Upon reading several recent
letters I feel compelled to defend the idea of freedom FROM religion, as
it is a crucial component of freedom OF religion. No one drives past a
church and feels 'offended' and decides that churches are an affront
to his freedom from religion. Churches are part of freedom of
religion.
What everyone does believe is that s/he has the right
to not have someone else's religion imposed upon him/her. Whatever it
is. Because s/he has his/her own. You can't have freedom of religion if
I'm constantly trying to impose MINE on you.
Does that help?
I read a comment by Ann Coulter sometime back that we (I presume, Americans) ought to convert others at gunpoint if necessary. As I tried pointing out to her at the time, not only is that a bit off from the teachings of Jesus, but what happens when you lower the gun? Of course I may have been making an invalid assumption, that she was advocating well-armed Christianity. But I often feel that a religious zealot is as scary as a psychopath. Quite possibly scarier.
ReplyDeleteI've never been able to understand Ann Coulter's appeal.
DeleteNAC and Mister O,
ReplyDeleteNothing annoys me more than someone doing the witnessing for Christ thing to me. It has always amazed me that people can be quite rational about everything in their lives - except religion.
My religion, or perhaps lack of, is very private to me and I have always feared a theocracy in America.
For years, we couldn't get GMA Sunday because some thumper had that hour blocked. You cannot buy package liquor in this state on Sunday because of religion.
Look at the turmoil in the Middle East - all over religion.
Its madness...
Kev, good post.
Bests,
Ron
I expect to see my letter printed on Monday or Tuesday. I don't expect it to change anything. ; )
DeleteI'm just part of the spirit of the planet and don't have a religion.
ReplyDeleteWho needs one, right?
Delete