In order to arrive at a more peaceful and equitable place in our society, we must divorce ourselves from the notion that we are authorities on the faith traditions of others and as such are entitled to prescribe how they must interpret them in order to be welcomed. The diversity within religious traditions is just as important to the pluralistic fabric of America as the diversity of religious traditions. Carving up our Muslim compatriots into categories that fit our idea of what they should be isn’t going to get us there. This is what New Atheists dont get. Old Atheists do understand this; we have always stood for freedom of conscience, and shown this by supporting those oppressed for their convictions. Yes, an atheists place is alongside persecuted theists, for if we join the oppressors, we have already betrayed the First Amendment we rely on invoking. I much prefer the company of thinking theists to New Atheists. If you dont think you need to respect the humanity of the religious because you dont respect their religious conclusions, if you do not stand up for others freedom of religion as much as your freedom from religion, than you are part of the hypocritical thought-police, and you should unfriend me if you cant take being called out on such ignorant arrogance publicly.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 19:26:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015