Some believe that people of faith are naïve simpletons and not real thinkers. Bill Maher chuckles, you could almost hear him thinking, “The poor devils, how foolish they are to believe in God and Creation in today’s day and age.” See his “documentary” movie, Religulous (2008).
This is a false dichotomy: People of Faith are simple-minded, naïve, non-rational “Believers”; while Atheists/Agnostics, i.e., anyone questioning faith, are smart, intelligent, well informed “Doubters.” The fact is, there are and have been many highly educated, critically-minded, and intelligent people of faith throughout the centuries. Faith and belief, or the lack thereof, is not a matter of education and intelligence, or the lack thereof.
But Bill Maher makes a statement in his documentary that I believe is more to the point. He says that he seriously believes that religion is detrimental to the progress of humanity. Now that's his real point!
In actuality, both camps believe the other to be “detrimental to the progress of humanity.” The one side says, “This nation is going to hell in a hand basket and it’s because of irreligious liberals who have taken prayer out of our schools, are allowing the abortion of our children, are encouraging gay marriage,” and so on. And the other side says, “This nation is being hijacked by religious fanatics and we’re in danger of losing our freedoms to the control of ignorant, closed minded, intolerant bigots cramming religion down our throats.” So, which is it?
Notice that a common denominator is the fear undergirding these sentiments, including frustration, anger, and resentment. Neither side seems able to tolerate the other. Each side greatly fears the other side’s growing power and ability to influence this nation’s direction, especially when it comes to winning electoral seats in the House and/or Senate. Both camps fear the loss of their own particular idea of personal rights and freedoms because of “the other side.” And it would seem that each camp defines its principles of morality and justice differently.
Breaking it down a bit further, on the one side, conservative Christians seem to fear the following (I’m not necessarily saying that these fears are justified I’m just saying that this is what I think I see, hear, and observe from the right):
Many Christians seem to have a growing fear that they will somehow begin to lose the freedom to share and express their faith openly and safely. The worry is that preachers may someday wake up to find that they are unable to freely preach, teach, and promote the tenants and beliefs of the Christian faith without being censored or accused of being hate-mongers and bigots, and criminally prosecuted for delivering “hate speech.” Some would say that this is already the case.
Many Christians fear the loss of Christianity’s influence in our culture and society in general. The one time Nominal Christian cultural context no longer prevails. Christians can no longer assume that the average person on the street has a general knowledge of Biblical content, its worldview, moral themes, and its stories of God encounters and its redemptive message. They see Christian values, principles, and ethics losing ground, no longer appreciated, let alone respected.
Christians also seem to have a growing fear that this nation will go so far down the road in unbelief that they will eventually become marginalized and perhaps even persecuted because of their faith, finding it more difficult to simply live, practice, and expound their faith in God, Christ, and His cross.
And so, many Christians fear for this nation’s safety and security in light of God’s justice. The worry is that God will bring judgment upon this nation because of its ungodly ways.
However, on the other side, Secular Humanistic Liberal Progressives (a catch-all phrase) seem to fear the following:
They seem to fear an unfair and unjust, and therefore oppressive, imposition of religious (Christian) rule and norms upon all, dictating lifestyle, values, and behavior upon believers and nonbelievers alike. The ongoing debate over gay marriage, abortion, and stem cell research are primary examples justifying this fear.
They seem to fear that Christians have an unfair advantage and will exercise their power and influence to control people of other faiths, beliefs, and convictions, including people with no faith at all.
And they fear the influence of Christianity within our schools, government offices, and other public institutions with respect to content, substance, and teaching that sways the practical outcomes of this nation’s policies and direction, which in their minds leads to Ignorant and outdated policies and practices based on religious faith rather than on scientific knowledge and rational input and know-how.
But now, let’s complicate matters even more. Enter in the debate over the decision to build an Islamic Cultural Center & Mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. Now we have a different set of anxiety and fears, even more intense. And what’s at the heart of it? Religion and religious faith is at the core, but from which side? Has anyone noticed that this particular debate over Ground Zero and the Islamic Cultural Center is NOT between Secular Unbelieving Liberal Agnostics on the one side and Conservative Christian People of Faith on the other? It seems to me that what’s really undergirding this debate and fueling its passion is the historical tension that has existed for centuries between two powerful world-dominating Faiths, Christianity and Islam….
To be continued.
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