Being irreligious and antireligious are two completely different things, and I believe that being antireligious -- actively disrespecting and trying to invalidate the tenets that many hold dearly -- is not at all a feature of liberalism. It is a feature of bigotry. Questioning someones religious beliefs is completely valid; only by having our principles challenged do we figure out what we really believe. But questioning someones religious tenets is different from being dismissive or flippant about them. I believe that the liberal mindset, which asserts that we need to strive for equal treatment of marginalized groups, like women, the LGBT community, and certain racial groups, is the key to our societys social success. Within the liberal mindset, there should always be a level of respect and deference to peoples religious beliefs. If we recognize that people are largely products of the way in which they are raised, and if someone is raised in a faith-based environment, what right do we have to rebuke their religious faith?
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 06:25:50 +0000