British Prime Minister David Cameron has declared Britain to be a Christian country — something that might be a bit unsettling for almost 30 percent of people who list themselves as either having no religion or being non-Christian. The actual number of non-religious appears much higher. Indeed, as noted earlier, a majority of English citizens polled stated that they have no religion in a recent study.
Cameron is following the footsteps of his predecessor Tony Blair who recently declared atheists to be the greatest threat to the nation.
Cameron used a speech in Oxford on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible to rail against the threatened “moral collapse” of Britain from those who believe you can “do what you please”. However, he identified himself as merely a “vaguely practising” Christian. Nonetheless, he defended the incorporation of religion in politics and declared “[w]e are a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so.” Nothing vague there.
It is astonishing to see the assault on not just separation principles in England but on free speech principles (here and here). We have also seen attacks on separation principle in our own country as the West continues to toy with the incorporation of religious institutions and tenets in government (here and here and here and here).
Source: BBC
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A country founded on christian principles is one thing. Especially if you reinforce that most common religions share those principles (if they don’t I wouldnt be shocked if there is a sect of christianity that doesnt either).
But stating its a Christian country leaves out a lot of people. If I was a Christian sitting in a country that suddenly declared itself an Athiest, Muslim, Hindu, Shinto, or Jewish country etc., I would probably would start feeling less welcome. At the very least its bad for business. Even as a Christian sitting in a country that suddenly declares itself christian it could be bad if it leads to an intolerance surge. No one is expecting another Holocaust or Inquisition anywhere in Europe [or a Salem Witch Trial in the US] but even one kid gets beat up at school because a bully had to remind him he was in a christian country, his blood is on Cameron’s hands.
And Im honestly not trying to be facetious, sarcastic or anything. I just think he’s at best set himself up for some late night satire. Its good to be able to be passionate about everyone’s religion, but separation of church & state is good too.
As a Brit [and atheist], living in the US for the past eight years, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that the trend I left behind in 2003 has continued to gain strength, and the UK ceased to be a ” practicing christian country” quite some years ago.
Whilst many — usually older folk — may profess to having some religious beliefs, most are totally ambivalent and the overwhelming majority do not step inside a church except for weddings or funerals.
We are of course more than happy to be hypocritical and marry in a church [although not I], and never again set foot in one until another life-changing event. That said, many, many more people in the UK these days elect to marry without the [dubious] blessing of a church ceremony.
The UK — despite the ‘Church of England’ and the Queen’s nominal head of that organisation — the UK is a thoroughly secular nation. Oh, and Cameron is a foolish, wrong-headed man in a position way above his limited capabilities.
OBAMA said the USA is not a Christian nation, i beg to differ, almost 80% of the population claims to be Christian, practicing or not, that makes it the majority of the population, and in a “Democracy” the majority rules, if 80% of the population wants a Christmas tree in the public square then they should get one, remember the USA is the only country with out an established religion, but we are not the only democracy or Republic all of western countries have a national religion.
The reason why Cameron said that is because there is too much Islam influence in England and he is trying to slow it down, or they will be like France where the Catholic country has more mosques then churches,..