[Emperor Scorpious II]

America has never been a nonsecular nation. Many state constitutions (though not the federal constitution) acknowledge the existence of "God" but they in no way enforce that belief on the people, nor restrict those electable to only the religious.

Some religious based laws have gotten through the secular cracks here and there through out the history of the country, but religious theocracy was never enforced broadly and across the board; and those laws that did leak through usually died out sometime afterward as the nation modernizes anyway.

If America were not a secular nation, there would be a national "Church of the United States" - and there isn't.

[Sobotnik]

Secularism is on the rise generally in the world. America is arguably more secular today than 50 years ago.

The news article recently about 1/5 Americans being non-religious is just following the trend that Europe began in the Industrial revolution. (America unfortunately had those really bizarre great awakenings which delayed things a bit.)

[PvtCupcakes]

Avanti posted:

Definitely not. This is totally obvious if you just read a few quotes from modern politicians. It's ridiculous.
Also, look at the Pledge of Allegiance. We weren't truly a secular state, even from the beginning.

the pledge wasn't made up until the 1890s. and that was without under god

[Bladezor]

I remember reading not too long ago about a few states having laws not allowing those to hold state office positions without "admitting the existence of a higher being." This went to court and ended up being thrown out as being unconstitutional, however it's still on the state books.

Edited:

Texas is a particularly interesting example. The wording is humorous.

In Article 1, Section 4, the Texas Constitution states: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being."

[EcksDee]

Sobotnik posted:

The news article recently about 1/5 Americans being non-religious is just following the trend that Europe began in the Industrial revolution. (America unfortunately had those really bizarre great awakenings which delayed things a bit.)

Correct.
However you missed a little thingamadoodle in the article.
"...found that many of the country’s 46 million religiously unaffiliated adults still see themselves as spiritual. Two-thirds say they do believe in God, more than half feel a connection with nature and the earth, and one in five say they pray every day."

[DOG-GY]

BFG9000 posted:

Just because the government contains religous people doesnt mean its not secular
No matter if the entire fucking government is christian, or muslim, or atheist, theres nothing they can do to rape the country without the people fighting back
Unless, of course, the people are politically apathetic.

Be a citizen! VOTE!

(User was banned for this post ("This is not debating" - Megafan))

voting in america is like choosing your favorite turd

you're still gonna wind up with shit.

[Sobotnik]

EcksDee posted:

Correct.
However you missed a little thingamadoodle in the article.
"...found that many of the country’s 46 million religiously unaffiliated adults still see themselves as spiritual. Two-thirds say they do believe in God, more than half feel a connection with nature and the earth, and one in five say they pray every day."

It's similar in Europe, but the main point is that they don't actively go out to church to pray and support policies based on their religious views.

Usually when somebody says "I'm not religious but spiritual" it more or less means "I'm scared of dying but can't be arsed going to church."

[(-SG-)Wearing]

What Kind Of An Idiot Believes In God

[Emperor Scorpious II]

Sobotnik posted:

It's similar in Europe, but the main point is that they don't actively go out to church to pray and support policies based on their religious views.

Usually when somebody says "I'm not religious but spiritual" it more or less means "I'm scared of dying but can't be arsed going to church."

Whether or not the society is spiritual/religious/whatever doesn't matter to the fact that religion/spirituality does not dictate the law or government, which is the base definition of a secular state, which is what America is and always has been.

[DOG-GY]

Emperor Scorpious II posted:

Whether or not the society is spiritual/religious/whatever doesn't matter to the fact that religion/spirituality does not dictate the law or government, which is the base definition of a secular state, which is what America is and always has been.

its still de facto. religion dictate's what a lot of people do in our government.

bush claims to have talked to god and been led in his presidency.