Summary Part 1

TOWARDS A SECULAR WORLD???

Features of secular state are:

it does not have any official religion
it neither encourages nor discourages the practice of any religion
all citizens are free to propagate, profess or practice their own religion
no discrimination is made among citizens on the basis of religion

A secular state would be one that has no religious symbolism attached to its government or institutions. It would have no laws that favor religion. The system of government, both in its theory and its practice would allow all citizens to participate equally in government or choosing representatives to government regardless of whether they were theist of atheist. Decisions would be made on the basis that they did not favor religions but promoted the right to freedom of religion and freedom from religion equally.

For this summary, let us bring into conversation our reading from the assigned article and the following quotes:

“Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ’til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can’t handle money!”
– George Carlin, American stand-up comedian, actor, author, and social critic

“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.” (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)