In regards to an opinion article run on Jan. 4 entitled “Religious right are not apostles of hatred,” I disagree. Robert Osburn devotes a significant piece of the article to explaining the religious ideal behind the religious rights, failing to realize that the very concept of catholic conservatism as practiced in society laughs in the face of their own religious ideals.
How much does persecuting single mothers who feel forced to seek out an abortion respect their inherent, divine worth? Why does God unconditionally accept all people, providing they’re not homosexuals? The religious right is the modern exemplification of how organized religion can too easily stray from what its ideals would teach, instead becoming the mouthpiece and blind following of closed-minded social “leaders.”
Osburn also justifies the self-righteous right by claiming that we legislate against murder because we believe it’s morally wrong, and they are merely applying their moral beliefs to these standards. The flaw with this line of thinking is that the aspect of a democracy which differentiates it from a dictatorship is that a democracy doesn’t cater to one segment of society without the rest of society’s consent.
That pesky freedom of religion clause found buried in the First Amendment should signify that just because your God says so doesn’t mean that I have to agree.
Finally, Osburn explains that individuals of Christian faiths have a different outlook because of the global persecution of followers of Christ. Using such a statement to defend religious hypocrites such as Pat Buchannan or Trent Lott would make Mother Teresa turn in her grave! While it is still wrong, I can at least understand hatred as a means of self-defense, but Judeo-Christian morality is hardly facing a dire threat in any western democracy, probably least of all in the United States.
The catch to freedom of religion is that political parties ought not exist to create a puritanical utopia of scarlet A’s and anti-gays. The religious right’s founding ideal may be love, but their practice and organizational structure exemplify hate. But you don’t have to take my word for it, just take a look at any Jesse Helms press release and you’ll see what I mean.
Andrew Poker
University of Minnesota Atheists and Humanists
Send comments to [email protected]