Secularity (adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from religion.
A lot of things can be considered secular, a lot can be considered non-secular, and some can be considered both.
For example, walking can be considered a secular human activity, but in religious cultures where one can walk to a temple in prayer, religious parade, or pilgrimage, that specific walk would be non-secular because it would be connected to religion in some way(s).
A Secular Government would be a Government in which law's are made to be disconnected from religion, and equal to all, not favoring or hurting any group of people based on their religious views or absence of religious beliefs, and giving no special authority to religious groups.
Iran, for example, is a non-secular government, because its supreme leader is also its supreme religious leader.
In the United States of America, Secularism is gaining ground in government, but the connections to religion are still plenty.
The U.S.A. is not the most secular society. The European Union, is more secular in the sense that no religious references are seen in the Euro (European Union's currency), nor are they usually seen in courts, and some of the least religious nations on Earth are in Europe.
However, some European nations are still behind in the Secular race. Portugal's government, for example, is still a nation that provides perks to the Roman Catholic Church while not providing them to other religions, when the fair thing to do would be to help none.
In the United States, it is still imposed on non-believers that they carry non-secular money (not that I mind much, but I would prefer that even Uncle Sam would keep his religion to himself). Because religious people (theists) would probably dislike carrying money that said "In gods we do not trust", the obvious conclusion is always the same: the way to please all, is to keep personal choices (such as religion) private by not forcing them on everyone.
Keeping Government religious free is needed and not the same as removing the right to religion. However, our money, courts, pledges of allegiance, schools, public places in general, and all other civil procedures that any citizen may take part in, should always be free from religion, fair to all, believers or not, or in other words: Secular.
For example, walking can be considered a secular human activity, but in religious cultures where one can walk to a temple in prayer, religious parade, or pilgrimage, that specific walk would be non-secular because it would be connected to religion in some way(s).
A Secular Government would be a Government in which law's are made to be disconnected from religion, and equal to all, not favoring or hurting any group of people based on their religious views or absence of religious beliefs, and giving no special authority to religious groups.
Iran, for example, is a non-secular government, because its supreme leader is also its supreme religious leader.
In the United States of America, Secularism is gaining ground in government, but the connections to religion are still plenty.
The U.S.A. is not the most secular society. The European Union, is more secular in the sense that no religious references are seen in the Euro (European Union's currency), nor are they usually seen in courts, and some of the least religious nations on Earth are in Europe.
However, some European nations are still behind in the Secular race. Portugal's government, for example, is still a nation that provides perks to the Roman Catholic Church while not providing them to other religions, when the fair thing to do would be to help none.
In the United States, it is still imposed on non-believers that they carry non-secular money (not that I mind much, but I would prefer that even Uncle Sam would keep his religion to himself). Because religious people (theists) would probably dislike carrying money that said "In gods we do not trust", the obvious conclusion is always the same: the way to please all, is to keep personal choices (such as religion) private by not forcing them on everyone.
Keeping Government religious free is needed and not the same as removing the right to religion. However, our money, courts, pledges of allegiance, schools, public places in general, and all other civil procedures that any citizen may take part in, should always be free from religion, fair to all, believers or not, or in other words: Secular.
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Mr. Blogger, I think you need to be more open to the idea that its not all about religion. Words on a bill or coin, like many things in this world is up for interpretation. To you it may deeply offend you to be caring around some papers that have 'god' writing on them. To me, it may simply mean the being of this nation, a remembrance to how the U.S came to be. It was because of religion that are what we are. To others, they take it literally, in God they truly trust. But yes, when making important decisions in government, religion should be pushed aside. only then, all would be accounted for, those who believe and those who don't.
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