Reply #2: careful about calling Germany "secular" [View All]

[Kellanved]

It is not.
Or rather: not everywhere. The conservative party is called "Christian Democratic Union" for a reason (not that their politics were Christian, just their members).
While north/eastern states generally are pretty secular, the south-western states aren't. Especially Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, but regions in North-Rhine-Westpahila and Rhineland-Palatinate as well, are extremely religious/christian. You can find crosses at the walls of almost all class- and court rooms in those states. Even censored schoolbooks aren't totally unheard of.

But federal politics aren't totally secular either: the Government collects the taxes for the major recognized religious groups (i.e. the catholics church, the protestant churches and the central Jewish council - the missing of an Islamic organization is due to the fact that there is none that meets the requirements for being recognized.).
Schröder skipping the "so help me god" during his swearing in caused minor uproar (supported by the US ambassador, I wonder since when it's his job to criticize the faith of other governments).