Your beliefs deserve no deference
Austin Cline has posted an excellent article about the myth of atheistic intolerance, and that has led me to think about my own position on the matter. I have been accused on many occasions of being too harsh, too dismissive, and/or too mocking toward religion. One such complainant explicitly denounced my position as being that of “fundamentalist” atheism (an appellation which is self-evidently logically incoherent). Other correspondents have urged me to be less disrespectful toward their blind-faith positions.
While I have tried to direct my reproachful critique toward theism itself, rather than at individual theists (”you have a silly belief” vs. “you are a silly person”), my experience has been that religious adherents, whose very identity is linked almost inextricably to their faith, seem to be unable or unwilling to recognize that distinction.
Christianity occupies a position of power in this country, and that fact has given rise to a widespread popular consensus that Christianity should enjoy an exemption from scrutiny. Any criticism of its doctrine, any suggestion that it might be inconsistent with reality, any idea which threatens to displace “faith” from its privileged position as the defining characteristic of one’s entire worldview — these and other insinuations are virtually guaranteed to cause an immediate, swift defensive reaction. I’m intolerant, I’m disrespectful, I’m closed-minded, I’m hateful, I’m an evil fundy. The list goes on and on, and the common theme is that I should just shut up and stop criticizing religion.
Hell, no.
I will not refrain from calling religion exactly what it is: medieval, superstitious, incoherent nonsense, incompatible with reality, dreamed up by scared human beings seeking explanation and comfort, encouraged by opportunistic humans seeking to control others, and used in furtherance of all manner of evil ends (opposing science, oppressing women and gays, causing holy wars, promoting in-group/out-group divisions, killing defenseless children, cheating the gullible, and scaring people into compliance through the grotesque absurdity that is the doctrine of hell, to name just a few examples).
I do not, will not, and indeed cannot show any deference toward a belief system that seeks to undermine reason itself to make room for the acceptance of unprovable and, in many cases, downright ludicrous propositions.
You Christians know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that all other religions are full of crap. You know that Islam and Mormonism and Hinduism and all the others are complete nonsense because (1) your own doctrines say so, and (2) your rational mind is free to come to that obvious conclusion because it is not blinded by any Muslim or Mormon or Hindu dogma.
What you need to realize is that Christianity is no different. Burning bushes and wine-conjuring, donkey-stealing, fig-tree-smiting, virgin-impregnating superheroes are no more rational than flying horses and magical golden plates. Religion is both utterly absurd and ominously dangerous, and those of us who recognize this owe your ideology no deference whatsoever.
Kevin -
I must say, I’ve read your blog from afar for about 2-3 years. I’ve known you for quite a long time, though we never developed a friendship. I do not know what your opinion is of me, though i would suggest you know less about me than really required to make that judgment. Furthermore, we both probably have made the same judgments of others in our lives.
I remember some very positive things from you, and always recognized you as a scientific genius, if you will. However, though I am not as good at the hardcore science stuff as you, I have continuously questioned at which point you may have begun to develop this worldview. I have at times also had a very negative worldview and negative view of those around me, much of which is a result of events in my youth.
I wish you the best.
I do not need a response (though I likely expect one ;-).
Anonymous
8 May 08 at 1:32 pm
Anonymous,
I’m not sure how you could have been reading my blog for 2-3 years, since I started it just last June.
If you’d care to identify yourself, I’d be glad to have a conversation with you regarding my deconversion, or anything else that’s on your mind.
I disagree with your characterization that I have a “very negative worldview and negative view of those around [me]” and would ask that you support that assertion.
Kevin
8 May 08 at 11:42 pm
Sorry Kevin - time travels slower than I thought. I could have sworn it was longer. Maybe it was your old website before this (which was less of a blog maybe? more of a tech reference, bio/resume, etc.?). Correct me where I may be wrong.
“also” may be the word incorrectly inserted in that sentence in my original message as I presumed (possibly incorrectly) that you felt the same as I possibly prompting your “deconversion”.
Unfortunately, I do not feel best qualified to converse about topics such as deconversion, especially since religion is a very personal topic and each individual has different experiences with religion. I was simply just hoping to learn more (and maybe attempting to voice that through my post).
Maybe at this point something you can touch on in future posts? I see some posts categorized under “rant”…
Maybe a post that would never fall under such a category?
Regards
Anonymous
14 May 08 at 4:27 pm
Anonymous (from Evanston, IL / Northwestern University), I once again ask that you reveal your identity if you wish to have a meaningful conversation here. I admit that my curiosity is piqued.
What are you hoping “to learn more” about? I explained my deconversion here, and I’ll be glad to answer any follow-up questions you might have.
Kevin
14 May 08 at 4:43 pm
LOL, let me quote my original post:
“always recognized you as a scientific genius, if you will”
Did I expect my IP address to go blindly into cyberspace?
Anonymous
15 May 08 at 12:19 pm
I have no problem with being challenged on the claims of Christianity. I think we all need to examine our belief system and why we believe it. There is a multiplicity of scholarly research into Christianity both by believers and skeptics. I think this is awesome on both sides. I don’t want anyone to believe something without using their minds and reason.
As I said in response to your comment on my blogspot, it is so vital for conversation between worldview constructs for me to lay a foundation about what I mean when I use the word Christian because what you describe and what I am talking about when I say “Christian” are two very different things.
I do not seek to defend any religion. (See my blog Common Ground) Nor do I seek to attack any religion. For I think all people have a degree of truth in their worldview no matter their belief system. Some have more than others. Truth is what corresponds to reality. I think a part of all belief systems correspond to what is or no one would believe it at all.
How can we examine what is true or false unless we lay it out there for examination? I want to unpack beliefs from being personal truths to see if they really line up with reality for if our personal truth claims don’t measure up to reality then there is no use continuing to maintain them.
You obviously believe atheism corresponds with reality and Christianity does not. Let’s unpack that idea on both our sides to see how each contributes reasonable explanations of the world we live in.
Karla
19 Jun 08 at 1:00 pm
Okay, sounds good. I’ll direct you to one of Adam Marczyk’s excellent essays, The Necessity of Atheism, to give you an idea of why I reject the existence of deities.
Kevin
19 Jun 08 at 4:08 pm
Fantastic post! I have read dozens of atheist blogs and this is the best reply to “respect my religion” I have ever read. Hope you don’t mind me stealing your arguments when I talk to the religious nuts at work. I knew something that was made up does not automatically get respect, I respect someone’s reasons for a belief, not the belief itself, you articulated this beautifully, thanks!
mike k
19 Jul 08 at 3:10 pm
Thanks! By all means, feel free to quote me. (If you do so in writing, a link back here would be appreciated.)
Kevin
19 Jul 08 at 8:12 pm