American Bible-Thumper Travels To Scandinavia, Freaks Out After Discovering How Secular They Are

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83. TomVilmer

TomVilmer

That might be correct - and I know about the first Danish constitution, who was made in 1849 - by the way - That danish King who was king when the first constitution was written - and who ended one of the oldest autocratic monarks in Europe - once also was crown prince to the Danish-Norwegian Crown - and in fact, as he was the highest leader of that crown in 1814, was rather instrumental in making our Constitution a reality in 1814 - he was even given the Norwegian crown, in 1814 in May - but had to give it up by September - when every hope of an independent Norway had been lost - to the arch-enemy Sweden... But since we already had our Constitution who made limits to what the King could do in Norway - the 91 years of same King was more easy than it could have been, if not for persons like Christian Frederik - and many others - who managed to make the constitution a possibility - and in later days - when he was a king, Christian Frederik was still hopefully about a unity between Denmark and Norway - even if he never was to see the day, he always had good memories from the time when he was regent in Norway - on behalf of the Danish Crown.... Norway and Denmark had after all over 400 years under the same crown.. As a danish king, Christian Frederik had to change with the times - and even if wanted to reform the country - he often had to put the brakes on - mostly because he also had to compete with the nobility, who often was problematic working with - and the whole government - as he kind of was not the strongest willed king in the world - and some of his advisor's was more busy making their own bed, rather than fixing others bed... And had not much interest in making sure progress was made for everyone... Even as Denmark was one of the poorest countries in Europe by the mid 1800s - and many had to emigrate, either to Sweden, or to America - as the population in Denmark was rising - and pe pole was not able to live on the land they had been for centuries anymore... And where many, if not most was rather poor - the situation was problematic to say it least - and Denmark was maybe hit harder than many of the other nordic countries, mostly becomes they still had a strong nobility, who had no interest whats so ever in shange... And it was not until 1849, after a decade of problems, and even revolutions, as the summer of 1840-48 had been troublesome, where millions of poor people suddenly had awaken - and turned against their masters - in that climate - the first danish constitution was made - more as a result of panic than of anything else... But for the first time in centuries - it was made boundaries for the Kings powers - and most of the legal power was made in Folketinget - who in turn was responsible for making laws and so one..


After 1000 years, all of the Scandinavian countries is if anything cultural christians - the culture is baked into all form of laws - and maybe even how people thinks - even for the ones who have no real interest in religion whats so ever...
You would always find the ones, who want to challenge the "others" - and if you read some of the blog - or for that different statements around current cases in newspapers, you should believe Denmark, Sweden and Norway was on the brink of being invaded by the muslims - and Sharia installed as the only legal source... With all the consequences that would end in.... I think most of it - is rubbish - and because people is afraid of change - and afraid of anything they do not know...

I know Denmark is small - even compared to Norway - Denmark is tiny - but it is always nice to visit Denmark, it is alarmist like being home abroad - even if the language can be little difficult to understand, specially when in the south of Jutland.. And many danish mistake Norwegian for being swedish - something that make for some interesting problems now and then.... And I guess Norway have the same issue - as we are a small country - our leaders is kind of close to the ones they govern - something that make possible for a more direct approach to democracy - I'm not sure it is many places in the world, you could bump into the prime minister - when they are out walking.... Or for that matter - our king and queen - I had the pleasure of doing that once - and the king was a nice fellow, rather down to earth when you think about it.. our queen a little stiff - but okay in her way.. But I think she is a nice lady, if you get to know here better.. She look like it.. Our late king Olav V, cemented in a way the trust between King and subjects - when he was shown taking the tram as a regular man - instead of being driven around in a car - and when he after the discovery was asked if he was afraid of being assassinated - he answered as just our late king could do it "Why should I be afraid of that - I have 4.5 million bodyguards around me, I do not se any needs for a bodyguard when I am out on my own" - That is a statement about the trust between the King and his subjects..

We also have a few religious nuts around - but no one of them is in any danger of changing the government - that is the big different between some who might have the possibility of changing anything - and someone who might state things as they see it - but who have never any chance of changing anything... Let them have their meeing about how horrible the world is, and why they have the need to burn a holy Book... I found it just childish - as everyone would know - it would infuriate the muslims more than anything else... Even religous Fundies in US have yet to burn the Quran - even if they had treated repeately to do it...

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