With the current display in Iran, might this be a good teaching moment about Church and State?

[usregimechange]

Separation that is. Conservatives here might even agree in so much as it is not their religion being discussed.

[Buck Laser]

1. I don't think so.We shouldn't decide what other nations do about stuff like this.

[usregimechange]

9. We wouldn't be deciding we would be teaching

[timeforpeace]

2. Of course it is. But because it's Islam that rules, it's not discussed much.

Islam seems to be off limits for criticism.

[JDPriestly]

3. Thanks for mentioning this. Remember that Iran is the country of Bahai

as well as Islam. Yet the Islamists govern as if theirs was the only religion. I'm not sure that there are any Bahais left in Iran.

[timeforpeace]

7. Thanks for that. Religion (Islam) rules this country.

Other religions may have some influence secondarily through the beliefs of their leaders, but Islam runs the entire show in Iran. To equate it to Christian influence in the US is absurd and let's Islam off the hook. Maybe that's the goal. Even in this thread you can't get any criticism.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Regardless how this ends, a Jeffersonian Style democracy ain't in the cards

sorry.

In fact, bet my sweet potatoes that the US government will not be too happy with it.

[Ron Green]

5. There's never really a separation of Church and State. I mean, look at the U.S., where the Church is

the Almighty Dollar (with the altar supplied by Nike, Disney and McDonald's.) There's not much separation here, why should there be anywhere else?

[timeforpeace]

8. Islam rules Iran. The dollar is not a church. There is separation everywhere except Iran.

[usregimechange]

10. Because we have maintained much of it, although I agree not enough, Iran has none

[mitchum]

6. Good luck with that; christianity is special and different...

even though it's not

[LatteLibertine]

11. IMO anything that teaches people

to unquestioningly obey is not good. Nationalism can be as blinding as religion. Tyrants can not rule without stooges to do their bidding. Tyrants also need a weak population that is willing to tolerate their wrong doing.

Authority ought to be measured and questioned, not automatically accepted. When those in positions of power violate the trust and humanity of the people they surrender said authority.