March 10, 2010
Is there a problem with proselytism overseas by U.S. religious groups? Isn't sharing one's faith part of religious freedom? When does it cross the line into manipulation and coercion?
It is bad enough if bad information costs you the value of your 401-K, but worse if it costs your soul. Being told you are wrong is important at any time, but hearing that you might be wrong about critical areas is vital.
Who wants to be wrong about the big questions of life?
No friend would see such a major mistake being made without expressing his opinion. This is especially true in the area of religion. The highest compliment a person can pay is to share what he thinks is true about the very nature of reality and to show the courage to risk offense by confronting a friend with an error.
Freedom of religion includes the ability to argue for the truth and even necessity of your beliefs. If you are right, it is a moral necessity to tell your friends they are ruining their chances at true happiness. If you are wrong, then expressing your beliefs is a good way to test them.
When a friend shares his faith with me, it is a splendid opportunity for me to learn and grow even if I do not end up thinking he is correct. A good Mormon shared his beliefs with me and this led me to the fascinating study of those books Mormons hold to be scripture. A Catholic mentor suggested that I should join his church and this led to serious thought about the nature of religious authority and the structure of the church. While I did not end up agreeing with either of my friends, it deepened my own faith to dialog with them.
These conversations continue and run both ways!
Shutting up your critics is a great way to strengthen them. When pagan Rome started losing the intellectual argument with Christians, they tried to kill them. That never works. If Rome wanted to stop Christian ideas from spreading, they need better answers for their Christian critics. Refuting a Christian philosopher like Justin would have been more effective than making him: Justin Martyr.
No culture that suppresses the ability to share contrary faiths has confidence in its own values. It is a sign of Catholic confidence that one can openly advocate atheism in Rome and a sign of Islamic weakness that one cannot be openly Christian in Arabia.
Should there be limits to this expression of faith?
Public space should be open to the expression of faith and no faith. Government should not decide what views are "reasonable" and what views can be heard. If secular ideas can be expressed, religious people have the right to respond. If one group promotes religion, then the non-religious have the right to disagree.
"Manners police" are odious and a threat to free speech. The power to decide who is being mean is the power to become the bully in nanny's clothing. Adults don't need the government to protect them from the power of words.
While I must tolerate your practice of religion, and even its public expression, government should never force me to participate. I might have to wait while you pray, but I don't have to pray to your god.
European governments are getting many of these decisions exactly wrong. They forbid individuals from public expressions of faith, such as wearing religious articles of clothing, but then bow to demands that "offensive" cartoons not be published.
We should tolerate our neighbor wearing a cross, but he must tolerate his neighbor who wears a Darwin-fish T-shirt.
Of course, just because behavior should be legal does not mean it is ethical or effective. It isn't right to "hard sell" atheism or religion with false promises that it will solve all your problems, but people should be able to do so. The man who stands on a public street
in front of our local theater has a right to shout his sermons at us, but he is still being a bit of a boor.
Thank goodness in a country with limited government not all space is public. Private groups should be able to limit what happens in their midst. It is absurd when religious groups are forced to admit people they don't want as members. While argument and disagreement is good, it is not the only good.
