment of religious neutrality may relate to the inspiration and 
energy many  religious groups experience in a regime of religious 
voluntarism  -- where the success of faith-based congregations and 
communities depends on the personal commitment of religious individuals and 
associations and the power of their beliefs, rather than their ability to 
use the government to communicate self affirming messages or to subsidize 
their activities.


Alan Brownstein
UC Davis
At 04:33 PM 3/4/2005 -0600, you wrote:
Tom: I like the term, and I don't think it's so ugly as you suggest.
Marci: Do you think it is empirically true that, as you say, "The more the 
government is constrained to be neutral with respect to religion over the 
years, the more diversity and intensity of belief this society 
expresses"?  I suppose I might agree with the diversity point, but 
intensity I would agree with only in a very limited sense.  Thus, I think 
Tom is right about the secularizing "slippery slope," if you will (to use 
a favored phrase of our esteemed moderator).  In addition, much of the 
public square agitating is clearly a response to what are taken to be 
hostile governmental -- let's face it, mostly judicial -- rulings.

Richard Dougherty
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Tom-- Thanks very much for your thoughtful answer.  I completely agree 
with you on the first point.  As a matter of fact, I think there is very 
little likelihood that this society can be secularized by government or 
any other entity.  The more the government is constrained to be neutral 
with respect to religion over the years, the more diversity and intensity 
of belief this society expresses.  The public square (which is to be 
distinguished from government space) is filled with religious ideas, 
political activity, and lobbying.

     Thus, I view the "secularization" thesis (used to justify government 
financial and other support for religion) as a myth at best, and a cover 
for intense political activity at worst, which is why I asked for 
clarification on what you meant by artificial secularization.

Marci
Tom-- Thanks very much for your thoughtful answer.  I completely agree 
with you on the first point.  As a matter of fact, I think there is very 
little likelihood that this society can be secularized by government or 
any other entity.  The more the government is constrained to be neutral 
with respect to religion over the years, the more diversity and intensity 
of belief this society expresses.  The public square (which is to be 
distinguished from government space) is filled with religious ideas, 
political activity, and lobbying.

Thus, I view the "secularization" thesis (used to justify government 
financial and other support for religion) as a myth at best, and a cover 
for intense political activity at worst, which is why I asked for 
clarification on what you meant by artificial secularization.  Marci
(1) The belief that government is having this secularizing effect, and 
that itâ ™s a problem, is (rightly or wrongly) held by people across 
varying faiths, not just by evangelical Protestants.  (2) To ensure that 
a secular government doesnâ ™t secularize society, government can take 
steps to preserve a vigorous private sector in religion.


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