Statement of Beliefs
- Religious Tolerance Org
WWW.RELIGIOUSTOLERANCE.ORG
Personal worth: The inherent worth of every person. People are worthy of
respect, support, and caring simply because they are human. Unfortunately, our
group has not reached a consensus on when human life, in the form of an ovum and
spermatozoon, becomes a human person with civil rights including the right to
live. On this matter, our group's lack of agreement on when personhood begins
mirrors that of society at large.
COMMENT: I LIKE THIS. THOSE WHO SAY WE MUST BELIEVE IN GOD IN ORDER TO BELIEVE
THAT PEOPLE ARE WORTHY OF RESPECT AND CARING ARE DENYING THE ONE REASON WHY WE
ARE WORTHY OF RESPECT AND CARING. THEY SAY GOD LOVES US BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN SO
WHY CAN'T WE JUST LOVE OURSELVES BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN? IS MAN SO AWFUL THAT WE
NEED A BELIEF TO HELP US LOVE? TO LOVE OURSELVES JUST BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN
LEAVES NO ROOM FOR GOD. THE CHRISTIAN POSITION DENIES THIS. THAT IN FACT IMPLIES
THAT THEY HAVE AN UNDERLYING CONTEMPT FOR HUMANITY UNDERNEATH ALL THE SMILES AND
HUGS. THEY ARE PROBABLY SO USED TO IT THAT THEY DON'T NOTICE ANYMORE.
Lack of discrimination: Working towards a culture that is relatively free of
discrimination on the basis of gender, race, sexual orientation, gender
identity, religion, national origin, physical disability, language, age, body
shape, etc.
Dignity: The dignity of the human person. We oppose the use of torture and cruel
or unusual punishment including the death penalty.
COMMENT: TO SAY THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD UNDERMINES THE REVULSION WE SHOULD
FEEL FOR TORTURE AND THE DEATH PENALTY FOR ITS GOD ADVOCATES THEM BOTH AND EVEN
INFLICTED THEM ON HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. IT IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT A TORTURE MANUAL
SUCH AS LEVITICUS OR DEUTERONOMY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE THE WORD OF GOD
INSTEAD OF SOMETHING PROFOUND. IT IS A CALCULATED INSULT TO ALL VICTIMS OF
TORTURE.
Democracy: The importance of democratic processes within religious, political,
and other structures.
COMMENT: THIS DENIES THE CLAIM OF MANY RELIGIONS SUCH AS ISLAM AND ROMAN
CATHOLICISM AND MORMONISM THAT GOD HAS ESTABLISHED MONARCHS OF THEIR FAITHS. IT
INFERS THAT SUCH FAITHS SHOULD NOT HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BE UNDEMOCRATIC. IT
CONTRADICTS THE CLAIM MADE BY THOSE FAITHS THAT THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE
UNDEMOCRATIC RELIGIONS.
Religion-state matters: The separation of religion and the state. (This is
generally referred to as "separation of church and state." But we prefer the
more inclusive term.) The government should not promote one religion over
another, promote religion over secular beliefs, or promote secular beliefs over
religion.
COMMENT: THEY DO NOT DENY THAT THEY STAND FOR SEPARATION OF RELIGION AND STATE.
THEY JUST EXPRESS IT A DIFFERENT WAY. THEY PREFER TO EMPHASISE THAT THE STATE IS
NEUTRAL IN RELATION TO RELIGIOUS OR SECULAR BELIEFS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF A STATE BANS RELIGION IN ALL SCHOOLS THAT IS PROMOTING SECULAR
BELIEFS OVER RELIGIOUS. IF THE STATE SIMPLY ALLOWS SCHOOLS TO LEARN ABOUT
RELIGIONS AND SECULARISM BUT WITHOUT ANY OF THEM BEING PROMOTED THAT IS WHAT THE
PRINCIPLES OF SECULARISM REQUIRE.
Personal freedom: The freedoms of religious beliefs, speech, association, and
expression at the individual, congregational and denominational level.
COMMENT: THIS OPPOSES THE RIGHT OF ROMAN CATHOLICS FOR EXAMPLE TO EXCOMMUNICATE
THOSE CATHOLICS WHO REJECT REQUIRED TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH. THE CORRECT
VIEW IS THAT MEMBERSHIP IN A RELIGION SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY AND IF YOU REJECT A
REQUIRED TEACHING THEN WALK. A SOCIETY HAS TO HAVE MEMBERSHIP RULES.
Freedom of speech: The freedom to compare the beliefs of faith groups with each
other, and with the findings of science. It also includes the freedom to
criticize faith and other groups when they harm others.
COMMENT: GOOD.
Relative truth: The principle that many moral, ethical, and religious beliefs
vary greatly from one culture, religion, and time to another, and are thus
relative. We do acknowledge that they are often considered absolute by various
religions and secular belief systems.
