Thank God Rep. Pete Stark of California has acknowledged that he is a Unitarian who does not believe in a Supreme Being. We nonbelievers are probably the most unjustifiably ostracized group of human beings in the United States today.
Nonbelievers are in a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” category of their own. A nonbeliever could not possibly hope to become president in this super-religious country at the present time. And in this climate of faith and fable, it would be very difficult to get elected to any other office unless the office-seeker kept his or her mouth shut and pretended to be a believer.
The truly sad result of this prejudice is that nonbelievers tend to form their own beliefs and values as a process involving personal experience and thought rather than after a weekly frenzy in a house of worship.
3 weeks ago
3 comments:
It's perhaps less than an hour ago that I heard about Rep. Stark's declaration. I must say, that I share your delight, LittleBill, even if I am not an American.
I do not know how many warm bodies there are in your Congress. Nevertheless, it has bothered me that all those well educated, successful people claim believing in God. How could this possibly be so?
Take any other grouping of similarly "equiped" people with many remarkably different views! Now, ask yourself, how realistic it is to expect every single one of them agreeing with the one and only thing, that there is a supernatural being and we all should devote our lifes to worship him (it is him, isn't it?)? This is clearly beyond any resonable doubt either a ruse or an hypocricy...or both.
One more thing, if I may. Rep. Stark, if I heard it right, represents one the most liberal constituency in America. Thus, the declaration of his might serve his political aspirations well. It might not rank quite as high as an act of selfsacrafice as those by the people during the 50's and the 60's civil rights movement. Nevertheless, this just might be the long waited and needed brake for America to rid itself from the suffocating monopoly held by the religion. Rep. Stark's contribution can't be denied and may he soon have a lot of company!
Freedom of religion must also include freedom from religion to be fair, just and democratic!
Great comment, Pekka. I always look forward to hearing from you.
Wonderful quote, Recidivist!