Can you have strong atheism/secularism without racism?

["couldbecousin"]

I guess I wonder is there a difference between valid criticism of a religion and bashing/bigotry.  Is it ever valid to critisise a religion as a whole.

 Criticizing a particular religion is not the same thing as rejecting all religion.
 Are you religious?  Do you think the only possible motivation for atheism is bigotry?
 

[Al Swearegen]

I think that most religions have a vested interest in sky being and forces outside of science. Magic and omnipotent beings. If we say that to some extent these things exist in all religions then in my mind that is not bigotry. It is simply making a logical premise of 'This shit can not be qualified or quantified and it does not hold with my understanding of the world."
Were we to say "All Muslims are the same. They are the lowest forms of scum." THAT is both untrue and bigotted

[BruceCM]

Some of us (OK, me) sees a lot of science as a belief. It's one thing, when you're talking something relatively simple, like gravity. That we all experience & the theories can easily be tested & checked. But it does keep pushing into more philosophical areas. Everybody is entitled to believe whatever they like, as I said before, as far as I'm concerned. It's only if they're trying to make me believe the same that I, personally, require some reason to do so.

[Al Swearegen]

Some of us (OK, me) sees a lot of science as a belief. It's one thing, when you're talking something relatively simple, like gravity. That we all experience & the theories can easily be tested & checked. But it does keep pushing into more philosophical areas. Everybody is entitled to believe whatever they like, as I said before, as far as I'm concerned. It's only if they're trying to make me believe the same that I, personally, require some reason to do so.

Science is always holding itself out as a theory and willing to expose itself to scrutiny.

[BruceCM]

Well, only according to it's own methods. For the areas I'm most interested in, those are not as good & I, of course, object to philosophers insisting on theirs, too! lol When my physics teacher told me, several times, I was asking 'philosophical' questions, I'd have to agree.

[J_R]

I guess I wonder is there a difference between valid criticism of a religion and bashing/bigotry.  Is it ever valid to critisise a religion as a whole.

Criticizing a religion is not the same as criticising the people who practice it.  Hell, even criticising the people is not the same as believing they are less than other people, which is the basis of bigotry.

We should be willing to criticize every human institution, every goverment, every religion, every organization, every culture even.  Recognizing faults and flaws is not bigotry, so long as one maintains awareness that there is no group without them.

[Al Swearegen]

I guess I wonder is there a difference between valid criticism of a religion and bashing/bigotry.  Is it ever valid to critisise a religion as a whole.

Criticizing a religion is not the same as criticising the people who practice it.  Hell, even criticising the people is not the same as believing they are less than other people, which is the basis of bigotry.

We should be willing to criticize every human institution, every goverment, every religion, every organization, every culture even.  Recognizing faults and flaws is not bigotry, so long as one maintains awareness that there is no group without them.

Not a bad ideology but I think it definitely needs to be said that the individual of a group is not the sum of the whole or that the even a large selection of a people of a group will define every persons beliefs.

[J_R]

it definitely needs to be said that the individual of a group is not the sum of the whole or that the even a large selection of a people of a group will define every persons beliefs.

Agreed.

[BruceCM]

The question only being 'can you...', the answer is obviously yes. Next?

[MutieTom]

should people ever critisise Judaism and Islam.  Seeing as those 2 religions are often used as targets by nazis who accuse them of conspiracies to take over Europe.  But, can also be oppressive to their own members.  Or is it best to just never critisise religions your not part of yourself and mind your own business.

[Adam]

should people ever critisise Judaism and Islam. Seeing as those 2 religions are often used as targets by nazis who accuse them of conspiracies to take over Europe.  But, can also be oppressive to their own members.  Or is it best to just never critisise religions your not part of yourself and mind your own business.

Of course people should still criticise religion. Just because assholes also use it as an excuse to hide behind doesn't mean genuine crititcism of it as a religion is wrong.

And I don't think people should have to "moind their own business" when it comes to religion in general. Obviously you need to mind your own business if it's someone practicing their religion themselves. But religion in general - that should DEFINITELY be criticised, especially aspects sexist/homophobic etc aspects of it

[vampslord]

Op question is retarded. religion =/= race. It has nothing to do with it.

Saying atheism is a religion is even more retarded. Atheism is a religion as much as being bald is an hair color. Like not collecting stamp is an hobby. Like not having AIDS is being sick. Atheism is a LACK of belief. Stop listening to religious apologist moron like Kent Hovind or Ray "banana man" Comfort and his homo-erotic sidekick Kirk Cameron who claim it's a religion, these moron know nothing.