America : Islam and the problems of liberal democracy

![CDATA[The main theme running through our chapter is that, while liberal governments such as that of the United States claim to favour the separation of church and state, governments constantly intervene to regulate religions in multicultural societies, precisely because religious beliefs and practices create problems, real and perceived, of governance.' For instance, states often intervene in the domestic space to protect the interests of children in interfaith marriages or in unpopular religious communities.' In New York State in zon, legislation was passed to recognize gay marriages, and yet state governments have regularly intervened to control the practice of polygamy, for example among the Fundamentalist Church of)esus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.' The state intervenes to regulate the employment and practice of chaplains in prisons and in the military.4 In France, the state has banned the wearing of the veil in public spaces. Therefore, in modern societies, there is widespread 'management of religions' by the state.']]