Why Are You Atheists So Angry? 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless by Christina Greta

Author:Christina, Greta [Christina, Greta]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dirty Heathen Publishing
Published: 2012-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Yes, This Means You: Ecumenicalism and Interfaith

“But surely you don’t mean interfaith religion! The problem with traditional religion is how intolerant it is of other religions. But lots of believers aren’t like that! We have respect for other people’s religions! We want to understand them, and work in peace and harmony with them! When you talk about what makes atheists mad about religion… surely you don’t mean me?”

Actually — yes, I do mean you.

Among progressive and moderate religious believers, this ecumenical, interfaith, “Can’t we all just get along?” idea is a big deal. For many of these believers, being respectful of religious beliefs that are different from theirs is a central guiding principle. In this view, different religions are seen as a beautifully varied tapestry of faith: each strand with its own truths, each with its own unique perspective on God and its own unique way of worshipping him. Her. It. Them. Whatever. Respecting other people’s religious beliefs is a cornerstone of this worldview… to the point where criticizing or even questioning anyone else’s belief is seen as rude and offensive at best, bigoted and intolerant at worst.

And this ecumenical approach to religion drives me up a tree.

Why? Don’t atheists want a world where everyone’s right to their own religious views — including the right to no religious views — is universally acknowledged? Don’t we want a world with no religious wars or hatred? Don’t we want a world where a diversity of perspectives on religion is accepted and even embraced? Why would atheists have any objection to the principles of interfaith and religious ecumenicalism?

Where shall I begin? Well, for starters: It’s bullshit.

Progressive and moderate religious believers absolutely have objections to religious beliefs that are different from theirs. Serious, passionate objections. They object to the Religious Right; they object to Al Qaeda. They object to right-wing fundamentalists preaching homophobic hatred, to Muslim extremists executing women for adultery, to the Catholic Church trying to stop condom distribution for AIDS prevention in Africa, to religious extremists all over the Middle East trying to bomb each other back to the Stone Age. Etc., etc., etc. Even when they share the same nominal faith as these believers, they are appalled at the connection: they fervently reject being seen as having anything in common with them, and often go to great lengths to distance themselves from them.

And they should. I’m not saying they shouldn’t. In fact, one of my main critiques of progressive believers is that their opposition to hateful religious extremists often isn’t vehement enough.

But it’s disingenuous at best, hypocritical at worst, to say that criticism of other religious beliefs is inherently bigoted and offensive… and then make an exception for beliefs that are opposed to your own. You don’t get to speak out about how the hard-line extremists are getting Christ’s message wrong (or Mohammad’s, or Moses’, or Buddha’s, or whoever) — and then squawk about religious intolerance when others say you’re the one getting it wrong. That’s not playing fair.

And, of

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