Are their diverse countries that aren’t democratic?

segasagez on December 12, 2012 at 1:52 PM

Now you want to dance around and change what you are claiming because it doen’t hold up.

sharrukin on December 12, 2012 at 2:08 PM

My statement, “Actually, the more religiously diverse a country is, the more it likely that it’s a democratic country”, was not negated by anything you’ve written. You just called it nonsense and then….nothing.

I said that the Democratic Republic of the Congo(which I’ll assume you’re referring to) is 95% Christian(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_by_country). You copied and pasted a lot of text, but none of that negates that its 95% Christian. Is your argument really that some churches don’t fully accept that people that identify as Christians are “barely” Christians? That’s a pretty weak argument.

You haven’t really produced anything of substance. You points aren’t even logically.

If Democracy is a Christian principle, why haven’t Christian countries always been democratic? Why were there ever monarchies? How does the Papacy exist at all?

I’ll bet I meet your definition of “freedom-believing”.

JimLennon on December 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM

I long for the day we call that “American” and let that be the sole criteria for warm-hearted inclusion.

beatcanvas on December 12, 2012 at 2:58 PM

Liberals like you hate America and long for the day when America is freedom-believing…. conveniently defined with the sole criterion as your utopian idea of mushy-headed inclusion. While that pastor was wrong with his Godwinning attack on you, it’s not at all surprising that an Iowa Tea Party wasn’t too interested in your liberal ideas. Conservatives think America is already freedom-believing and work to conserve that freedom.

I’ll bet I meet your definition of “freedom-believing”.

JimLennon on December 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM

I long for the day we call that “American” and let that be the sole criteria for warm-hearted inclusion.

JimLennon on December 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM

But as a Papist you’re still part of that icky Christian Club with the icky praying, and icky symbols, and that German guy with the big hat and great art work. It’s all a bit much, really.

And as a matter of fact, you earned yourself demerits for telling us you’re a Catholic, a Christian, pro-life, etc. which turns off the voters we’re trying to reach here, Jim. Being an icky gun nut might also be an issue. You know what, just say nothing. No, better yet, gather your things and hide in the closet and don’t come out till we win another election.

Thanks,

Jonah Goldberg

change is for suckers on December 12, 2012 at 2:08 PM

Actually, I was saying just what I said – people dumb enough to equate speaking about religious liberty to how Hitler rose to power are the kind of ignorant folk who think he was also a nonbeliever.

But, since you brought it up, do massacring civilians and waging war make any of the tyrannical popes and kings in European history any less “Christian” than they claimed themselves to be? No True Scotsman and all that. His claims and actions showed what he was, so I don’t get the fuss with trying to rewrite history. No one is claiming any of that led him to commit such atrocities.

And yet near universal belief in pre-Revolutionary Europe did nothing to actually produce equality before the law….

libfreeordie on December 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM

Changing human nature is a very difficult process, taking centuries or even millenniums.

Which is why progressivism is having such an easy time pushing us back to our tribal, despotic, slavery past – it’s far easier to cater to the worst aspects of human nature than to break them.

To people like me, does it feel like a Christian Club? Yes, at times, it does. Likewise, I, as a non-Christian, don’t have the right to tell you to check your beliefs at the door. On the contrary, I ought to invite you in and encourage your freedom of religion and expression. I would hope for the same respect in return. If you’re willing to die for my freedom of religion like I’m willing to die for your freedom of religion, then we’re cool.

beatcanvas on December 12, 2012 at 2:26 PM

^This.

In particular, at times and in certain groups it feels like an Evangelical Protestant Christian Club.

Please let me keep my Papist mummeries and general Roman popery, and I promise not to attempt to burn you at the stake for heresy. Even if I dispute Sola Scriptura and the premise that the Earth is only 6-10,000 years old, I am still pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, pro-school choice, anti-public sector unions, anti-tax raising, anti-deficit spending, pro-free trade, and pro-Constitution. Surely we have enough in common for us to work together to defeat the metastasizing Leftism in this country.

I may not meet your definition of “Bible-believing”, but I’ll bet I meet your definition of “freedom-believing”.

My point is, the entire concept of all people being equal, is a Christian concept that was never seen before in human history

And yet near universal belief in pre-Revolutionary Europe did nothing to actually produce equality before the law….