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The taboo around criticising religious beliefs
Former Member
Posts: 1,875,648 The Mix Honorary Guru
Does this worry anyone else? Basically the idea that religious beliefs are somehow deserving of being held in a higher regard than any other beliefs that aren't based on evidence? Why is it seen as important to respect someone's beliefs that homosexual acts are evil, yet not important to respect someone's beliefs that Elvis is still alive, or that they were abducted by aliens?
I've been reading a bit of Sam Harris lately, and he makes the claim that the reluctance to criticise religious beliefs of moderates (which they are usually not going to infringe upon anyone else), helps more fundamental versions of these beliefs spread unopposed, resulting in laws banning things like stem cell research or abortion, without any logical debate being required to take place. What is everyone elses opinion on this, and if you agree with him, what do we do to combat it? Is the political correctness around criticising peoples religious beliefs allowing fundamental versions of these beliefs to spread? It seems that the only people willing to criticise certain religious beliefs (certain aspects of the muslim faith, for example) are bigots and people with equally fundamental beliefs of another religious persuasion. And the fact that the sensible majority are considerate enough to try and not cause offence means that we are scared to raise our concerns about particular religious beliefs, simply because we know that the majority of people who follow that particular religion are actually good people.
Any thoughts?
I've been reading a bit of Sam Harris lately, and he makes the claim that the reluctance to criticise religious beliefs of moderates (which they are usually not going to infringe upon anyone else), helps more fundamental versions of these beliefs spread unopposed, resulting in laws banning things like stem cell research or abortion, without any logical debate being required to take place. What is everyone elses opinion on this, and if you agree with him, what do we do to combat it? Is the political correctness around criticising peoples religious beliefs allowing fundamental versions of these beliefs to spread? It seems that the only people willing to criticise certain religious beliefs (certain aspects of the muslim faith, for example) are bigots and people with equally fundamental beliefs of another religious persuasion. And the fact that the sensible majority are considerate enough to try and not cause offence means that we are scared to raise our concerns about particular religious beliefs, simply because we know that the majority of people who follow that particular religion are actually good people.
Any thoughts?
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Comments
http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=109253
but I know what you're saying. It's seen as racism now if it's criticism of Islam (a particular criticism being the lack of rights / independence for women) in this country. In America, there are places you'd be stupid to criticise Christianity or even doubt it because they're so fundamentalist. Of course, criticism of judaism is always going to called anti-semitic because there are a lot of very sensitive people.
In moderation though, the educated masses normally don't normally attatch so much a taboo. But I know where you're coming from, we do live in a very sensitive climate. I mean, that pupil who tried to wear a hijab to school then got asked to remove it, then took it to court contesting her human rights just wreaks of overreaction. 'We are the opressed!' People need to stop feeling like victims and learn to have a bit of tolerance for norms in society. Some people I think go out of their way just to push boundaries, non conformists I think they're called.
Seems to me that the Catholic Church can be against abortion, homosexuality, contraception, etc, without having to give any reasons beyond "it's against our religion." And some people seem to believe that this is deserving of our respect because it's a religious belief. I guess on a more general point, the very idea of respecting someone's beliefs or opinions is ridiculous, because we all only really respect their opinions if we think their reasons for holding this opinion are valid and logical. But there does seem to be a taboo about speaking up against illogical beliefs, when their basis is religion. If secular adoption agencies would've tried to discriminate against homosexual couples, for example, they would've been forced to logically explain their reasons for this practice, and if these reasons weren't good enough, almost everyone would've been against them. Whereas the Catholic adoption agencies can simply say "we believe it's wrong" and loads of people support their "right to practice their religion." That's what I'm getting at.
When they affect everyone else though? Like stem cell research, abortion laws or discrimination? It's not so much asking people to justify their religious beliefs, just that in the world of logical, political debate, religious views should hold absolutely no water if they are not justified with reasons (which by definition, they aren't). This is more of an issue in America that Europe, of course, but you've still got a situation in this country where the unelected CofE are able to vote on issues, and there's even talk of reforming the Lords to include "leaders" of other faiths too.
