Maggie's Farm

This is the problem of the "post-Westphalian State" era that so many on the Left are so eager and happy to bring in... it will restart wars of religion of a sort that was left back in the 17th century. Of course it would help if the US and some other Nations actually upheld this concept when fighting wars and winning: any government that comes up afterwards must adhere to the 1648 Peace.

Apparently we have advanced beyond that and have nothing to put in its place. Reworking our entire outlook to support that would be difficult, but nowhere near as bad as the 15-20% dead that happened during the 30 years war in Europe. Now, picture that on a global scale. We forget that DIME does not pay the toll to entry to civilization, and we will end up paying much, much more to get that one basic understanding back in the modern world. More on that here:

http://ajacksonian.blogspot.com/2007/07/dime-does-not-pay-toll.html

Retriever - You are welcome!

One of the most important things we forget is that religion tries to fit in and adapt to locale... the concept of 'culturally insensitive religion' and 'evangalizing' do not go well together and get very few converts. America did face the exact same problem with Islam before, way back when in the Antebellum era, where discrimination and non-acceptance were similarly practiced against Christianity. The solution was via missionary work in hospitals and schools that were open to all believers of all faiths, and discriminated against none. The very first colleges in places like Turkey and Egypt were put down by American religious institutions.

This idea of having an open society towards religion without discrimination because of it, and freedom to do as one pleases with their life was something the US demonstrated by having such people go forward. Not from the government, but on their own. The only time any need for government help arose was for hostage takings and the such... we seem to have lost our way as a society and civilization with that.

The strength of American belief is not in its singularity, but its diversity and acceptance towards all that are similarly open. The common civic community was the strength of the US in the 18th and 19th century and the power of that society was not in guns nor troops, but in Americans doing what they thought best to make the world a better place. Some few died for that... and they stepped into the cauldron knowing they risked all. That movement towards common, civil society has gotten sidetracked and stopped in this modern era, and without it that door that was locked in 1648 now unlocks again.

I do not like that in this modern world as the concept is true horror of old with modern means. It would cost to step up to that door and press it shut once more... and it will cost far, far more in not doing that for generations will pay for this easy disdain of that power of religion returned in warfare. Perhaps we are too "civilized" for our own good on that score.