> If Hofstadter's analysis is right, it is the American style of "democracy"
> or rather mob populism ("Tyranny of the majority" as deTocqueville would
> later call it) that dumbed down religion rather than the other way around.
> To be sure that dumbed down religiosity had a profound dumbing down effect
> on society for the years to come - the causal chain goes in both ways - but
> it was the dumb populism that started the chain on this side of the pond.
>
good point. In Britain, as I'm sure you are aware, the Queen is head of the church and all state schools are therefore religious schools, being taught the scriptures is a part of a normal day. School started with a hymn and a prayer, but it wasn't taught with a stick as in catholic schools but just as another lesson, children of alternative beliefs were excused, other religions were discussed as they pertained to christianity. Nobody was ever asked to testify or questioned on their belief it was pretty much 'here it is take it or leave it'. We were taught about the translations and how it came to be in english before us and also about the other books that were not included. My wife on the other hand was raised a catholic and is only just getting over the guilt.
Gary? ride si sapis