What would be done in the
name of atheism?
Well atheists and
anti-theists often protest that Stalin, Mao, Jong Il, Castro, Hoxsa, etc. are
not good examples of atheism or an atheistic state. If we ignore the fact that
ever fully secularized and explicitly atheistic state has universally led to a rapid
totalitarian violent culture, we are still left with the problem of what
exactly atheists would do if they were no longer the extreme minority but where
in control. So I wanted to hear it from them.
I asked the follow question in about 5 different atheistic Facebook forums:
I asked the follow question in about 5 different atheistic Facebook forums:
For
those anti-theists who believe that religion is evil, wicked, deluded, violent,
poisons everything and to raise a child with religious beliefs is a worse form
of child abuse than sexually molesting them (aka you agree with Ditchkins and
Harris et al), if you were given the reigns of the nation, how would you change
the laws? For example, if religious education is really more damaging to a
child than sexual predation, then why would you NOT make it illegal and
punishable by lengthy prison sentences?
Some of the responses I
got were chilling. And to be honest, these were the COMMON responses (and yes
these are all direct quotes!):
1. I would make religion like alcohol and it should not be consumed
until the age of 21.
2. I would make it illegal for any public religious displays and
have all religious buildings reclaimed.
3. If people want to practice religion, they are to do it in their
own homes.
4. If a parent tries to force their religion onto their child,
their child will be removed and the parent punished just like any other form of
child abuse.
5. Religion should be a personal belief and as such should be practiced
in private, ultimately one cannot tell how a parent raises their child. No public
preaching should be allowed. Churches, temples, mosques etc should not be
exempt from paying taxes, religious studies should not be a mandatory subject
but one via choice. Religion should in no way shape or form be involved in any
politics or government legislation.
6.
They’re both equally horrible. Religion
and school dont mix what so ever. And I do think organized religion is evil,
however, the people who attend church are not. There’s a difference between
saying religion is evil, and you’re evil because you believe.
a.
I asked a follow up question: So people
should be allowed to be religious but they cannot congregate in churches
because that would be organized? He responded: Smaller non
profit is fine, mega churches are ridiculous.
7. I would also have religious studies as mandatory education in
primary school.
In this children will be taught the origins of religions and how they were made up to control primitive people and are full of myths and legends with only very small amounts of reality.
In this children will be taught the origins of religions and how they were made up to control primitive people and are full of myths and legends with only very small amounts of reality.
8.
I would first off tax the church. In fact I would back tax
them.....Secondly I would reclaim all "holy ground" and house
homeless people in them and help them get real life skills so they could
eventually be a productive member of society.....Thirdly, nothing taught in
school about creationism/Christian science
9.
I do think I would take children away from overtly theist
families like the Westboro Baptist Church and such and I would have an age
limit on the time you can attend church at all.
10. If the nation were to demand that I
define the laws regarding religion, it's gone. Churches are closed. No prayer
in public spaces. Kids get taught in school that creationism is nonsense. The
usual.
So the next time someone tries to tell you
that nothing evil is done in the name of religion or that atheism is just the
peaceful result of secularism, think again. This does not mean that all
atheists are like this but atheists should not think that it is only religion
when it gets powerful that commits atrocities.
I found this interesting. I have actually done research where I asked not just atheists but cultural progressive activist what sort of laws they would like to have to deal with the Christian right. Some of them made these sort of comments but most talked about church/state separation, religious neutrality or ending the tax exemption of churches. I do believe that they would endorse laws and rules with a disparate impact on Christians but few endorsed overt religious discrimination as these comments do. I would like to see what percentage of the comments are of such a nature and what percentage push more general ideas of church/state separation and religious neutrality. I say this as a Christian who understands the nature of anti-Christian bigotry but wants to make sure that we understand the true nature of it.
ReplyDeleteThe atheists I know would only pass laws that enforced church-state separation, and remove tax-exempt status from religions (since religion isn't keeping its nose out of politics). I've seen a few comments like those above (though I wouldn't really characterize any of them as "atrocities"---at least not on the same level as, oh, say, burning people alive), but, mostly in places like reddit where the average age is something like 15.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that you have any idea how bigoted and narrow-minded you are.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Anonymous December 5 has no idea -period. Apparently, when atheists call someone who believes in God "bigoted", they are not a bigot! So funny. I find atheism, like islam, like tyrants, like war lords, like Marfia, have NO idea how to cope with dissenting views -no idea, only shut people down, kick them out, make sure they never work in this institution, cannot have a role in Government, or kill them, punish their family - just like atheists and the mentally disturbed did ALL last century from Moscow to North Korea, Cuba to Columbian jungles. They are the only ones who think their ideas are so good guns must be used to impose their beliefs... and that's the issue.. atheists have beliefs. They have beliefs about origins, they have beliefs about the future, they have beliefs about society - they (for some unexplained reason) think their beliefs are superior to others because their belief system doesn't have God .. but a belief is what they have. They have a priesthood of truth bearers, who wear white robes, who maintain the dogma. Atheists have a belief system and no tolerance of dissenting views when they can get control and eliminate those who have a belief system that includes God. God is hated with a vehemence and they don't have a clue why. None. The obvious question becomes - how can you hate someone who is not there? Yes they love fooling themselves with word games - calling God a fairy story, make believe... buy no one hates a fairy story like they hate God. If the Bible was a fairy story why is it the only book atheists kill someone - with the same hatred as muslims - for possessing as atheists in China and Nth Korea do to this day? Where does the hate come from? Why the name calling? Thanks Anonymous December 5.
ReplyDelete