Canada as a Secular State: Never was, Never will be
December 11, 2007 · By Aaron Unruh
How does one even begin to respond to this? In a nation founded as a joint project between Catholics and Protestants and where class has never counted for much in politics or anywhere else (see the permanently second-rate status of the NDP), workers unions are now demanding that crosses be banned from public view in response to a new set of immigrants and their “burqas, niqabs and chadors.”
The secular state? Give me a break. Let us hope that Canada will eventually muster the courage to ship both burqas and these quaint notions of a secular state back to the foreign lands from which they came.
[...] December 12, 2007 in Uncategorized Reply to the thepolitic.com, “Canada as a Secular State: Never was, Never will be“. [...]
Is secularism really the issue, or is it atheism?
Reply to the thepolitic.com, “Canada as a Secular State: Never was, Never will be”.
It seems to me that people that argue for a secular state are in fact arguing for a atheistic state. For me a secular state has always meant no one religion rules over another. That is why a country like Canada that was founded by Catholics and Protestants, has a long history of thinking of it self as ’secular’.
If people really wanted to fight this move to “secularism”, we need to start calling it what it is and that is ‘Atheism’. We need to remember that the way it is said is just as important as what we are saying. The notion that we are a “secular state” is to deeply rooted to be fought. To that end the fight is about what a “secular state” is. We have the upper hand in that fight and we should not give it away by arguing against a “secular state”.
Which is the stronger argument when dealing with people that are not very religious.
1. Canada has always been a religious country and should stay that way.
2. If Canada is truly a secular state that believes in equal rights, then people should have no need to hide their religion.
Going with the second option also allows you to move right into pointing out that what these people really want is atheism. A country devoid of any religion outside of a person’s home. I think almost everyone can see that is not the kind of country we want.
This is entirely due to anti-Muslim hysteria; crosses barely enter into it, except as collateral damage.
The moochers and takers of our society are the main proponents of the secular state. They feel that God is obsolete and should be replaced by the state. These are the same people who feet that there was no need for a father in the family and replaced his present with the state. The state provides the income and the state provides for daycare and the state provides for the disciplining the children and the state provides for …..
Secularism is a religion that assumes man is greater than God and can thus do away with Him. The spirituality of it is that there is no need for a spiritual being as long as the state is the omnipresent provider.
The problem with this is evidenced in Sweden where there is a higher rate of suicide than in non-socilaist counries There, people have a void in their life both spiritual and intellectually. Looked after from crib to grave is like living at home till you die. Where is the incentive to explore and expand your limits in the metaphysical world?
Secularism is definitely for the moochers and takers since it legitimises their living off others.
Fiumara,
Get your facts straight. The suicide rate in Sweden is barely higher (13.2/100k) than in Canada (11.6) or the US (11.0). Meanwhile Japan is at 24.0, Hong Kong 18.6, Austria 16.9, etc. Also you are confusing socialism with atheism – many countries are both socialist and religious.
Aaron,
Ship the burqas back where they came from? Disgusting. Don’t get me wrong, I think the idea is silly and unconstitutional. Canada is, by definition, a secular state:
secularism – The view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education.
However, individuals have the right to keep their faith, as far as the requirements do not conflict with Canadian law. The question is well-settled already – this is reactionary silliness.
Don’t confuse secularism with atheism. It is possible to have a religious AND secular state.