[lbo-talk] Arguments for a Secular America

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

Curtiss:
> BUT we're not all members of the professional law community, and
> the notion that law or policy contrary to anything other than the
> original intent of the Contitution--mindless veneration--is evil
> and un-American has currency, and it's linked to the notion that
> the USA at its founding was, in some sense, an Xtian country.  And
> so we have Judge Moore and the Alabama situation.
> 
> Different day, same question: What is to be done?
> 

The concept of inoculation comes to mind.  The essence of inoculation is
to introduce non-toxic variants of a virus to the body to stimulate the
immune system's resistance to the toxic varieties.   

The same holds for religion.  My experience with a Catholic school that
operated in a fairly open-minded, liberation theology environment and
often resisted church hierarchy's attempts (including those of the
current pope and then-cardinal Wojtyla) to "tighten the screw" and adopt
a more conservative policy had a strong inoculating effect against
religion on a lot of people I met there (not to mention myself, of
course).

Following that logic, public support of Catholic schools and similar
liberal religious institutions may have inoculating effect against more
poisonous varieties.

Wojtek