Rising Religious Concerns
I’m not a political person, and I tend to avoid anything that takes sides on social and political issues. For most of my life, I’ve just gone along and done my own thing, no matter whether it was “politically correct”, socially acceptable, or considered “normal.” But in the last few years, I’m finding I have a growing concern over the religious views in this country.
One of the things I have value about America is the tolerance for many belief systems and religions. Diversity, it seems to me, has been our strength.
But in the past few years, I see diversity and religious freedom being threatened in huge ways. Keep in mind religious freedom also means we have the right NOT to believe in God(s), fairies, dragons, trolls, and boogie men. Yet, a good number of people in this country seem to feel that religious freedom means that they have the right to push their views on others, insert their belief systems and rituals into our schools, and rule the country through a religious government.
I have remained happily polignorant, until now. The fact that our money has printed on it, “In God We Trust” has always bothered me, and now I see this lament being thrown at me everywhere I turn. That line on money has never made sense, even in Biblical terms. Factor in that there are many Gods (not in reality but created by people throughout history), and many religions. So, which God is it we are supposed to trust our money to? And just what does trusting God with spending have to do with anything?
And don’t get me start concerning, “One nation under God.” Here we go again, only now God is picking sides, favoring one country over another, some football team over another, and it goes on and on depending on who says they are right, and that’s . . . well, everyone!
Feed your faith, go to church, pray to your God(s), but keep that religion out of government and schools! While Bush was ranting that God was behind his decision in this obnoxious war, schools in various parts of the country are having children pray before and after basketball games, discriminating against those who are not of the Christian faith. I’m tired of this insanity, and I’m tired of the rights of everyone who is not Christian being threatened.
So, now, after all these years of not taking political sides, of not being sucked into people’s viewpoints and political tirades, I have to step up and start shouting for religious and non-religious freedom, to remind everyone that church and state must remain separate, that prayer has no place in our schools. Teach what you will at home, but leave schooling to academics. Give me the facts, and only the facts, Mam!
Recently, I have been delighted to find several organizations, clubs, and groups that have these same concerns and are finding ways to protest this intrusion of our rights:
American Humanist Association
Council for Secular Humanism
American Atheists
Atheists of Silicon Valley
In addition, I have a group in Second Life, where I combine Humanism and Secular Buddhism, hoping to help people become free thinkers. I don’t agree with all of Buddhism, but I value the teachings the Buddha myth gave on how to go about getting to know our own minds, to think objectively, to be non-judgmental and compassionate towards all living things. Humanism focuses on ethics and people’s rights.
It used to be that I just ignored the religious views of others, but having read world history and how religious views were behind so many wars, the destruction of the Pagans, witch burnings, and the annihilation of earlier civilizations, all in the name of God, I’m finding my intolerance for certain religions growing, especially as they push and push their rituals on others.
I’m reminding myself and others that we all have the right to religious and non-religious views, and that no religion should be imposing prayer or any other ritual into our schools.
And my vote is to get those words, In God We Trust, off our money! Secularism in this country seems to be a point of confusion, in spite of the fact it’s what this country was founded on. Please listen to the video below, as Pat Condell explains well why secularism is a must and what the real definition is:
