Leave Reverend Pat Alone

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`Commentary Too` - Aug 22, 2010 - `Printable Version`
- Leave Reverend Pat Alone
by S.K. Eleton - Theocracy Watch

    This message is for my liberal Christian friends: I want you to cease and desist mocking, deriding, or otherwise ridiculing the Reverend Pat Robertson. It’s time for you to show him proper respect, and let him do his thing in peace, undisturbed by your hatred and anger. I realize it’s tough, because he does so leave himself open to ridicule, but, well, that’s what we have to do. We have to respect religion, and never, ever, ever make fun of it, because people believe it deeply. At least, that’s what everyone has been telling the “New” Atheists, every time they make a frontal assault on some deeply beloved Christian belief.

    What’s that you say? Reverend Pat doesn’t deserve respect, because he’s so clearly wrong? Oh, I see, that’s how it works. You get respect, Pat Robertson gets mocked, because you are right, and Pat is wrong. By whose lights? Who died and made you God, able to determine who is right and who is wrong on the subject of religion? Or is it that it’s not about “right” or “wrong”? Maybe it’s “acceptable” vs. “unacceptable”. Or “dangerous” vs. “benign”. Either way, it’s “US” vs. “THEM”. And you, my liberal/moderate friends, get to determine who is “US” and who is “THEM”. Well, I say, no more. Enough is enough. If we are going to have demands that religion be respected, then those demands should be honored by those making the demand, lest you open yourself to the charge of hypocrite.

    For the record, Pat Robertson (and Jerry Falwell Jr., James Dobson, Randall Terry, Fred Phelps, and all those others we all love to hate) think YOU’RE wrong. I think both camps are wrong, but I’m willing to be persuaded otherwise...I have given you, and the unpleasant Reverend, the right to tell me what you think, but I don’t like being told that I then can’t share with you what I think. It becomes even more galling when I observe the nastiness that you, my moderate friends, level at the less than moderate, not-so-nice representatives of the Christian right. For the record, they think you’re dangerous, and that God will bring down wrath on the country because you (and I) have our rights protected. You have a lot more in common with them than you think, even if you have a social conscience and you accept the findings of science. Both of you would silence the other, and, in the long run, both of you would silence the Atheists – them totally, you by sticking us into some religious variant of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Which wouldn’t be so bad, if it weren’t for the fact that, sooner or later, my religious friends simply can’t resist asking! Then, getting mad when I tell. No, I don’t believe in your god, or any other god. That is not bashing you, it is not making a hateful statement, and it is NOT an invitation to you to witness to me, so that you can save my eternal soul.

    I know that Pat Robertson is an unpleasant, possibly dangerously deranged and delusional man. I understand your urge to speak out against him, and I applaud it. I only request that you give others, who may not agree with you, or any other religious individual on this planet, the right to speak out in criticism of the beliefs that you hold dear. You are free to present me with your point of view, give me the evidence that supports your belief. I am willing to listen politely, but that doesn’t mean that I have to accept, or even respect, your views. I certainly cannot respect you if you persist in demanding that religion be exempt from ridicule, while yourself ridiculing all those religions you deem “unacceptable” or “wrong”.

    The most common response I get to this argument is that you’re referring to people who actually believe what they’re saying, and not just using it to get ahead. It may be that none of the leaders of the religious right actually believe what they’re telling everyone, but then again, it may not. Who can decide? There are many people out there who believe things that we think are impossible to believe, but they are legitimately believed. Sometimes, people who are sincere believers will use their believe to their own advancement. We’d like to think that isn’t true, but unfortunately, the historical evidence indicates that it is true. It is the height of hubris for you to be able to determine not only which religions are right or acceptable enough to be respected, and which are so wrong or unacceptable that they must be mocked; it adds hubris to hubris for you to determine that you are able to determine by some mysterious sensitivity who is and is not sincere about their religious beliefs.

    So, unless you are prepared to diminish your call for respect to religions, and allow open, sometimes even mocking, criticism of all religious beliefs, you should begin to practice what you preach, and leave Reverend Pat alone. Don’t worry; I’ll mock him for you, since I have no qualms about challenging religious beliefs. Only keep in mind – I might also, at some point, turn my criticisms against some doctrine you hold dear. Such is the price we pay for freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

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Commentary Too - Aug 22, 2010 - Printable Version- Leave Reverend Pat Alone by S.K. Eleton - Theocracy Watch

`Commentary Too` - Aug 22, 2010 - `Printable Version`
- Leave Reverend Pat Alone
by S.K. Eleton - Theocracy Watch