Has all decency left the entire planet?

Only if you are a complete fool cd318 . Which millions of Brits are as they dream of their days of Empire . The millions England killed to make
that Empire got no time . Same excuse is made here in US about the slave trade , not with the fact that 50% of the slaves died on their trip and were throw to the sharks ’.

Alex , you might not be able to grasp this , but for many tens of millions of people all over this planet J.S. Bach plays a SIGNIFICANT role in their religious life, and not only Christians at that .
And I will say that the pious DO get depths of meaning that the non-religious do not . Start with the cantatas and passions .

P.S . I do not mean to imply you are a fool cd318


overwine , you make a good point , but only God knows what is forgivable .As to a few , at least half the total American population is totally ignorant .

Schubert

I appreciate your passion. My comment around forgiveness was in more of an earthly manner of forgiveness- not in the absolution type. We will just need to disagree on your last point about ignorance. IMHO, Ignorance is dependent on the form of defined enlightenment. I am possibly over optimistic about the American public, but if so I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt and remain in my delusion. Thanks for the discourse. 

Got it ovinewar . But a delusion it is .

Schubert, I am not sure did you understand what I wanted to say at my first comment
I believe every word you say about Bach or his role in somebodys religous life, but that was not the point of my objection.

I have simply said, au contraire to Frogman, that I do not think that moral erosion is society is caused by lack of 'religious influences' in education. (its a paraphrase, but I guess it comes to that)

Imho, religious teachings, of any kind,(except as mentioned as part of history,art literature,music or philosophy or part of some some other subject in context)   should not be part of public education in secular society.
Also, lack of such edcation in secular state does not meen that it will sink to moral decline without it

Alex, I think that your definition of “teachings” differs from mine. I suppose that, for example, the removal of what was previously a national motto “In God We Trust” (a motto for a country which was actually founded on Judeo-Christian principles), or a simple moment of silence to let anyone pray IF he wishes can be seen by the secularists or the cynics as a form of “teaching”. I disagree. I see no point in further debate on the subject since it is obvious we disagree on what does, in fact, contribute (please note that I say contribute to,  not “caused”)  to moral decline in a society. I feel I have explained myself fairly well on that point.

**** should not be part of public education in secular society. ****

Honest question: Why not? I have explained what I think is the harm in the removal. What exactly is it you think is the harm in not removing it?