COMMENT: IT IS TRUE THAT DIFFERENT SOCIETIES AND CULTURES HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES
BUT MANY OF THE VALUES ARE THE SAME. THE VIEW THAT TRUTH IS RELATIVE IS
RIDICULOUS. TO SAY THAT MURDERING A BABY FOR FUN IS OKAY IF THE RELIGION AND
SOCIETY APPROVES IS INSANITY. IT IS HYPOCRITICAL HOW WE READ THAT TRUTH IS
RELATIVE - THAT SOMETHING IS TRUE JUST BECAUSE IT IS BELIEVED - THEN WE READ
LATER THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE VICIOUS RELIGIONS!
RELATIVISM MAKES IT RIDICULOUS TO SAY THAT HUMAN DIGNITY SHOULD BE EMPHASISED.
WHAT THE HONEST RELATIVIST WOULD SAY IS THAT BELIEF IN HUMAN DIGNITY GIVES US
DIGNITY. WE DO NOT HAVE IT AUTOMATICALLY. WE MUST BE GIVEN IT BY BELIEVING IN
IT. WE HAVE NO REAL DIGNITY IF WE NEED BELIEF TO GIVE IT TO US. A MAN WILL NOT
GET THE DIGNITY OF THE MONARCHY JUST BY BELIEVING HE IS KING.
RELATIVISTS TEND TO THINK THAT THE BELIEFS OF A SOCIETY ARE TRUE JUST BECAUSE
THEY ARE BELIEVED. THAT ACTUALLY ADVOCATES INTOLERANCE FOR THE MEMBERS OF
SOCIETY WHO REJECT THOSE BELIEFS AND WHO DEPLORE RELATIVISM. IT IS INTOLERANT TO
SAY, "BELIEFS ARE TRUE IF THEY ARE SOCIETY'S BELIEFS. BELIEFS ARE NOT
NECESSARILY TRUE IF THEY ARE THE INDIVIDUAL'S BELIEFS." IF BELIEF MAKES
SOMETHING TRUE THEN IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE HOW MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE. IT IS THE
SAME IF IT IS ONE PERSON BELIEVING OR A BILLION PERSONS.
Impact of religion: The generally positive influence that most religions have
had on their followers and on society.
COMMENT: HOW CAN YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A POSITIVE
INFLUENCE IF TRUTH IS RELATIVE AND EACH RELIGION MAKES THINGS TRUE SIMPLY BY
BELIEVING THEM? RELATIVISM EVEN IF TRUE IS A DANGEROUS HARMFUL IDEA.
AND WE READ THAT "MOST RELIGIONS" HAVE A GENERALLY POSITIVE INFLUENCE. NOT ALL
RELIGION THEN IS SAID TO BE A GOOD THING.
Problem with the use of prayer: It is our belief that prayer is an unreliable
method to assess the will of God. We were initially divided on this matter, but
a pilot study appears to indicate that prayer for this purpose is unreliable.
COMMENT: GOOD. THIS IS EASILY PUT TO THE TEST. PEOPLE HAVE CONVERTED TO WRONG
RELIGIONS AFTER PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE. PRAYER AND HAVING A SENSE OF A
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WHO IS GUIDING THEM DID NOT PROTECT THEM AGAINST BEING
WRONG. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT WAS THE PILOT STUDY NEEDED FOR? THOSE CONDUCTING IT
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. AND IS PRAYER PRAISEWORTHY WHEN IT IS ABOUT INDUCING
THE FEELING OF HAVING DONE A GOOD DEED? IT IS NOT A GOOD DEED. IT IS NOT MAKING
ANYTHING HAPPEN. YOU ARE NOT HEALING JOHNNY BY PRAYING FOR HIM. YOU ARE NOT THE
CAUSE OF HIS CURE.
Evil in religion: In the importance of individual believers detecting evil
influences and policies that currently exist within their chosen faith group,
and strongly advocating for their correction. If change is impossible, we feel
that they should consider withholding financial support and/or leaving the
group.
COMMENT: EVERY RELIGION HAS TO HAVE TEACHINGS IT CANNOT CHANGE IN ORDER TO BE A
RELIGION. IF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MORPHED INTO A FORM OF BUDDHISM IT WOULD NOT BE
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ANY MORE. IF THE EVIL, WHETHER MAJOR OR MINOR, IS ENSHRINED
IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE RELIGION THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR MEMBERSHIP, THEN THE
MEMBERS MUST STOP GIVING MONEY AND LEAVE. IT IS OKAY TO STAY IN A RELIGION THAT
IS BREAKING ITS OWN RULES BY ADVOCATING EVIL. LEAVING COULD BE WALKING AWAY FROM
THE PROBLEM.
Education: The principle that people are not truly educated unless they have
studied the world's major religions and ethical systems. They need to learn of
both the good and evil impacts that each has had on society throughout history.
They need to be taught skills at analysis and "baloney detection."
COMMENT: TEACHING THE ETHICAL SYSTEMS TAKE PRIORITY OVER TEACHING THE RELIGIONS
THOUGH. THE BALONEY DETECTION SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL TODAY WITH FAMILIES AND HOMES
BEING RIPPED APART BY FRAUDULENT RELIGION.
MY THOUGHT
I object not to people smoking but object that I should in any way have to put
up with the consequences of their smoking. The secularist often follows similar
logic, "I object not to people having religion but object that I should in any
way have to put up with the consequences of their religious faith." Religious
faith necessarily hinders the rights of the secularist and the sceptic.