Democracy CANNOT exist among people who are religious FANATICS. [View All]

[theophilus]

That is my theory. Iraq is doomed to fail because of the strong sectarian makeup. US democracy is founded on a separation of church/state or state/church, however you look at it. In the past, Americans have been balanced enough between religious nuts and truly religious people (they won't kill somebody for their religion although they would die for it). There has always been a healthy mix of atheists, agnostics, and opportunists. As we approach fundie critical mass, we are losing our democracy. This evangelical strain is relatively new with its talk of the Rapture, etc. These ideas are very bad for business, if your business is democracy.

You history wonks.....please weigh in. Examples, counter examples. I mean fanatical religion. I think true Muslims, Christians, whatever can have a democracy.