Yay for Christians
After the recent religious discussion, I thought an alternate view might be worthwhile.
I was reading an article recently on the kidnapping and murder of Hindus in predominantly Muslim Pakistan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6367773.stm
And it occurred to me that modern Catholic and Protestant Christians are really, really good at tolerance of non-Christian minorities, compared to just about any other majority group. Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia treat non-Muslims as second class citizens (when they aren't shooting or jailing them for violating Muslim religious customs). Shiite Muslim Iran is hardly better. Hindu-dominant areas of India abuse Muslims, while Muslim-dominant areas do the same in reverse.
Israel is less vicious, but still very non-secular by US standards, with different rules applying to different religious groups. (Jewish religious institutions receive state support. Ultra-orthodox Jews don't have to serve in the army. There's no non-religious marriage).
And officially atheist countries like China and the former Soviet bloc have horrible track records of banning, spying on, and punishing religious groups (Notably Chinese Christians and the Falun Gong).
For all of my lifetime, Christendom* has been the best place in the world for religious freedom. Not to say perfect, but not bad, and generally better than the rest.
*Europe, North and South America, Australia, etc. Japan's good too - Yay Shintoists
I was reading an article recently on the kidnapping and murder of Hindus in predominantly Muslim Pakistan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6367773.stm
And it occurred to me that modern Catholic and Protestant Christians are really, really good at tolerance of non-Christian minorities, compared to just about any other majority group. Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia treat non-Muslims as second class citizens (when they aren't shooting or jailing them for violating Muslim religious customs). Shiite Muslim Iran is hardly better. Hindu-dominant areas of India abuse Muslims, while Muslim-dominant areas do the same in reverse.
Israel is less vicious, but still very non-secular by US standards, with different rules applying to different religious groups. (Jewish religious institutions receive state support. Ultra-orthodox Jews don't have to serve in the army. There's no non-religious marriage).
And officially atheist countries like China and the former Soviet bloc have horrible track records of banning, spying on, and punishing religious groups (Notably Chinese Christians and the Falun Gong).
For all of my lifetime, Christendom* has been the best place in the world for religious freedom. Not to say perfect, but not bad, and generally better than the rest.
*Europe, North and South America, Australia, etc. Japan's good too - Yay Shintoists