We have been slow to recognize the degree to which religious faith perpetuates man’s inhumanity to man. This is not surprising, since many of us still believe that faith is an essential component of human life. Two myths now keep faith beyond the fray of rational criticism, and they seem to foster religious extremism and religious moderation equally: (i) most of us believe that there are good things that people get from religious faith (e.g., strong communities, ethical behavior, spiritual experience) that cannot be had elsewhere; (2) many of us also believe that the terrible things that are sometimes done in the name of religion are the products not of faith per se but of our baser natures-forces like greed, hatred, and fear-for which religious beliefs are themselves the best (or even the only) remedy. Taken together, these myths seem to have granted us perfect immunity to outbreaks of reasonableness in our public discourse.
I respect the place religious faith holds in the lives of many. There are those for whom that faith (in this country, usually Christian) lends peace, meaning, and purpose to their existence; it means (to them, at least) that their time on Earth is about more than birth, living, and death. Many of these people are kind, tolerant, and accepting of those who think, believe, live, and/or love differently. They understand and celebrate the diversity of what they believe to be God’s creation and they endeavor to lead Christ-like lives that reflect their commitment to their beliefs.
Those are not the people who’ve caused me to turn my back on organized religion; I wish there were more of them to act as an effective counterbalance against those who call themselves “Christian” but couldn’t lead a Christ-like life if you handed them an instruction manual (a Bible) and a guardian angel. There are people running for President claiming with no hint of irony that God told them to run (it seems like there should be medication for that). There are those who fervently believe that the only way to “save” America is to dismantle the Constitution and install a theocracy based on Biblical teachings (which, conveniently, would mirror their own prejudices). That’s all well and good…if you want to stone adulterers or punish those who eat shellfish or wear clothes of mixed fibers. It’s also great if your religious “faith” allows you to oppress those who happen not to share your philosophy or lifestyle.
The problem is that the people who wish to create a theocracy based on Biblical law often have little if any idea what those laws are. Too often, their desire for theocracy is based on a cherry-picked theology/ideology that dovetails with their own decidedly non-Biblical hatreds and prejudices.
It’s not so great if you’re someone who happens not to profess the religion which has merged with government to become the ultimate authority. If you’re Muslim, you might not appreciate being subject to governance based on the Bible. You might REALLY not appreciate a system which treats your beliefs and perhaps- even worse- you as “less than” and an enemy of the State worthy only of destruction.
It fascinates me that so many “Christians” fear Islam as a religion of terror and consider all Muslims to be terrorists. Many of them live in mortal fear of Sharia law, though few could actually speak to what Sharia is with any knowledge or authority. Yet many of these same True Believers © would have NO problem with the idea of a system of governance based on Biblical law.
Remember, it’s only tyranny and oppression when others are doing it to you.
What the religiously inclined too often conveniently forget is that this country was founded by those fleeing religious persecution in their native England. The Founding Fathers were determined to create a durable system of governance free from religious tyranny. They knew that America could and should be a place in which “religious freedom” meant exactly that.
More than two centuries later, the words of Georges Santayana are as true as they’be ever been: “Those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it.”
