Phil Zuckerman Deadline

American sociologist Phil Zuckerman discusses religion and secularism in Denmark.

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News & Politics

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• Zuckerman
• Deadline
• Denmark
• Atheism

[oldman946]

I love how at the end he brings up democracy as a value in opposition to religion. Since when was religion a contradicting value to democracy? And he meantions it as if that's a fact not even worthy of discussion. I thought that was a point that he needed to defend a lot more than the topic of the debate...

[pzuckerm]

Democracy is not a system ever articulated in the foundational holy texts of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.

Can religion exist alongside of democracy? Depends. Weak religion -- yes. Strong religion -- no, because strong, fundamentalist religion always leads to theocracies...

[pzuckerm]

My characterization of what it means to be Christian in America goes too far here in this interview. Millions of American Christians fight for social justice, gay rights, women's rights, racial harmony, etc. and millions oppose bogus wars and find guns antithetical to their Christian values.There are millions of American Christians who base their faith on the ethics of Jesus -- to them, my apologies for painting with too broad of a mis-characterization.

- Phil Zuckerman

[zosky7]

let it be said very loudly and very very clearly that the country of jesus, our dear nation, where the most fervent in their religion are preaching the destruction of america by god and the punishment of the secular by this same god via events like the hurricane and 9/11, is not the most socially advantageous country. The countries that are the most secular do indeed have lower crime rates and are more compassionate to the poor among them by setting up good social infrastructure than us.

[ButterflyStorms]

Also, even here, just beyond the reaches of the USA people are being directed what to read and who to vote for by their religious leaders and, one person in particular, was tightly roped in by his faith and, in many things, not allowed to think for himself.

[ButterflyStorms]

I knew a woman at work who just hates Scandinavia because they're "not christian". Being of part Danish and part Norwegian heritage I found this rather an ugly hatred. Also, being Atheist didn't help my getting along with this inane woman. Too bad there are many like her.

[tomestubbs]

@oldman946 What debate? Religion by its nature particularly organized religion is totalitarian-tyrannical in nature, run from the top down much like corporations. Leaders in a Theocracy speak on behalf of a God (sometimes plus money) and corporations speak on behalf of the bottom line (money).

[Skogen14]

John Paul Jackson - The Perfect Storm. Check it out. USA is going down, why? exactly because people fade away from god.

[nondescriptman]

@pzuckerm yes but those are the moderates... the ones who pick and choose which values in christianity they agree with. The ones who ignore anything in the bible that goes against their personal values. Those people fight for social justice, gay rights..etc despite being christians. Those people would do so even if they weren't christians.

So I would say; quite the contrary! Your depiction of american christians was a most acurate one!

[finalstagemetal]

//// love how at the end he brings up democracy as a value in opposition to religion.////

That's not what he said or what he was referring to. He was referring to Muslims moving to Denmark coming from a tradition where democracy and free speech are not the norm. He also spoke of the cartoons, which was something of a crises for secular democratic values (ie. free speech) vs. theocratic bullying and religious threats of violence.

[JRBendixen]

Erm, religion is mostly based on interpretations of barbaric texts by unelected morons.

In short "you cannot argue with god".

I hope you get the point. Otherwise I´m inclined to think you are to stupid to understand the simplest of arguments.

[nef2442]

the motion picture was not invented until the 19th century. So for 2 centuries American's did not have an identity? Talk about rewriting history.

The first Klan was assembled by Confederate veterans in 1865, and the US Goverment immediately enacted laws against this hate group. In 1870 and 1871 the federal government passed the Force Acts, which were used to prosecute Klan crimes. Prosecution and enforcement suppressed Klan activity.