Religion: Why do we still give a damn?

[dudeness]

In one of the world's most secular societies, ministers tremble at an archbishop's words and give clergy a hand in forming policy. How odd. By Barbara Gunnell

Europe is a godless quarter of the globe and Britain the most atheistic part of it. Last year, the God-fearing Italians and Irish lost the fight to include reference to our Christian heritage in the preamble to the European constitution. Instead we will vote on our shared heritage of "humanism, equality of persons, freedom and respect for reason". Europe, that seems to say, has shrugged off the age of superstition.
snip

Atheists and agnostics, needless to say, get no such respect for their non-belief. I can demand in-flight meals for almost any religion but none that caters for my secular belief in fair trade. If I oppose religious practices that abuse women or discriminate against homosexuals I risk being accused of racism or cultural insensitivity.

http://www.newstatesman.com/nscoverstory.htm

[Skittles]

1. thanks, dudeness

I am SO sick of religion. More and more it is getting shoved in my face; this year, what with THE WAR and THE PASSION, has been particularly painful.

[Karenina]

3. Ditto!

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

[dudeness]

6. I agree also Karenina and skittles

I too, am also fed up with religious zealots of all creeds

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Sick of it shoved in my face here too!

Yesterday, hubby and I took a short trip to visit a tradeshow. On the way back I notice a HUGE billboard: "Just for Me, JESUS". That's all. No other words, phone #, etc.

How people practice spreading the word these days is going over the line, IMO. Especially when these are the same people that would gladly key my car for a bumper sticker that would be contradictory to any view they hold (including a vote Democrat or Boot Bush kind of display).

These are the same people who scream "Free Speech" for them while actively engaging in activities to silence others.

[Ookie]

2. Because religion takes the place of thinking

All you have to do is join the club and have faith. It's so much easier when you "get the memo" every Sunday. I've done a fair amount of reading about religion and how it evolves and the common thread is always the ones in power using religion to control the general populous. It's very effective, by the way. Look at today's Fundy Christians. They will vote for Bush just because he opposes gay unions. Doesn't matter that he is a dullard and a crook.....

[AZCat]

4. Nice bit here...

from the article...
<snip>
Bob Hale, professor of metaphysical philosophy at Glasgow University, describes our reluctance to challenge such daft or dangerous beliefs as creeping relativism. "There's a tendency", he says, "to assent too readily to the idea that when people disagree about religion or morals there are no objective facts; that there are only facts from this or that perspective or cultural framework, or truths-for-us and truths-for-them. So we treat such disagreements as non-negotiable and think we have to let people hang on to their beliefs. But I don't think it makes sense to treat truth as relative in that way."

If we are going to live peaceably in a multi-faith society, then tolerance of the beliefs of others will take us only so far. We have also to strengthen the secular framework of the state and ensure that no one is obliged to live according to the religious beliefs of others.
<snip>

I couldn't agree more.

[CJCRANE]

5. The reason it's hard to challenge

religious beliefs is that the more extreme followers of a religion have a habit of threatening people with violence who don't agree with them.

[dand]

8. It's a fabulous cash cow

and an easy way to control the herds the unwashed illiterates.

[LeahMira]

12. Another reason...

... ironically, is the freedom of religion we have in the U.S.

Some of the Christian sects emphasize that Christ told his followers to go and teach all nations. These Christians believe that a part of their religious freedom of expression includes the freedom to preach to "all nations" at any time and in any place. In fact, they insist that proselytizing is a requirement of Christianity and that they would be remiss if they failed to do this. They see it as a religious obligation, and see any attempt to limit their proselytizing as an infringement on their Constitutional right to freedom of religious expression.

Personally, I find the "advertising" offensive also, but it's a slippery slope. If we were to attempt to limit Christian proselytizing, Christians (who are the majority, after all) would no doubt attempt to limit the religious freedom of other groups. Consider the furor that was raised when an Islamic woman in Florida wanted the right to not be photographed for her driver's license, or the furor over the Islamic students who were excused from class and afforded a private space in the school in order to fulfill their obligation to pray during the day.

On the other hand, those of us who are non-Christian may, if the Christians push hard enough, decide to push back. The Christians may find themselves facing a backlash. I imagine many Christians are also somewhat put off by the "advertising" and uncomfortable in the fact that Jesus is being marketed in the same way as Nike sneakers. Still, someone would have to bring a case to court to challenge these displays and other practices involving "preaching to all nations," and I sincerely doubt that there's a judge in the entire country who is looking forward to deciding on that case.

I guess it's not the nicest thing to do, but whenever I run into someone who wants to shove a pamphlet into my hand or talk to me about my "eternal salvation," I laugh in their faces and, if I can think fast enough, make some smart-aleck put-down sort of remark. These people, IMO, are jackasses and should be treated as such.

[reprobate]

14. I simply tell them "I'm an adult. You should be talking to children"

[JohnOneillsMemory]

15. KEEP IT AWAY FROM CHILDREN! Not til they can defend themselves!

Just like tobacco or guns or cars or war or voting.

That's when the shit fucks up your brain, when it is forming.

No child of mine will get weened from Santa to Jehovah.

[lanlady]

9. really great piece

Says all the things I've been wanting to say. No way this would ever be published in a US newspaper.

[sophie996]

10. no longer available

it's a may 3 piece, now for sale only. what a pity.

to paraphrase Karen Armstrong in A History of God, all 3 monotheistic religions started out pretty humanistic and egalitarian but were high-jacked by the tough male supremacists.
http://www.newstatesman.com/nsqpass.php3?num=10&QryTxt=religion

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Google search still gets a direct link to it

http://www.newstatesman.com/site.php3?newTemplate=NSArticle_NS&newTop=Section:%20Front%20Page&newDisplayURN=200405030015

[struggle4progress]

11. Your link now brings up a different article:

America's gulag
http://www.newstatesman.com/nscoverstory.htm

It's worth reading.