Archive for Maart 11th, 2007
Wat gebeur as ‘n land sy godsdiens versaak?
‘n Artikel in die Huffington Post vra hierdie vraag deur na Spanje te kyk. In die 1960s het sowat 95% van Spanje se jeug aangedui dat godsdiens ‘n rol in hulle lewens speel. Vandag is dit 33%. Die Katolieke kerk was geweldig invloedryk in Spanje, voordat haar invloed op verskeie gebiede uitgedaag is.
Eers het Spanje egskeiding, geboortebeperking en seksopvoeding gewettig. Daarna het die dekriminalisering van aborsie gevolg. Toe is dwelmbesit vir privaatgebruik en voorhuwelikse seks deur die samelewing aanvaar. Nog later is dobbel en prostitusie gewettig – onlangs ook gay huwelike. Die artikel wys daarop dat die kerk nog net teen genadedood kan kapsie maak – al die ander veldslae het sy verloor.
Godsdiens het tradisie geword, in die sin dat mense in katedrale trou omdat dit mooi is. Maar mense gaan nie meer kerk toe nie, luister nie meer vir die kerk nie.
‘n Resep vir chaos? Toe nie, dit gaan baie goed met Spanje.
Die artikel sluit af:
If anything, Spain proves that societies do not fall apart when they give up religion and almost everything that was illegal for religious reasons, becomes legal. Moreover I believe that if Spain had not given up on religion it would not have been the success that it is now, as the Catholic Church in Spain was deeply involved in most state activities and acted as a deterrent for progress. For those, mostly in America, who believe that religion somehow makes countries more ethical Spain proves just the opposite. With a good secular and free Kindergarten to University education system Spain has less violent crime, less people in jail and less policemen per inhabitant than mostly religious USA. The key distinction between USA and Spain, or Europe in general, is that while most people in Europe dislike the same activities that people in America dislike but in Europe we don´t ask that what we don´t like be illegal. Moreover in Europe more people behave ethically than in America not because they fear God. Most people behave ethically because they personally believe in doing what is right.
