New Aestheism movements

[MMI]

Seems to me, Thorne is OK with religion so long as he doesn't have to take part, and so long as it isn't established as part of government. I can understand that. Why should shops be forced to shut on Sundays to keep "the Lord's Day holy"?

But there again, why should laws be passed that ignore a substantial proportion (in USA a majority, I believe) of people's beliefs, for example, that Sunday is a holy day?

Or, again, why should people be allowed to buy guns when the only purpose for doing so is to kill? Or forbidden from doing so? People's belief that they should be allowed to bear arms is merely a belief, nothing more.

Government must be based on something more substantial than belief, mustn't it ... but how?

[Thorne]

Seems to me, Thorne is OK with religion so long as he doesn't have to take part, and so long as it isn't established as part of government. I can understand that.

Thanks, MMI. That's pretty much my point.

why should laws be passed that ignore a substantial proportion (in USA a majority, I believe) of people's beliefs, for example, that Sunday is a holy day?

No one is asking them to ignore their holy days. No one will force them to open their own businesses, or shop in those stores which are open. I would even go so far as to have the government prohibit businesses from punishing those who refuse to work for religious reasons, whether their holy day is Sunday, or Saturday, or Friday.

People's belief that they should be allowed to bear arms is merely a belief, nothing more.

Except that this one has been established in the US Constitution.

[thir]

Seems to me, Thorne is OK with religion so long as he doesn't have to take part, and so long as it isn't established as part of government. I can understand that. Why should shops be forced to shut on Sundays to keep "the Lord's Day holy"?

But there again, why should laws be passed that ignore a substantial proportion (in USA a majority, I believe) of people's beliefs, for example, that Sunday is a holy day?

Or, again, why should people be allowed to buy guns when the only purpose for doing so is to kill? Or forbidden from doing so? People's belief that they should be allowed to bear arms is merely a belief, nothing more.

Government must be based on something more substantial than belief, mustn't it ... but how?

A very big question, a thread in itself: how can you make democracy work? What does it mean? Whose ideas should prevail? Is it simply majority? Then what about minorities?