If there’s one way to get my hump
in a twist it’s to tell me "...don't judge people who believe in
God.", as though they are due some special exemption from criticism and
derision. .
What exactly does that even mean? That we shouldn't pass judgment on Pat Robertson, Rev. Hagee, Joel Osteen and his wife, or Ray "Banana Boy" Comfort, and their ilk who spread hate and lies and steal from the religiously afflicted - unencumbered by either a conscience or reality?
Nor should we judge those who kill abortion doctors in the name of their man-god; or those who decree that gays are not full citizens due equal rights because the bible says they should be killed? That we shouldn't judge those who want this to be called a "Christian Nation"; reject the “separation of church and state” as some kind of liberal ploy; and who would deny the full rights of atheists?
Or shall we ignore those who demand Creationism be foisted on the young instead of the scientific reality of evolutionary theory? Or those who kill apostates in the name of their god? Or those who let their children die from curable disease by withholding medical science, preferring prayer? Or those who would elevate to sainthood an old woman when in reality she was an abusive, sadistic, demented, money grubbing witch (Mother Teresa)?
What exactly does that even mean? That we shouldn't pass judgment on Pat Robertson, Rev. Hagee, Joel Osteen and his wife, or Ray "Banana Boy" Comfort, and their ilk who spread hate and lies and steal from the religiously afflicted - unencumbered by either a conscience or reality?
Nor should we judge those who kill abortion doctors in the name of their man-god; or those who decree that gays are not full citizens due equal rights because the bible says they should be killed? That we shouldn't judge those who want this to be called a "Christian Nation"; reject the “separation of church and state” as some kind of liberal ploy; and who would deny the full rights of atheists?
Or shall we ignore those who demand Creationism be foisted on the young instead of the scientific reality of evolutionary theory? Or those who kill apostates in the name of their god? Or those who let their children die from curable disease by withholding medical science, preferring prayer? Or those who would elevate to sainthood an old woman when in reality she was an abusive, sadistic, demented, money grubbing witch (Mother Teresa)?
Why the hell should we not judge people who believe in god? Why are they exempt from being judged as imbeciles, ignorant throwbacks, and sheeple who are deluded by superstition and who follow the precepts of pre-scientific bronze age nomads and 2nd century cultists if it is to the detriment of freedom, reason, equality, and scientific advancement and discovery?
This is not to imply I endorse judging people simply because of their belief (or non-belief) and nothing more. To do so is to make snap judgment, prone to mis-characterization. I have been guilty of this myself.
We must judge people based on their actions and their speech. We do it every day. If their actions trespass on the rights, freedoms and equality of others, on the intent of the founding fathers, on scientific advance, on educational advancement then their actions should be judged and judged harshly - their invoking “God's intent” or citing their book of horrors and fable doesn't insulate them from judgment. To do otherwise would be to relinquish ones right to condemn those who make this world "less' ...never mind if they believe in a God or gods or not.
To hell with those who think they are somehow above criticism / AKA being judged. It is not only our right, it’s our obligation.
8 comments:
People who say that are the worst form of tone police. They can't handle criticism so they try to shut it down.
I could not agree more with tone and content of your piece, the religious totalitarians of the three great monotheism want nothing less than the complete silencing of any criticism or examinations of their Iron Age claims of the supernatural and demand in the process the absolute destruction of rational and critical thinking. While they themselves engage in a centuries long battle over which faith tradition can be truly construed as the one true faith, supported as law in their holy books, people are dying and being killed for the so-called crime of blasphemy. The leading figures in the Abrahamic traditions condemn the killing but come up short on the question of whether religious speech can be open to criticism, here is where the totalitarian impulse is exposed, preemptive censorship and servile behavior in their other worldly claims of reality is what they are after.
A couple of weeks ago, after the Charlie Hebdo murders, both Pope Francis and Bill Donahue, President of the Catholic League, characterized the actions of the terrorists as both understandable and predictable, since you don't poke fun at the true believer. In the interviews both even hinted at justifiable. Guess regardless of your "religious stripes", all are dangerous demented individuals with views incapable of withstanding scrutiny.
Bob, gerard, TommE,
Thanks for your comments. All true and on point.
Based on conversations I've had with the religious, they genuinely believe that one's religion has to be off limits to criticism / challenge. Sort of how the rule of the school yard is one doesn't insult one's mother.
Frankly, I never had a problem insulting someone's mother either...so... ;)
I personally find it horrifying that there are politicians ( people in power ) who actually believe in virginal birth, walking on water, resurrection of the dead, etc. A person believing in that which is so obviously irrational has no business making / affecting laws. Mere criticism ? They should seek treatment that includes anti-psychotics rather than being placed in positions of influence and power.
Anon...
Unfortunately, those politicians who buy into the foolishness are either a product of their culture and thus their constituents demand that level of religious ignorance; OR they are faking it to fool their constituents.
I sometimes go to the facebook pages of politicians who are caught making outrageously misogynistic or homophobic statements. Very often, and when Southern almost always, their posting are full of Christian oriented comment, while their constituents' comments are full of prayers for him and thanks to God for his being in congress, etc.
This is America... sadly.
I so agree with you. It's unfair to say that we should judge people according to what they believe in, but rather we must refer to their actions and decisions as they're reflective on how they express or interpret what they actually have faith upon. Most of us, regardless of religion, deem the ISIS terrorisms unacceptable, albeit the differing convictions. Take for instance how the 93-year old Simone Klugman expressed her thoughts on terrorism here: http://simoneklugman.com/total-evil/
Klugman is right. Especially this:
"Fanatics are ruthlessly enforcing religious doctrines like blasphemy and apostasy. This is behavior that intelligent human beings abandoned and left behind long ago. "
That is the power of religious brainwashing.
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