6th August 2011
“Europe's enlightenment may have put an end to the sort of formal theocracy in which popes commanded armies and kings ruled by divine right. But in a messy mixture of ways the authority of church and state has remained intertwined across Europe.”
August 6th, 2011 at 6:55
At least most of the citizens can’t muster a give-a-hoot about going to church.
August 6th, 2011 at 6:56
Three cheers for apathy. yayy
August 6th, 2011 at 9:37
I think this may go for countries like Italy and Poland, but certainly not in my country of The Netherlands.
August 6th, 2011 at 9:40
Some believe that a certain “wiggle room” – a kind of flexibility to cope with circumstances that don’t suit them – should be built into all systems. There’s too much “wiggle room” in the interface between state and superstition (aka churches) and it’s taken advantage of.
All organisations of special interest groups, which churches certainly are, should be subject to the same rules and scrutiny within a state.
August 6th, 2011 at 16:29
I haven’t traveled much but the mix seems a whole lot less pervasive in Europe than here in the states and for that I’m envious.
August 6th, 2011 at 17:11
Ireland used to be terrible for this sort of thing, but it seems to be recovering. I wonder why?
August 6th, 2011 at 17:11
From the states, where we have far less separation than a “plain text” reading of the first amendment would require (i.e.; the justices seem to put “a” before the word “religion”, in other words, if it is general – prayer in congress by a BUNCH of denominations, “In God We Trust”, “so help me God”, etc – it’s OK, just not an establishment of A religion) I must comment on something that I know of the German separation, even though ministers are paid by the government.
I do love the fact that in Germany a religious wedding has no standing within the state – one must also go through a civil ceremony.
August 6th, 2011 at 17:44
Jeff: I didn’t know that about weddings in Germany. I think that’s the way it should be.