From VoiceofSanDiego.org :
Religion: Can't Touch It
By KEITH TAYLOR
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006
In 1970, futurist Alvin Toffler started his book "Brave New World" with: "In three short decades between now and the 21st century, psychologically normal people will face an abrupt collision with the world."
Well here we are, and people, including those who seem "psychologically normal," are having a little trouble with whatever collisions the brave new world is bringing us. I think they pull this off by ignoring things that run counter to what they choose to believe. And I was chagrined to learn that included me!
I was taken to task on an Internet message board for not appropriately criticizing Muslims, who were retaliating en force against a Danish cartoonist and his paper. A friend challenged me and some others with an appropriately sardonic "But mock Muslims? Why, they're non-Western Third World Persons of Color, and hence sacrosanct." He went on to suggest that we were being narrow-minded and typically left-wing in our attitudes. And he was right.
My excuse is that we have so many examples of ignoring rational freedoms, science and history here in our own backyard I hadn't found time to express my umbrage over rioting in the streets of far off lands. Some of the history our side has learned to ignore was written by a favorite of mine, Robert Ingersoll. In 1891 Ingersoll wrote about the decline of religion and the literal truth of the Bible, and I suppose its younger relative, the Koran. He said: "Christianity has declined. The Bible is no longer the inspired volume. Even theologians are taking facts into consideration …"
Brave new world or not, belief in the very things Ingersoll thought to be disappearing are still alive and kicking, especially in San Diego. In fact expression of a belief, and an absolute refusal to confront it, is a tacit requirement for election to any office, and I see a big problem there.
We hear lots of talk about America being a Christian nation. Just listen to local talk-radio hosts -- San Diego's leading protectors of the one, true faith (all 1,350 of them). It will always come up when someone objects to the cross on Mt. Soledad or the free use of Balboa Park by the Boy Scouts who refuse to allow atheists to become members.
But, "Christian nation?" The talk-show hosts ignore the fact that the only comments on religion in the Constitution are injunctions to restrict it. And if you really want to have fun, call one of them and ask him about the treaty of 1797 when John Adams -- one of those guys, who gave us this "Christian Nation" -- signed a treaty which stated, in part: "As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion …"
I worry that we're losing sight of the freedoms gained by Adams and his fellow revolutionaries.
While today's president claims we have freedom on the march, his administration shies away from the most egregious attacks on that freedom, those that come from one of the most powerful forces of them all: religion. Here's the official line from State Department Spokesman Kurtis Cooper, "These cartoons are indeed offensive to the belief of Muslims. We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression, but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable."
And let me take a dreaded liberal to task as well: According to the Times of London, Bill Clinton was afraid anti-Semitism would be replaced with anti-Islamic prejudice. He condemned "these totally outrageous cartoons against Islam." Clinton ignored the fact that valid criticism of outrages isn't prejudice.
And how about our own fiery City Attorney Mike Aguirre? He sees the political pull of religion and the need not to offend it. He had long proclaimed that further appeals on the Mt. Soledad cross conundrum -- appeals that would attempt to keep the cross where it is -- were futile. Then he joined with the new mayor and announced he would appeal again.
Let's face it folks. Believers and non-believers alike recognize that religion is the one of the most powerful forces on the face of the earth. Unfortunately believers insist we must not ever use that most effective form of criticism, satire. And, believe me, it is not restricted to non-Christian religions. I offer you the crusades, the inquisition, countless wars, book burnings child abuse, cover-up of child abuse, and slavery as examples.
And this is what our leaders want to put off limits for satire?
Keith Taylor can be reached at KRTaylorxyz@aol.com.
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