I'm openly atheist. Which means I reject all religion. Greek multi-theism is wrong because there are no gods. Christianity is wrong because there is no god. Islam is wrong because there is no god. Judaism is wrong because there is no god. Hinduism is wrong because there is no god. Native American theologies are wrong because there are no gods. Woo-woo new-age is wrong because it is not based on science and reason.
Religion is a hindrance to finding the truth, and extremists of any religion are dangerous. This has been true throughout the millennia.
Recently, there came to be a question of, should there be a difference in the way we talk about different religions. Specifically, Islam?
There are some who are sensitive to the plight of many Muslims in America who have been subject to hate and fear ("Islamaphobia"). It has been asserted that making Muslim jokes or critiques is off limits within our atheist community because it's "likening all Muslims into terrorists." The sensitivity about this extends to the fact that "it is a brown person's religion" and also therefore off-limits. There was an inference that we should only mock "our own religion." Hogwash. I have no religion. They are all targets.
A discussion arose from this meme that appeared after the Alabama forced-pregnancy law was passed.
I really like this image, but it was offensive to someone. So, I began to think deeply about this sensitive topic. It's what an atheist does! And I have a lot to say about it.
Firstly, all religions are wrong; there are no gods. All religions are dangerous because from them arise extremists. I am an equal-opportunity religion basher. The “Y’all queda” sentiment compares fundamentalist Christianity with fundamentalist Islam. Both sets of extremists have let their brethren within the religion down because they have perverted the religion to dangerous views. There is no doubt that extremist Islam -- in the form of Al-Queda and other groups -- has done harm to the world, just as the extremist Christians are doing in Alabama.
Plus it's a really clever pun!
In the United States, extremist Christians are doing damage. That's obvious. And this deserves attention and action. Extremist Christians have been harming the world for a long time, and we need to combat it. Atheists can be at the forefront of the fight.
Fundamentalist Islam has also done harm to the world. Women in Islamic communities are unequal. Extremist muslim violence is rampant. War among factions has been around also for millennia.
Even though in my view all religions are equally wrong, I will defend anyone’s right to practice whatever religion they want to until it harms others. And I'm the first to point out the good-uns who are doing right in the name of their religion, or in spite of it.
Harming a person based solely on her religion is wrong. Harming a whole group solely based on a shared belief is wrong. Unfortunately, some in the United States act out against Muslim people. This is wrong. We need to combat that.
But I will continue to reject the very premise of religion and the danger that arises therefrom. We aren’t to persecute people based on religion, we are to reject all religion.
I have issue with the idea that criticizing Islam should be off the table because it is a brown person's religion. It's a ridiculous point to even have to address, but as a rebuttal, 40% of the world's Catholics live in South America, and Africa has the fastest-growing Catholic population. Catholics are arguably the worst of the Christians in terms of harm to the world through the ages. And today, it is a brown-person's religion.
Atheists don’t persecute any groups. We’re left leaning, inclusive, and compassionate in general. But we’re also people of reason (we need a new word, like reasonist). If religion is wrong because it doesn’t help lead us to the truth, then it’s wrong. If it harms people, then it is super wrong. If it goes against human rights, then it is really hugely ultra wrong. Which is why extremist Christianity and extremist Islam are both wrong and dangerous. One isn’t more wrong simply because the skin color of a majority of followers is a certain shade.
But yes, Muslims as a group, like Jewish people, are more vulnerable to hate in today's America based on their religion because of hate and fear. And as a left-leaning, compassionate, human-rights-lover, I’m sensitive to that. However, it doesn’t make that religion any more right than any other (just as it doesn’t make it any more wrong).
We can’t erase the fact that Al-Queda arose from religious extremism and went on to harm people just as those woman-controlling idiots in Alabama and other places are using religion to harm people. Both are terrorists.
Lastly, I feel I have to address one comment from a person sensitive to Islamaphobia. She intimated that it's only fair to criticize when the religion has failed its people, or complain when a religious body has build "gold tipped domed buildings." It really seemed contradictory. Extremist Islam did fail its people and continues to do so. Al-Queda is the worst of Islam and should be condemned and mocked! It is not vilifying a whole group to vilify the worst of a group. And I will continue to speak, at the risk of offending someone.
And I wonder, does this gold-capped building qualify?
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| Done of the Rock, one of the oldest existing works of Islamic architecture. |
Stay tuned...... more about religion and politics in the next episode! Oh yay!
#Resist
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