Indeed, we have an established Church which has shown openness and welcomed Jews and Muslims over the Centuries. In fact, it has shown great tolerance for Catholics as well, and sometimes even fellow protestants.
Great tolerance was shown for the Jews of Lincoln and York.
And the Tudors demonstrated great tolerance for dissent in matters of faith.
And well,we know about Medieval tolerance for the Muslim faith. Fortunately, most of Britains Muslims have only arrived recently.
The beauty of having government and religion intertwined is shown throughout British (and Scottish) history--as well as most of European History. So much so that the nascent United States was secular nation founded upon religious freedom.
As the Vicar of Bray pointed out:
In good King Charles's golden days,Alas, the US would prefer to follow the path of tolerance as shown by its European Cousins rather than that created by the founders.
When loyalty had no harm in't,
A zealous High Churchman I was,
And so I gained preferment.
To teach my flock I never missed:
Kings were by God appointed;
And they are damned who dare resist
Or touch the Lord's anointed.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.
When Royal James obtained the Throne,
And Popery grew in fashion,
The Penal Law I hooted down,
And read the Declaration;
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my constitution;
And I had been a Jesuit
But for the Revolution.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.
When William, our deliverer, came
To heal the nation's grievance,
Then I turned cat-in-pan again,
And swore to him allegiance
Old principles I did revoke,
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive obedience was a joke,
A jest was non-resistance.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.
When glorious Anne became our Queen,
The Church of England's glory,
Another face of things was seen,
And I became a Tory.
Occasional Conformist Face!
I damned such moderation;
And thought the Church in danger was
By such prevarication.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.
When George in pudding-time came o'er
And moderate men looked big, sir,
My principles I changed once more,
And so became a Whig, sir;
And thus preferment I procured
From our Faith's great Defender;
And almost every day abjured
The Pope and the Pretender.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.
The illustrious House of Hanover,
And Protestant Succession,
By these I lustily will swear
While they can keep possession
For in my faith and loyalty
I never once will falter,
But George my King shall ever be,
Except the times do alter.
And this is law I will maintain
Until my dying day, sir,
That whatsoever King shall reign,
I'll be Vicar of Bray, sir.
Once again, Laci, you're fishing for stupidity, but you're out of luck again. The Tudors were tolerant of relgious dissent--funny, that one. These days, we have a respectable record of respecting religious freedom. We also allow people to argue against such respect, so long as they don't try to enforce their doctrines on the rest of us.
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