Interrogating religious beliefs is a function of respecting them. We investigate every other belief that it is possible to hold: we've investigated the shape of the earth, the positions and movements of the planets, biological diversity... every aspect of science, really. Investigation is one of the key elements of our rise as a species and as a culture, and when we find that a specific belief isn't supported by the fruits of our investigation, we leave it by the wayside until such time as new evidence supports it. That's why we don't use leeches in hospitals anymore, why we've got standardized design elements for aircraft, and so on. We've also investigated religious claims using the same method, and found them to be unsupported.
What is so disrespectful about treating religious beliefs the same as any other belief we've come across, as a species? How is it disrespect merely because some people don't like the conclusion we've come to? In what way is equality disrespect?
You know what'd be disrespectful? Giving religion special treatment, using kid gloves around this particular belief for fear of hurting the fee fees of its adherents. You want disrespectful, look to the undeserved leg up certain people want to give religion, the condescending epistemological training wheels that we're being asked to put on this particular set of beliefs because somehow religion isn't able to hack it under the same conditions as every other belief, yet "needs" to succeed anyway because its adherents would be sad to see religion in the same bin as the flat earth and phlogiston.
Don't put religion in a fucking play-pen so it won't get disturbed by the adult beliefs going about their business, and then hector me about respect.
What is so disrespectful about treating religious beliefs the same as any other belief we've come across, as a species? How is it disrespect merely because some people don't like the conclusion we've come to? In what way is equality disrespect?
You know what'd be disrespectful? Giving religion special treatment, using kid gloves around this particular belief for fear of hurting the fee fees of its adherents. You want disrespectful, look to the undeserved leg up certain people want to give religion, the condescending epistemological training wheels that we're being asked to put on this particular set of beliefs because somehow religion isn't able to hack it under the same conditions as every other belief, yet "needs" to succeed anyway because its adherents would be sad to see religion in the same bin as the flat earth and phlogiston.
Don't put religion in a fucking play-pen so it won't get disturbed by the adult beliefs going about their business, and then hector me about respect.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!