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djnemo65 · 09-23-2008, 08:53 PM

It's one thing to say religion is a personal matter and that it is condescending to judge someone else's private beliefs. Fine. But we have just lived through an 8 year administration in which religious beliefs were pushed to the forefront of not only government discourse, but government policy; in which Biblical passages were invoked to justify the loosening of environmental regulations; in which a war in the Middle East was at least supported by people who, fluent in Biblical prophecy, believe the world will end in our lifetime, and that the US must expedite this prophecy through military force; in which the United States fell behind the rest of the world in medical stem-cell technology for religious reasons; in which our President claimed to speak with God and spoke often of his relationship with Him, once saying that he "believes God wants me to be president"; in which family planning and AIDS prevention overseas was hamstrung by requirements to teach abstinence education; in which hawkish and corrupt politicians like Tom Delay claimed to know and work for the will of God.

Are all or even most religious people culpable in this? Of course not. But you have to understand the context in which this new atheistic virulence has arisen. While I question the effectiveness of the tactics of someone like Richard Dawkins or Maher, both of whom come off as incredibly condescending, we can't just ignore the climate in which they speak. Secular people feel as if they are under attack and they are pushing back.

Finally I don't get getting offended when one's faith is questioned. The truly religious people I have known in my lifetime have welcomed such challenges, and found them to only strengthen their faith. It's the people who are harboring doubts inside who take their ball and go home. From my limited life experience at least.

09-23-2008, 08:53 PM	#49
djnemo65 Playmaker Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,836	Re: Bill Maher's New Movie "Religulous" It's one thing to say religion is a personal matter and that it is condescending to judge someone else's private beliefs. Fine. But we have just lived through an 8 year administration in which religious beliefs were pushed to the forefront of not only government discourse, but government policy; in which Biblical passages were invoked to justify the loosening of environmental regulations; in which a war in the Middle East was at least supported by people who, fluent in Biblical prophecy, believe the world will end in our lifetime, and that the US must expedite this prophecy through military force; in which the United States fell behind the rest of the world in medical stem-cell technology for religious reasons; in which our President claimed to speak with God and spoke often of his relationship with Him, once saying that he "believes God wants me to be president"; in which family planning and AIDS prevention overseas was hamstrung by requirements to teach abstinence education; in which hawkish and corrupt politicians like Tom Delay claimed to know and work for the will of God. Are all or even most religious people culpable in this? Of course not. But you have to understand the context in which this new atheistic virulence has arisen. While I question the effectiveness of the tactics of someone like Richard Dawkins or Maher, both of whom come off as incredibly condescending, we can't just ignore the climate in which they speak. Secular people feel as if they are under attack and they are pushing back. Finally I don't get getting offended when one's faith is questioned. The truly religious people I have known in my lifetime have welcomed such challenges, and found them to only strengthen their faith. It's the people who are harboring doubts inside who take their ball and go home. From my limited life experience at least.