Religion: Under attack in US?
Friday, August 24, 2007
I was reading an article of people's responses on whether or not faith was under attack in the US. As a small side note I must point out the disturbing fact of the geographical separation of ideas. Not surprisingly, the southern part of the United States produced some of the most illogical and close-minded views toward faith. Specifically, I want to scream every time I read or hear how this country was founded on Christan faith and we are suppressing that today. For those that think this....it is so far from being correct, we have passed the line labeled ignorant. In fact, history will show you a the exact opposite. Apparently history is not a subject taught much in the south (except the Civil War over and over and over again). Amanda Akridge of Macon, Georgia shows just this ignorance..
"I believe our country was founded on Christianity and now we live in an anti-Christian country. Morals, faith, and family values have been pushed aside for materialism and "what feels good" antics. We can give freedom to other religions to worship; but prayer and any talks of Christ have been taken out of our schools. I say this because I am a teacher and it is heartbreaking to see what our children go through due to the lack of faith that America was founded upon. I do not have any pictures of how I worship -- I just close my eyes and pray wherever I am and as often as I can."
I know that anyone reading this post will assume my criticism comes more from my tainted view based in science and less from a logical, well-thought out view on religion. While much of my opinion is based upon scientific evidence, most of my view comes from the wrongness of organized religion and the acts committed in the name of God. In addition, much of my opinion is based upon case after case of hypocrisy that is somehow ignored time and time again.
The point of all of this lies in one persons opinion that I feel represents exactly what I think on this subject. Not only do I not think religion is under attack in this country, I believe it needs to be attacked and clear lines separating church and state need to be defined. Paul Woodward of Tokyo, Japan writes the following,
"Faith is a wildly overrated virtue. Its results add enormously to the weight of human misery as we humans follow in blind faith, without pause for rational thought, the sacred texts written at a time when we thought we lived on a disc rather than a globe. Faith results, amongst other things, in opposition to stem cell research, the mutilation of the genitalia of infants, the desire to kill homosexuals, the oppression of women, the spread of HIV through religious opposition to the use of condoms and the justification for flying jet planes into skyscrapers. Give me a skeptical enquiring mind any day over one muddled and obscured by faith."
Faith can give some a security blanket to feel like someone is on their side each and every day. This belief is understandable. I suppose when logic disappears and righteousness takes over, we see the negative aspects of faith.
The overall point is that religion is different for everyone whether you happen to be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, non-believer or any of the the other possibilities. Specifically, faith needs to stay out of the government (policy making and/or used as a tool to define an individual), schools and should not be pushed on others. It should stay with the individual, in the private world they create.
posted by Sonya @ 8/24/2007 01:37:00 PM,
1 Comments:
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At August 24, 2007 at 2:31 PM,
Sakshi said...
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Yes. It is painful to hear such views in a country whose constitution was drafted by Agonists. ARGGGGGH.
Such a wonder piece of paper that puts down measures to keep reilgion out of politics is ruined by idiots like the commentor. And also by the right wing nutters.
As far as I know, Christianity is not under attack. Islam is. But heck.. they are all the same to me.
