Standing up for Religious Freedom

Saw an item on the news this morning (Internet). It was a rally for non believers – atheists – on the Washington Mall. It was deemed successful, by whom I don’t know. But a significant number of people showed themselves to the rest of the world in a public place declaring that they do not believe in organized religion, or God, or Christ, or any other religious figure, saint or deity. 

This event was considered by some to be a major ‘outing’ of a personal view by many who do not subscribe to a religion. In this country. Prior to this I thought ‘outing’ was used to refer to a gay person stepping out of their closet into the full light of day. But I was wrong.

Seems there is a need felt by a lot of people to keep their opinions to themselves. What they believe or do in the privacy of their own homes or lives is considered private; they don’t willingly share this with others. Certainly not the general public.

Why? Because they feel they are in the minority and are nervous. Nervous of what? Of repercussions. They may be laughed at, snubbed, discriminated against, or worse, bullied, threatened or cowed by those who don’t agree with them. The majority has members who are heavy handed. There are zealots who feel the minority is dangerous or flawed. 

Those in a minority can’t help but wonder if there is some truth in the negative. “Am I flawed? Is there something wrong with me? Why are so many vocal about me in a negative way?”

Indeed. Why? Have those people walked in the shoes of the minority? Do they understand why the minority exists in the first place? Do they know how it feels to be in that position? Is the minority by definition in the wrong? Are they to be feared? Are they to be battled, destroyed, eliminated? 

Women are treated in ways that define them as being in the minority. Hard to believe when they constitute 50% of the world’s population! But you know what I mean.

Racial minorities come to mind soonest as the denigrated minority. Black. Oriental. Hispanic. Immigrant. Poor. The list goes on and on. 

We have so many names for those who are ranked lower than us. We allow ‘society’ to label people. It is an active process; a game; a human proclivity. We seem to be saying: “we must find those who are lesser than us so we can feel better about ourselves.” Is it this simple? Is it this base a behavior on the part of the majority or wannabes of the majority?

Sad. Really sad when you consider the American Constitution. How high a standard it sets. How difficult it is to live up to it. Yet there are so many people who work so hard to do it an injustice. Politicians who lazily do not lead but rather take the easy road and use difference as a motivator to gain power. Selfish. Untruthful. False. Manipulative. So very, very dishonest. 

So. This is the real world we live in. What to do about it? 

Is it so hard to be an individualist? In our country with its national spirit and soul of freedom and liberty? Why is liberty so worshipped on the one hand but feared on the other? Is that what this is about? The conservative point of view lionizes America’s freedom and constitution yet fears that that very liberty gives license to others who may threaten their safety/comfort/security because new ideas are incipiently attractive to make change possible? 

Maybe so. But consider the fodder of the arguments. People. People who are different than us. People who think and value in ways that are at least a little different from us. They are the fodder fed into the maw of the ideological blast furnace. They are the ones injured and harmed. 

Trouble is, they are our friends, our mothers, our wives and sisters. They are our beloveds. They are our neighbors and friends. They are our dads and brothers.

The Koran tells us this. The Bible, too. And every major religious document and tract. On the one hand we say we believe in these things, or at least the majority states this. But on the other hand, we act as though we don’t believe in these documents, these authorities. 

Which is it? Do we stand up and state what we believe in, work hard to understand what that means, and then behave in accordance with it? Or do we disrespect it, them and ourselves, and act contrary? It is one or the other. Not both or a blend. There are standards to be kept here. Which one will be really given honor and obedience?

Standing up to say you are an atheist, or Muslim, or Christian, or anything else…is a courageous thing. But saying it is not enough. What does it mean to be what you claim to be? What is your value structure? What is your behavior in past/present/future?

If you wish to be respected, earn it. The minority has a lot of hard work to do. But so does the majority. Democracy is not the majority running roughshod over the minorities. Democracy is about respect. It is about valuing opinions and beliefs not our own so they all can be embraced within a society that values individuals.

How’s your individuality doing? How tolerant are you to others who are different than you? How’s your citizenship track record? Are you ready for another day in this land of opportunity, freedom and liberty to be you? And to let others also be?

March 28, 2012