Stephen Law - On demonizing religion

Thursday, May 8, 2008

On demonizing religion

Following on from my post on Romania, I want to add that, as a matter of fact, I met only one Orthodox priest while I was there, and he was a lovely chap for whom I've the greatest respect.

We stopped off at an Orthodox Church which we spotted to take a look. There turned out to be a funeral in progress, with an open casket in the back of the hearse and the priest doing his thing. Straight after, he beckoned us over and was extremely welcoming, giving us a very informative tour of his church, of which he was rightly proud (it all had to be translated via our taxi driver and host).

So let me clarify - I am not attacking religious people per se, many of whom are wonderful. Nor am I really attacking the institution of religion much (though I do argue against religious belief on the grounds that it is false, and, in some forms, dangerous).

Fact is, religions aren't all bad. Indeed, I wouldn't like to say they are more bad than good (as Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins do, for example).

True, I don't like religious homophobes and other bigots. But the reason I don't like them is that they are bigots, not that they are religious.

In fact I am as keen on defending people's right to be religious as I am to defend their right to be atheist.

Yes I am very much a defender of freedom of thought and expression, which some religious folk restrict in various ways. But then so do some atheists (e.g. Stalin).

It's really worth teasing out what we do and don't object to, in case we slip into demonizing the religious, which I think would actually be highly counterproductive. And largely unjustified.

Antireligious - HASSERS are Antireligious atheists & activists who take direct opposition to some religions in some contexts.

HASSERS 2nd Statement
(Dec '07 - Apr '08)
replaced by 'Atheist' May '08

Antireligious

HASSERS are Antireligious atheists & activists who take direct opposition to some religions in some contexts.

*****

Antireligous (wikipedia)

1. is opposition to some or all religions in some or all contexts.
   
2. People who are antireligious may see religions as dangerous, destructive, divisive, foolish, or absurd.
   
3. This opposition may be confined to
   
1. just organized mainstream religions such as Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism,
2. extend to all organized religions including cults and Satanism,
   
3. or may more generally include all forms of superstition or belief in the supernatural.

The concepts of Antireligious, Atheist and Antitheist differ.

Atheist (wikipedia)

1. the absence of belief in deities.
   
2. affirms the non existence of gods
3. rejects theism.

Antitheist (wikipedia)

1. a direct opposition to
   
1. belief in any
   
1. deities or
2. gods or
   
3. God or supernatural beings.

Activists (wikipedia)

1. Activism is intentional action or inaction
   
1. to bring about social or
   
2. political change.
   
2. This action is in support of, or opposition to,
   
1. one side of an often controversial argument.
3. Activism can be
   
1. writing letters to newspapers or politicians
2. political campaigning
3. economic activism
   
1. boycotts
   
2. preferentially patronising preferred businesses
4. rallies and street marches.
4. Activism sometimes has nothing to do with protest or confrontation
1. religious, feminist or vegetarian/vegan activists
   
1. try to persuade people to change their behavior directly
2. rather than persuade governments to change laws.
5. Transformational activism
   
1. is the idea that people need to transform on the inside as well on the outside in order to create any meaningful change in the world eg.
   
1. Peacekeeping
   
1. is a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace.
2. monitors and observes peace processes in post-conflict areas.
3. assists ex-combatants to implement signed peace agreements.
   

Notable antireligious people (wikipedia)

In 2006/7 several authors wrote about Antireligion.

1. Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion)
2. Sam Harris (End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation)
3. Daniel Dennett (Breaking the Spell)
4. Christopher Hitchens (God is not Great)

• Douglas Adams, science fiction writer.
  
• William Blake, poet, painter.
  
• George Carlin, comedian, author.
  
• Francis Crick, co-discoverer of DNA.
  
• Richard Dawkins, atheist, evolutionary biologist.
• Daniel Dennett, philosopher, scientist.
  
• Harlan Ellison, science fiction writer.
  
• Johann Hari, British atheist journalist.
  
• Sam Harris, author, scientist.
  
• Bill Hicks, comedian.
  
• Christopher Hitchens, political writer.
  
• Marilyn Manson, singer, artist.
  
• Alistair Horne, British historian.
  
• Enver Hoxha, former leader Albania.
  
• David Hume, Scottish philosopher.
  
• Aldous Huxley, philosopher, author.
  
• Thomas Jefferson, American founding father.
  
• Elton John, singer.
  
• Vladimir Lenin, religions exploit the working class.
  
• John Lennon, sang "and no religion too" in Imagine song.
  
• Karl Marx, religion is the opium of the people.
  
• Friedrich Nietzsche, anti-Christian.
  
• Michel Onfray, French philosopher.
  
• Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist.
  
• Bertrand Russell, British philosopher.
  
• Carl Sagan, Astronomer, popular science writer.
  
• Socrates, Greek philosopher.
  
• Mark Twain, American humorist, satirist, writer, lecturer.
  
• Voltaire, Gospels were fabricated, Jesus did not exist.
  
• Mao Zedong, Marxist proponent of state atheism in China.