Jun 30 2008
“The Minimal Secular Agenda Regarding Religious Belief” by G. Stolyarov II | The Rational Argumentator
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The Minimal Secular Agenda
Regarding Religious Belief
G. Stolyarov II
Issue CLXVI - June 30, 2008
Religion has existed for as long as recorded history can document, and it will almost certainly continue to exist for the foreseeable future, although the contents of religious doctrine will evolve in accordance with changing economic and societal circumstances and developments in prevalent understandings of morality.
A reasonable secularist does not seek to wipe out religion – as this would be an impossible task that would only meet severe resistance and endanger the prospects for the humane, peaceful coexistence of all persons. Moreover, revolutionary changes in any person’s worldview are undesirable, as they uproot him from sophisticated and decently functioning understandings of moral action that can develop on the basis of a wide variety of underlying philosophical frameworks. Any changes in a person’s philosophy need to be gradual and thoroughly considered – and thus nobody concerned with maintaining the peace of human interactions should wish for an instantaneous overhaul of all religious persuasions.
Instead of fighting the religious or “de-converting” them, the reasonable secularist needs to attempt to – in the course of discussion and argumentation – reach an understanding of proper this-worldly behavior that he and the majority of religious people can at least roughly agree on. In order for this to happen, it is not necessary for religious belief to disappear. Rather, it simply needs to be expressed humanely and tolerantly.
The following is a list of expectations that the secularist should be able to reasonably make on all religious persons. Many religious persons, in fact, already adhere to these points and thus should not be actively opposed in the expression and practice of their beliefs.
The Minimal Secular Agenda Regarding Religious Belief (MSARRB)
To ensure the peaceful and harmonious coexistence of all individuals, all persons of religious persuasions should voluntarily adopt the following understandings.
1. A recognition that it is possible for non-religious people to behave morally and to behave just as morally, if not more so, as any religious person.
2. A renunciation of all coercive apparatuses – governmental or private – for the imposition of religious beliefs and practices on those who do not wish to receive them.
3. A renunciation of all coercive apparatuses – governmental or private – for the suppression of non-religious beliefs and practices.
4. A renunciation of support for coercively obtained funding for religious or religiously affiliated institutions.
5. A renunciation of any religious criteria for the holding of leadership positions in public office or in private businesses which have no direct relation to religious or philosophical activity.
6. A recognition that lifestyles and behaviors which are objectionable on a solely religious basis can only be legitimately countered by private, non-coercive efforts and not through the use of governmental or private coercive power.
The adoption of the MSARRB will greatly de-escalate the current “culture wars” and facilitate maximum freedom for both the religious and the non-religious. Moreover, it will enable more civil, tolerant, and respectful interactions among individuals of a wide variety of philosophical persuasions.
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G. Stolyarov II is a science fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, contributor to Enter Stage Right, Le Quebecois Libre, Rebirth of Reason, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Senior Writer for The Liberal Institute, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, a magazine championing the principles of reason, rights, and progress. Mr. Stolyarov’s works have been published on GrasstopsUSA.com. He also posts his articles on Helium.com and Associated Content to assist the spread of rational ideas. His newest science fiction novel is Eden against the Colossus. His latest non-fiction treatise is A Rational Cosmology. His most recent play is Implied Consent. You can also view his YouTube Videos. Mr. Stolyarov can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@yahoo.com.
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