The 'official' religion status of a country

[IdleRich]

Someone saw pictures on my socials of all the people here for the Pope and they said "I thought Portugal was a secular country?" - and it struck me that, for one thing, I didn't know if Portugal was a secular country or not, but more than that, I realised I didn't really know what it would mean if Portugal were a secular country. I believe that a country can have a majority in a particular religion without it meaning that that religion is official so there is more to it than that.

Also I know that some countries have an official religion (or more than one) and some countries don't, but if a country has no official religion does that make it secular or is there involved to make a country officially secular? I know that many countries have a separation of church and state, but does that mean that they are secular, or is it possible for a country to have an official religion but still separate it from the state?


I remember when we went to Morocco they told us that Islam is the official religion and so if you are born there you are Muslim by default, which is quite interesting as, that might lead you to think that Morocco is aggressively or intrusively religious, but as far as I could tell Morocco does not feel like that at all. But is this defaulting to the official religion something that is necessary or sufficient for the religion to count as official... or is it neither?


in short, my understanding of this is patchy and confused and adds up to very little.

please someone, change that for me.

 

[Clinamenic]

Yeah I think even if there is separation of church and state, IE if a state is constitutionally secular, it can still arguably be a de facto theocracy if the culture predominately favors a certain religion. But even that would be less extreme than a constitutional theocracy.

 

[IdleRich]

But is that the definition of a secular state, is it as simple as that, one with a separation of church and state?

 

[sufi]

But is that the definition of a secular state, is it as simple as that, one with a separation of church and state?

Blue = States with no state religion
Red = States with state religion

 

[IdleRich]

I suppose I'm asking (least) two questions...

One is, can you have a state that has an official state religion but also a separation of church and state? And if so is that secular or what?

The second is, suppose you have a state that simply has no preferred religion, is that called secular or does it need to go further? It feels to me that there could be a sort of analogy to people - a state which just makes no mention of religion feels like an agnostic person whereas one that goes further and specifically says it is secular is more like an atheist.

 

[IdleRich]

.. can you have a state that has an official state religion but also a separation of church and state? And if so is that secular or what?

In fact, looking at your map, UK is red meaning it has a state religion or Church of England, but there is also a separation of church and state so is the UK secular or not?

 

[sufi]

I suppose I'm asking (least) two questions...

One is, can you have a state that has an official state religion but also a separation of church and state? And if so is that secular or what?

The second is, suppose you have a state that simply has no preferred religion, is that called secular or does it need to go further? It feels to me that there could be a sort of analogy to people - a state which just makes no mention of religion feels like an agnostic person whereas one that goes further and specifically says it is secular is more like an atheist.

welcome to Beirut

Politics of Lebanon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mixed_biscuits]

The ungodliest most secular part of British society, the corporate sector, has seized upon Woke as its own religion. Does this mean Woke is the work of the devil, who already had a head start in that sphere, or is Woke divine, with God turning over the tables in the temple but doing so in a more subterfugal way than his famous scion Jesus did?

 

[Mr. Tea]

In fact, looking at your map, UK is red meaning it has a state religion or Church of England, but there is also a separation of church and state so is the UK secular or not?

Depends how you use the word, I guess. In practice we're extremely secular, although we're one of only two countries (Iran being the other) where clergy have an automatic right to sit in parliament.

Lords Spiritual - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[WashYourHands]

The ungodliest most secular part of British society, the corporate sector, has seized upon Woke as its own religion. Does this mean Woke is the work of the devil, who already had a head start in that sphere, or is Woke divine, with God turning over the tables in the temple but doing so in a more subterfugal way than his famous scion Jesus did?

you fuckin what mate

 

[WashYourHands]

 

[sufi]

The ungodliest most secular part of British society, the corporate sector, has seized upon Woke as its own religion. Does this mean Woke is the work of the devil, who already had a head start in that sphere, or is Woke divine, with God turning over the tables in the temple but doing so in a more subterfugal way than his famous scion Jesus did?

i went to buy a computer accessory today and instead of talking about his stash of thinkpads the geezer launched into anti-vax, comparing it to the holocaust, saying farage is opening people's eyes, that ULEZ/LTNs are like concentration camps etc, and people need to wake up, so i asked him like what like "Woke", and he said yes exactly

 

[Mr. Tea]

i went to buy a computer accessory today and instead of talking about his stash of thinkpads the geezer launched into anti-vax, comparing it to the holocaust, saying farage is opening people's eyes, that ULEZ/LTNs are like concentration camps etc, and people need to wake up, so i asked him like what like "Woke", and he said yes exactly

So HMGovt has moved on from electric bicycles and now sells computers?

 

[wild greens]

Watching a Tony Bennett documentary here on BBC2. And old archive clip

"The American reluctance to endure a moment's silence..."

Thats the yank religion right there. Hats off