Why Atheists Don't like Religion in Politics and Why You Shouldn't like it Either
Practice Your Religion as You Wish but Don't Make it into Law
I catch a lot of flack for being an atheist and talking about religion. Some religious folks think I ought to just shut my mouth and let them do whatever they want to government, create whatever religious laws they feel like. They claim that atheists and non-Christians should have no input at all because they don't understand Christianity.
They simply don't comprehend why atheists, non-Christian religious people, and even many Christians object to religious rules being made into laws. They want us to just stop it. Since we aren't Christians, they feel we ought to have no say and that forcing us to follow their religious laws is OK because they think it's for our own good.
I want to try to get through to some of them. I don't know if I (or anyone else) can make them understand why we don't want their religious rules and prejudices made into laws but I'm going to give it a shot.
OK, all you Christians out there that want your religion given the force of law in America pretend with me for a moment. Pretend that there were more Muslims in America than Christians and that you were still Christian. Would you be just as fine with Muslims making Islam inspired laws that you would have no choice but to follow or break the law? Would you be OK with a requirement that women wear head coverings in public or OK with having your children taught about the Koran - as if it were the absolute truth - in public schools?
Put yourself in the place of minority and ask yourself if it would be right to force you to follow the rules of another religion. Perhaps you can see that if it isn't right to make other religions' rules into law you may be able to see why it isn't right to make your religion's rules into laws.
Chances are, I haven't gotten through, and you probably still just think I don't want Biblical creation taught in science class because I want to live an evil, immoral life. You probably still think it's OK to make laws against homosexual marriage because only your religion is right and anyone that disagrees just doesn't deserve a say. You probably still view this attempt to get through to you is an attack on Christianity and that you are being sorely persecuted by the existence of atheists and non-Christians that refuse to shut up.
Just try to imagine your religion were not in power and that a different religious group were trying to do to the law things you disagree with just as yours is doing in many peoples' eyes right now. Maybe, if you could understand, you'd stop asking us to shut up and leave you alone. After all, you aren't leaving us alone even if we do.
P.S. Nine out of ten Commandments predated the Bible and were written by ancient lawmakers. So don't claim all of our laws are rooted in Christianity or that without it, we'd all be slaughtering each other in the streets.
Sources:
Life experience
Published by Kylyssa Shay
Kylyssa Shay spent 18 years as a professional floral designer and has aquacultured marine life for fun and profit. Ms. Shay is a freelance writer, an atheist and an avid life-long learner with unusual life e... View profile
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- Ask yourself if it would be right to force you to follow the rules of another religion.
- If it isn't right to make other religions' rules into law it isn't right to make yours into law.
- Maybe, if you could understand that, you'd stop asking us to shut up and leave you alone.
23 Comments
Post a CommentGreat job, Kylyssa.
@chadd What the hell does that even mean?
keep my religion out of your government? ha. keep your government out of my religion.
how about listing theese religous laws?
last I check fornication, homosexuality,adultery,greed,hate and many other commmon practices today like getting drunk are against Christian teachings yet they are all legal umm abortion is legal, what do u want removed murder? do not steal? or is it u want gays to be married? marrige was created in the bible and defined as a man and a woman united why do you want to get married if it originated in the bible? and you hate Christianity so much? Christian values are not taught in schools, nor is the truth about creation so what is your issue? and lol about your article about athiest being hated most when history tells you that more Christians have died in the name of Jesus than any religion or race, we are the hated ones because people hate standard everyone wants to just do what they want. most politicians who claim to be Christians are not even really Christians
how about listing theese religous laws?
last I check fornication, homosexuality,adultery,greed,hate and many other commmon practices today like getting drunk are against Christian teachings yet they are all legal umm abortion is legal, what do u want removed murder? do not steal? or is it u want gays to be married? marrige was created in the bible and defined as a man and a woman united why do you want to get married if it originated in the bible? and you hate Christianity so much? Christian values are not taught in schools, nor is the truth about creation so what is your issue? and lol about your article about athiest being hated most when history tells you that more Christians have died in the name of Jesus than any religion or race, we are the hated ones because people hate standard everyone wants to just do what they want. most politicians who claim to be Christians are not even really Christians
If I am in the 49% and my side "lost," I am probably unhappy, my life might be impacted negatively, and I might argue that I cannot express my liberty to it's fullest extent. Does that mean every time my side loses a democratic vote, my constitutional rights are violated?
Of course I would have trouble accepting some of those laws, just as I have trouble accepting some of our current laws. However, that is the reality of living here. I don't get everything I want, nor does anyone else. The constitution may talk about freedom of religion, but people still have to express their belief with government and societally-determined restrictions. As far as "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness," I think that sometimes people interpret that as meaning that their personal needs trump everyone else's. And yes, I know that can happen on both sides of an issue. Also, even our increasingly relativistic society is not comfortable with total freedom to pursue "happiness."
"In a 51%-49% vote, 49% of the rights just got overshadowed." But not the rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and, as imperfectly practiced in this country, freedom of religion.
But this is a democratic republic, not a democracy. If we always went with the popular vote segregation would still exist, women wouldn't have the vote, and there might even still be slavery. The Constitution was written so that right would win over might. If a majority of the population is against women's rights, for segregation, or for slavery it certainly doesn't make that majority right. Protections are in place to prevent the majority from destroying the minority or trampling on their rights. Again, so you'd have no problem if the majority of people voted yes on a strictly religious based rule - perhaps one outlawing pork, one requiring women to cover their heads, one requiring a widowed woman to commit suicide on her deceased husband's pyre, or one requiring the brother-in-law of a widowed woman to marry her or, perhaps even one allowing people of neighboring countries to be kept as slaves - you'd have no trouble accepting those as just laws?
I guess you would have to clarify what "a religious view" actually means. I know you are an atheist, but I could argue that your beliefs are "religious-like" for lack of a better description in that you have a thought-out and defined belief system with a source of authority and process for making decisions. As far as "overshadowing" rights, unfortunately that is democracy. In a 51%-49% vote, 49% of the rights just got overshadowed.