Reply #39: A very illogical statement [View All]

[youngred]

Humanity has not advanced to your level of atheistic logic that would allow for a "full frontal assault on religion." Any 'Christian' Conservative reading that statement would see it as further evidence that you hate them because of their religion and are out to persecute them. What we're seeing is the last group to feel victimized in this country. The white Christians are saying to themselves, the blacks, women, gays etc got to feel like they were being persecuted, now it's our turn. The only problem is they have much larger numbers (as majorities are wont to have) and so their voice is heard exponentially louder. Do I think they swung the election, not at all. But they and many in power think they did, so now they have de facto more power than they did before.

I completely disagree that religion is always an impediment to liberal, progressive and tolerant values. Early Christianity spread most quickly among women in the first few Centuries after Christ's death, largely because it offered an equality not seen anywhere else in the world at that time. Islam in it's first few centuries was likewise very liberal leading to the first episodes of religious freedom (Jews and Christians were allowed to live in peace and Jews were held in great esteem as God's people and Jesus a revered prophet) and stimulated a golden age of science in the Muslim world. Religious convictions drove the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Ghandi to the great messages of peace and justice they are known for. Religion CAN be a positive force for good, too often though it is abused. It must be taken back by the liberal faithful though