A Reasonable Person

The website blasphemy.ie is reporting on Ireland's new anti-blasphemy law. Among the many, many comments (most pro-blasphemy) was this one:

I don’t consider myself an atheist, but I’m sympathetic with atheism–up until it becomes a fundamentalist monolith. “Atheism is the only thing that makes sense and anybody who doesn’t see that is deluded.” That kind of fundamentalism is just as ignorant and ugly as any other kind of fundamentalism.

That being said, anti-blasphemy legislation seems to me to be about as effective and sensible as anti-ignorance and -ugliness legislation.

A nugget of Islamic wisdom tells us to see everything, doubt everything. Judicious and thoughtful doubt takes the form of examination of facts, which leads to knowledge. Atheism is, to put it mildly, extreme doubt. How could that be bad? Any theism that can’t tolerate close examination isn’t worthy of theists.

That doesn’t give atheists license to be mean, though. I don’t think that anyone is born an atheist; atheists are converts, and there’s nothing more zealous than a convert.

Be careful, and mind your manners. Be nice, try not to worry too much, and have a little harmless fun along the way. Think whatever you want, but remember that while uninformed ignorant statements are unfortunate, informed hurtful statements are far worse.

Attempting to legislate morality is invariably a bad idea, but freedom of speech comes with the responsibilty of acknowledging everybody else’s freedom of speech, even if (or especially if, I would argue) you disagree with them. Just be nice about it.

You have every right to disagree with my beliefs, but there’s no reason for you to insult my beliefs. I don’t think that you have the authority to insult my beliefs, but you do have the power to, and there’s a big difference. I think that the Irish government would do well to remember the distinction.

Why would you say “Fuck your god and fuck jesus” except in an effort to make me mad, hurt my feelings, and start a fight? That’s childish bullyism, and the sort of thing that fundamentalists thrive on. Atheist fundamentalism isn’t any more informed or admirable than any other kind of fundamentalism. Stop it, and be nice.

When we say or do something stupid, we know perfectly well that we’re saying or doing something stupid–we just go ahead and do it anyway. Religion–including atheism–encourages some people to be mean and stupid, but those are people inclined to meanness and stupidity in the first place. It also leads other people to be nice and smart.

Which one are you?

Which one you are is not at the whim of a judicial dictate; it’s in your hands.

As individuals, we need to be smarter, better, and kinder than our governments, because we’re the ones who have to live, work, and travel together every day.

Comment by Uisgea — January 1, 2010 @ 10:05 pm

Now that is a reasonable person.