Secularism
I've been thinking a lot about this over the last couple days. I know I'm anti-theocratic, because if one is forced into faith it's not faith at all, and thus completely pointless. Does that mean that I support complete secularism?
I don't think so.
I tend to identify with liberals most of the time, except when they act like facists (which is surprisingly often), and something I hear very often is that we should not allow our politicians to use their faith in their policy suggestions.
This would mean that I could never hold public office, since it would be impossible for me to seperate what values I hold because of my faith, and what values I would hold without my faith.
For example, I am against the death penalty. I know there is a lot of logic behind it, i.e. if done accurately it is not a deterent, it costs more than imprisoning the criminal for life, but could I say with 100% certainty that that evidence would be enough without my faith telling me that there is nothing someone can do that should not be forgiven if forgiveness is requested, and that revenge is unacceptable? No, not a chance in hell.
I've been reading "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get it" by Jim Wallis recently, and he made an interesting point that you liberals might benefit to consider: "The cure for bad theology is not secularism. The cure for bad theology is good theology."
It's those damn atheists that make this all a lot more complicated, because their religious beliefs (and yes, believing that there is no God despite there being no scientific evidence backing it up is a religious belief) are just as valid as mine, at least they should be in the eyes of the law and government. But does that mean we should act as if there is no God in the public square? That doesn't seem fair, because that would show an uneven amount of preference to their religion.
I think what we should do is remain unaffiliated as a society. We shouldn't get bent out of shape over the pointless petty stuff, like a nativity in front of a public building. Some claim it's a sign of greater discrimination, and I think it's just a bunch of people being petty. One's religion or lack thereof should not discredit them, or make them more credible. In the bible it says "Faith without works is nothing." so without the record, someone saying they're religious is completely pointless. So we should let people practice their faith, and let the petty shit slide, and look towards our politicians records to see how religious they are, not their quotes. It's alright to vote with your faith, but for God's sake, look at the record and make sure you're not being manipulated because of your faith.
I don't think so.
I tend to identify with liberals most of the time, except when they act like facists (which is surprisingly often), and something I hear very often is that we should not allow our politicians to use their faith in their policy suggestions.
This would mean that I could never hold public office, since it would be impossible for me to seperate what values I hold because of my faith, and what values I would hold without my faith.
For example, I am against the death penalty. I know there is a lot of logic behind it, i.e. if done accurately it is not a deterent, it costs more than imprisoning the criminal for life, but could I say with 100% certainty that that evidence would be enough without my faith telling me that there is nothing someone can do that should not be forgiven if forgiveness is requested, and that revenge is unacceptable? No, not a chance in hell.
I've been reading "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get it" by Jim Wallis recently, and he made an interesting point that you liberals might benefit to consider: "The cure for bad theology is not secularism. The cure for bad theology is good theology."
It's those damn atheists that make this all a lot more complicated, because their religious beliefs (and yes, believing that there is no God despite there being no scientific evidence backing it up is a religious belief) are just as valid as mine, at least they should be in the eyes of the law and government. But does that mean we should act as if there is no God in the public square? That doesn't seem fair, because that would show an uneven amount of preference to their religion.
I think what we should do is remain unaffiliated as a society. We shouldn't get bent out of shape over the pointless petty stuff, like a nativity in front of a public building. Some claim it's a sign of greater discrimination, and I think it's just a bunch of people being petty. One's religion or lack thereof should not discredit them, or make them more credible. In the bible it says "Faith without works is nothing." so without the record, someone saying they're religious is completely pointless. So we should let people practice their faith, and let the petty shit slide, and look towards our politicians records to see how religious they are, not their quotes. It's alright to vote with your faith, but for God's sake, look at the record and make sure you're not being manipulated because of your faith.
posted by Galen at 11:48 PM
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