Should We Punish The Religious More Harshly?

http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=1672 ^ | William M. Briggs

[mattstat]

Philosopher Daniel Dennett does a Q&A column at the Washington Post. He was asked, “Is there widespread media bias against Christianity?”. Here are his answers, interspersed with my comments.

There is no media bias against Christianity. If it appears to some people that there is, it is probably because after decades of hyper-diplomacy and a generally accepted mutual understanding that religion was not to be criticized, we have finally begun breaking through that taboo and are beginning to see candid discussions of the varieties of religious folly in American life. Activities that would be condemned by all if they were not cloaked in the protective mantle of religion are beginning to be subjected to proper scrutiny.

Not so. Criticism of Islam is verboten in most of the press, mostly because of fear. You rarely hear anything negative about Jewish religious practices. Nor Scientological ones. There’s nothing but good press for the new-agey morphs of Eastern religions. And don’t forget our newest faith, mentioned below.

Some people are adept at finding bias where it doesn’t exist, but the major media does tend to portray Christians ungenerously. This may be because you criticize what you know, mixed with a dash of juvenile overreaction to the mores of our elders.

That metaphor is apt. Dennett is among those who look back from the Enlightenment and label the time before as “humanity’s infancy.” That may be so, but he forgets we pass from childhood to rebellious adolescence. ...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Should we punish the (INSERT ETHNIC GROUP HERE) more harshly?

[stuartcr]

It seems foolish to punish people’s beliefs. That’s like saying we should punish people for what they think. When necessary, we should punish their actions, regardless of their beliefs.

[Dr. Thorne]

This is the direction in which our nation is moving. As we move into a post-Christian era, faith will be decried as criminality. Citizens' freedom, wealth, property and children will be removed from them for the thoughtcrimes of believing in God and acting on one's faith.

It's clear that the secular Left wants our children in order to indoctrinate and molest them. The state will remove them from our homes as soon as teaching them to love Christ is legally equated with child abuse.

I believe that the Anti-Christ is alive today, but has not yet been revealed. The average man can carry up to 50 lbs. of gold (currently around $1 million) and a shotgun at the same time. Those who don't heed my tagline will wish they had.

[Blood of Tyrants]

“That’s like saying we should punish people for what they think.”

See “Hate Crimes”.

[stuartcr]

Yes, which to me is foolish, regardless of one’s faith.