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Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on November 27, 2010 at 2:09pm

RE quote from Tony Blair in rebuttal to Christopher Hitchens in last night’s debate.

I have met many fanatics and bigots over the years in several different places that have been prejudiced against various minorities. When questioned more closely there nearly always is a misinterpretation of some religious tenet to validate their bias.

They are narrow-minded because their religion does not require them to think freely about things. In the words of Hitchens last night they get their teachings from “a celestial dictatorship, a kind of divine North Korea”. (I really wanted to use that phrase). Atheists have a broader outlook on the world and because they ask questions they become more knowledgeable and therefore more tolerant of others. Prejudice comes from ignorance – i.e. lack of education or life experience.

I do not know nor have I met an Atheist in the last 25 years who had the time, energy or motivation to hold a prejudice against a particular group. (Evangelical nut jobs and cults are fair game). Other peoples color or sexual preferences are things I don’t think or even care about. So when I hear someone talking about “those types of people” I automatically assume they are religious and generally have other issues about whatever their prejudice is.

I know the above is a bit of a sweeping statement but does freedom from religion also imply freedom from prejudices? Do you know any Atheists that hold racist or homophobic views?

I too am bored of hearing Hitler was not religious. However it was fun reading. The divine North Korea quote is the best in a long time. I will get extreme mileage out of using it. Hitchens would have retorted but there were serious time constraints.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan E. Hoffman on November 27, 2010 at 7:26pm

Agreed re: hitler thing. I just had higher expectations from a former head of state and part of the labour party movement not to buy into that stupid revisionist history.

Hitch has been using the celestial North Korea phrase for a while.

The whole point that I am making about the name one secular institution was that there are none, and it is the overall point of contention in the topic "is religion a force for good in the world?" I challenge anyone to name a secular institution that promotes the bigotry on even half the scale of any religious institution. There are NONE. I just wish Hitch had slammed that specific point home.

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