Slowly working my way toward being the preeminent^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h loudest SG atheist, I may as well go on about it a bit.
I was at a small party this past weekend, just a few friends, and one of my friends (I shall name her Mina), who happens to be the sister of my best friend (let's say Jack), brought one of her friends (Alice). Mina, knowing my personal beliefs pretty well, decides to egg me on by telling me that Alice is a Catholic.
To be honest, I don't really care. Outspoken as I am about my beliefs, I draw the line at starting the argument because someone else has different beliefs. However, Jack jumps in at that point, being reasonably educated on the subject (and having me for backup whenever he needs the hard facts or logic), to just start giving Alice shit. Alice is a good sport, and knows the type of people we are (read: mean), so doesn't get offended or take it personally. It was actually fairly pleasant, and I hope she didn't feel uncomfortable when I'd counter her points with contradictory facts or Biblical quotes.
But she did say one thing that I wanted to expand on, for those who don't already know the answer. Her point was essentially that religion may or may not be true, but that for some people it's the only thing that works in their lives and she can't understand why we would want to take that away.
Of course I have the same instinctive urge as all people to want other people to believe the same things I believe. That's why we turn up our noses at people who think Justin Timberlake is the new John Lennon and privately, or not so privately, question their intelligence. However, I've come to recognize that urge for what it is and to keep it in check.
I don't want to take people's beliefs away from them. They can believe whatever crazy shit they want, that's fine.
What I want is to remove said crazy shit from public discourse. When the world is taking steps to run itself based on reason, I'll be happy. At no point, and this is very important, at no point should anyone be banned from being peacefully religious. All I ask is that those who are religious be unable to request special treatment or allowances from the government on the grounds that their faith somehow privileges them to any form of valuable insight. Churches are taxed, Christian scientists (or others who refuse medical treatment in favor of prayer) with dying children are tried for manslaughter, and World Religions becomes a mandatory course in public schools.
Yeah, that's right. People need to know about all the religions out there, and it needs to start soon. Whatever conclusions they draw are up to them, but the class is simply a factual and critical examination of the beliefs of each religion, not a lesson in how to be an adherent. There's simply no excuse for not knowing.
But I'm off topic.
Somehow, atheists have been branded with this straw man argument that we want and expect to remove all religion from the world. Of course not. Christopher Hitchens said it best when he said that religion will persist until we lose our fear of death and the dark. The ultimate goal is to separate it from the administration of society. Religion should have no part in deciding how we live our lives, only how its adherents live their lives. If you don't believe in divorce, don't get divorced. If you don't believe in abortion, don't get one. If you don't believe in blood transfusions, refuse it. But don't try to force other people to do the same.
That includes your children. Those choices are theirs to make.
The reason that we seem to attack religion as a whole is rather simple when you understand our goal. If the presumptions that faith is inherently good, that religion is the center of our moral understanding, that somehow it's more humble to believe that an all-powerful Creator specifically created the universe tailored to our needs and cares deeply for each and every one of us are allowed to persist, then the grasp of religion can never be loosened.
I'll help you take off your chains, but I won't rob you of them. All I ask is that you recognize that they are chains. If you would remain so fettered, then to your fetters I leave you. If you would apply your restraints to others, you have my undying enmity.
I was at a small party this past weekend, just a few friends, and one of my friends (I shall name her Mina), who happens to be the sister of my best friend (let's say Jack), brought one of her friends (Alice). Mina, knowing my personal beliefs pretty well, decides to egg me on by telling me that Alice is a Catholic.
To be honest, I don't really care. Outspoken as I am about my beliefs, I draw the line at starting the argument because someone else has different beliefs. However, Jack jumps in at that point, being reasonably educated on the subject (and having me for backup whenever he needs the hard facts or logic), to just start giving Alice shit. Alice is a good sport, and knows the type of people we are (read: mean), so doesn't get offended or take it personally. It was actually fairly pleasant, and I hope she didn't feel uncomfortable when I'd counter her points with contradictory facts or Biblical quotes.
But she did say one thing that I wanted to expand on, for those who don't already know the answer. Her point was essentially that religion may or may not be true, but that for some people it's the only thing that works in their lives and she can't understand why we would want to take that away.
Of course I have the same instinctive urge as all people to want other people to believe the same things I believe. That's why we turn up our noses at people who think Justin Timberlake is the new John Lennon and privately, or not so privately, question their intelligence. However, I've come to recognize that urge for what it is and to keep it in check.
I don't want to take people's beliefs away from them. They can believe whatever crazy shit they want, that's fine.
What I want is to remove said crazy shit from public discourse. When the world is taking steps to run itself based on reason, I'll be happy. At no point, and this is very important, at no point should anyone be banned from being peacefully religious. All I ask is that those who are religious be unable to request special treatment or allowances from the government on the grounds that their faith somehow privileges them to any form of valuable insight. Churches are taxed, Christian scientists (or others who refuse medical treatment in favor of prayer) with dying children are tried for manslaughter, and World Religions becomes a mandatory course in public schools.
Yeah, that's right. People need to know about all the religions out there, and it needs to start soon. Whatever conclusions they draw are up to them, but the class is simply a factual and critical examination of the beliefs of each religion, not a lesson in how to be an adherent. There's simply no excuse for not knowing.
But I'm off topic.
Somehow, atheists have been branded with this straw man argument that we want and expect to remove all religion from the world. Of course not. Christopher Hitchens said it best when he said that religion will persist until we lose our fear of death and the dark. The ultimate goal is to separate it from the administration of society. Religion should have no part in deciding how we live our lives, only how its adherents live their lives. If you don't believe in divorce, don't get divorced. If you don't believe in abortion, don't get one. If you don't believe in blood transfusions, refuse it. But don't try to force other people to do the same.
That includes your children. Those choices are theirs to make.
The reason that we seem to attack religion as a whole is rather simple when you understand our goal. If the presumptions that faith is inherently good, that religion is the center of our moral understanding, that somehow it's more humble to believe that an all-powerful Creator specifically created the universe tailored to our needs and cares deeply for each and every one of us are allowed to persist, then the grasp of religion can never be loosened.
I'll help you take off your chains, but I won't rob you of them. All I ask is that you recognize that they are chains. If you would remain so fettered, then to your fetters I leave you. If you would apply your restraints to others, you have my undying enmity.