Free Speach And Religious Motivated Violence

[Chinahand]

I've recently noticed a few instances of religious zealots threatening violence against people simply voicing (or writing in) disagreement with their views.

 

The most prominent one concerns Salman Rushdie and involves violence being threatenned against a book festival which invited him to speak:

 

Link

 

But the one which disturbs me more is

of a British Muslim condeming another Muslim a kfir and apostate - and hence to death because he wishes to educate Muslims about the science of evolution.

 

 

I find the mindset of such people deeply, deeply disturbing. Steven Weinberg said~:

 

With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -- that takes religion

 

I worry that Abuz Zubair is not a good person, but quite definitely he is so certain that his beliefs are correct that he can declare those who think differently from him unacceptable to his God and hence open to be killed. Such beliefs are highly dangerous to ethical behaviour, something Abuz Zubair in his zealotry is blind to.

 

I wish to challenge such attitudes, and think our society has to be too if it is to remain tolerant and open to differing views.

 

Ah the contradictions of liberalism - to be intolerant of tolerance towards intolerance!

[Lxxx]

The most ancient and effective form of mind control, religion, still working as well today as it ever did.

[manshimajin]

Chinahand violence by religious zealots is not a recent phenomenum but I agree there have been quite a few instances of late - Nigeria is the latest. What I find concerning is not only the intolerance expressed by one religion against another but, as you point out, the intolerance between members of purportedly the same religion which often seems to be even more vitriolic and violent. Christianity has had its major share of this but currently the apparent hatred of Sunni Moslems for Shiite Moslems and vice versa is costing thousands of lives as is the general intolerance of many other Moslems for members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community (about the most tolerant of all the branches of the Muslim community which is possibly why others seem to hate them).

 

One has to wonder what goes on inside the minds of intolerant people, be they secular or religious. Why can't people have different opinions or beliefs to one another? That is how knowledge develops - maybe that is part of the answer, intolerant people do not want, or cannot handle, new ideas.

[guzzi]

The Salman Rushdie thing goes back years, to the publication of "The Satanic Verses", when a death threat was issued by one fanatic or another.

 

The bloke with the beard in the video needs to watch "Four Lions" - he looks spot on.

 

In Britain, surely the answer is to make sure all young people feel they have some kind of stake in society? What little money we have ought to be spent on excellent education, for all. Faith schools of all denominations should be abolished, as should all private schools. We are, after all, all in this together. Aren't we?

[La_Dolce_Vita]

One has to wonder what goes on inside the minds of intolerant people, be they secular or religious. Why can't people have different opinions or beliefs to one another? That is how knowledge develops - maybe that is part of the answer, intolerant people do not want, or cannot handle, new ideas.

When you have people with beliefs that surround what is right and wrong and which such people unfortunately treat as so important then you will get a clash with other's truths. It is understandable what happens when people who are SO convinced of their righteousness and the wrongfulness/evil of others. It isn't too far to go for such people to hate others rather than just their different beliefs or their non-belief.