Re: Is religion antithetical to democracy [formerly: Are Islam and Democracy Incompatible?]

In my initial post under this thread, I failed to mention the reseach I am doing (for 
the last 18
months or so) at the Library of Congress, which is the impact of Christianity on 
Chinese culture
during the 16th,17th, and early 18th centuries -- from a Chinese point of view.  For 
this purpose,
I have read perhaps 200 books so far.  Still, I find posts in response to mine 
refreshing and
perceptive; I thank you.  This post is added on the assumption that many readers may 
not be aware
of a Chinese emperor (Kang hsi)'s change of heart from tolerance to the following, in 
1721
(original in Chinese in the emperor's own writing, translation is from Paul Rule's 
"Kung-tzu or
Confucius?" (1986), p 145; words in parentheses are added by me for clarification)

On reading this proclamation [from the pope, prohibiting Chinese Christians from 
paying respects to
Confucius], I can only conclude that the Westerners are small minded.  How can they 
talk about the
great ideas of China? No Westerners [who presented themselves on behalf of the pope] 
understands
Chinese books, and when they discuss them, our people find many of their remarks 
ridiculous.  Now I
have seen the Legation's proclamation, and it is just the same as Buddhist and Taoist 
heresies and
superstitutions.  I have never seen such nonsense as this.  Henceforth no Westerner 
may propagate
his [missionaries at that time, all Catholics, were invariably male] religion in 
China.  It should
be prohibited in order to avoid more trouble.

>From what I read, early Christianity in Europe sought tolerance when it was in 
>infancy, and
switched to tactics to dominate once it had a footing.  Its followers tried to 
replicate this
strategy in China, not realizing that a footing, while firm in Europe with the 
conversion of an
emperor and such, may be infirm when that strategy is transplanted to a culture with a 
longer and
readily verifiable history, but of which its followers have no knowledge, as suggested 
in the above
quotation.

I also find the following, among others, very much worth repeating:

> > It depends on the religion.  If the goal of the religion is to convert
> > all mankind, as Fundimental Christianity is, then yes.  If on the
> > other hand, the religion is very live and let live, ...,
> > then no.
> >
> > Democracy as it exists in the USA says tolerate all religions. However
> > a basic conflict arises when the religion in question says - do not
> > tolerate other religions.

David Li