Many thanks!
A prevailing theory is that this acts as a sort of an inoculation against more radical strands of religion.
Yes, I've read analysis along those lines before as well.
The fact that the church is funded by taxes probably also helps, as it makes the church more independent from the common populace. They don't need to actively collect money from people.
Good point. And they don't need to carefully tune themselves to actually attract the population either. They are insulated from "market discipline".
That doesn't help much for the situation in the United States, of course.
Agnostics and atheists united to weaken church/state separation by funding lukewarm, preferably bureacratic state religion(s). Hmm, do I have the energy to set up a web site...
One comment and one odd suggestion:
It's been mostly relegated to the position of "those nice people who provide nice traditional rituals for a few special occasions in everyone's life".
But, but...aren't they also supposed to maintain special cuisines for religious festival days too? Once the fangs are gone, I thought that that was one of the central purposes of a nominal religion... :-)
Two to be exact, one Lutheran and one Orthodox.
Perhaps the best solution to Islam is to add a third...
But, but...aren't they also supposed to maintain special cuisines for religious festival days too? Once the fangs are gone, I thought that that was one of the central purposes of a nominal religion... :-)
I found an interesting article which contains a summary of what people in the Nordic countries think are the most important functions of the church:
...This makes the Nordic position even more of a paradox. Most uncommitted or marginal Norwegian Lutherans knowingly pay to maintain an organization they do not attend terribly often and to support spokesmen
A monthly thread for posting rationality-related quotes you've seen recently (or had stored in your quotesfile for ages).