Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.
Display:
As far as I'm concerned, I don't care that people are religious, or go to church, whether for values, social life, mataphysical solace or other. It's their life.

The problem is when they start saying that you have to be part of their community, or else be labelled deviant or enemy or traitor or something similar. Proselytism comes there, but so do claims that people cannot really have ethics without faith, and so do claims to get involved in political life.

I'll say it again - I want the absolutes of religion outside of the life of the city, because they inevitably bring 'ends justify the means' principles.

The question is not whether we respect their choices. It's whether religious people respect ours, and do not treat us as inferior beings.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 02:21:51 PM EST
I think from a French perspective there is also the issue of not recognizing a community smaller than the State or an identity smaller then the Nation. And while there may be good reasons why the State or the Nation may not wish to recognize smaller communities as political agents, that doesn't mean that those communities don't exist in the eyes of the people who are within and outside them, nor that they don't have sociological and political effects.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Dec 30th, 2007 at 02:38:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
This is the reason why we used to have a state-run church (we abolished it in 2000 I think). Which also had the nice effect of making everyone detest organized religion.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
by Starvid on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 03:46:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Jerome a Paris:
The question is not whether we respect their choices. It's whether religious people respect ours, and do not treat us as inferior beings.

I think it's more that religious thinking is a kind of process, and it can be co-opted in either progressive or reactionary directions.

Or to put it another way - wouldn't you rather they were on your side than not?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Dec 31st, 2007 at 01:59:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:

Occasional Series