What has any of this got to do with a taboo about criticising religions?
In addition to that this government is trying to introduce new legislation further restricting what can be said about religion.
People are allowed, or demand to be allowed special dispensation to do (or refuse to do) certain things even if they are part of their job because of their religious beliefs.
Does religion gets special treatment? Of course it does. Is it justified that it does? The hell it is.
Religion is evil and religious people are evil. End of story.
But they don't. That's the point.
We live in a democracy where we all get a say. Don't like their views? Argue against them...
Why not? It's just a viewpoint.
Care to expand on your theory or are you just swanning in again, dropping explosive statements without any substantiation and then fucking off again? You haven't even started the 'story' so how can you 'end of of'?
and the right to having your religious views can affect other things like, who has more right to not be discriminated against, a religious person whose religion doesnt like gays, or the gay person?
flying spagetti monster is the only true god anyway
Excuse me?
Well why can't they have a right to practice their religion?
Freedom of expression should be total. If religious societies want to speak foul of gays, then so be it.
No, don't think that I will.
Any chance you can actually offer more than a single line. Like I said before it's trollish behaviour...
Your comment "Religion is evil and religious people are evil. End of story." needs back up. Wju is religion eveil? Why are religious people evil? How can it be the "end of story" when others will have opposing views to yours?
freedom of peaceful expression is fine ie verbally, but in regards to pracitce that is different, if someone's religion meant human sacrifice of members... would that be allowed, probably not - expression and practice are 2 seperate ideas, the free of expression conversesly allows people to criticise you in any way they like, apart from slander of course...
You mean you know every single religious person in the world? Or are you basing this on what you've seen on TV?:rolleyes: I happen to know a very religious person (Jew) and I can certainly say that he's not evil...
If you're going to say something like this, then at least explain why.
Relgious belief is based on the holy book, what more justification do you want?
For the record, I'm religious myself.
yes.
maybe you don't know him well enough.
Well slander should be legalised. It's a legitimate part of free expression.
How old are you?
I quite agree. Personally I hate the Buddhists... damn robe wearing bastards, all about the peace and harmony; never done anything to anyone... makes me sick.
:rolleyes:
I've know him for just under 4 years...
You really do talk rubbish and need to back up what you're saying - especially when it's something like this.
Typicall trollish behaviour. Yawn.
We let these things such as racism and prejadice get in the way of real problems. We gotta push past these for now and work on getting our planet back to normal.
Any who the main question here is are these people ready to delve into the unknown? Ask your self a question, what created evelution? then aske what created that.
It is with in the same respects of god and everything in this universe. We all have a begining and we all have an end. What trully lies beyond the transmisions of the known universe is solid or liqued? What is nothing? I read Christiphor Hitchens "God is not great. How religion poisens every thing" He is even un able to looke past the fact that evelution is a theory, as is god, or the belief of singularity. It is realy hard to comprehend such facts especialy if you have thought of a godless world or world in wich god exsist. The biggist problem is that we fallow arcane docterine that realy has no use in our time. Imagine if abortions where impossible? the world would be over populated.
A study shows that after the legalization of a aborition in the united states after 30 years crime rate went down. Now some acount this to te fact that meth came to replace the major use of cociane and that our police force became more organized but the fact is there was less homless raised on the streets doing what they can to survive type's. Its a harsh reality for some but it is reality no less. Religion has poisend everything and unless some one other than athiest stand up. We will surely fall to our own destrcutions
but then the justification is "that God said so" because that is how they read their holy book, and that is their [blind?] faith, therefore it is right!
now, we might argue that isn't sufficient justification
I agree though, everyone should justify their beliefs (religious or not), at the least recognise the factors, influences that these beliefs are based on, test them, be prepared to change them, have them challenged, reshape them and so on, but for this to be done in a tollerant way.
in your opinion
there is some debate about this in most religions!
We only have hearsay, old wives' tales and the authors' word that they were really inspired by a god.