| BTW, state sponsorship of religion need not necessarily result in religious strife. State religions are still common around the world -- UK, Egypt, Israel, Switzerland (or did they recently disestablish? I recall reading something about that) and others. And non-establishment is no guarantee of lack of religious strife. China, USSR, Russia (mushy case now, of course), and the US. And sometimes that strife is between the state and the religion (China, US, Russia, Turkey). The main problem with an established religion from the narrow perspective of strife is when an established religion is not coupled with free exercise. A secondary, but significant problem, can arise from resentment of one sect when their taxes are paid to another sect and yet they still must support their own chosen sect. But these same kinds of problems arise in a non-establishment state like the US, viz., certain fundamentalist Christians view state-sponsored secular religion as establishment of non-religion (or worse); and certain groups regularly try to get federal or state funding for religious activities (bussing to parochial schools, vouchers, etc.) and others dislike their taxes being spent that way. So the strife, such as it is, can arise in both establishment and non-establishment settings. Steve -- Prof. Steven D. Jamar vox: 202-806-8017 Howard University School of Law fax: 202-806-8428 2900 Van Ness Street NW mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Washington, DC 20008 http://www.law.howard.edu/faculty/pages/jamar "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and nonviolence are as old as the hills." Gandhi |
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