Letters: Seculaphobia

Published on Thursday 16 February 2012 00:00

I have been shocked by the vitriol directed at secularists in the past few days by Baroness Warsi, Eric Pickles and Lord Carey, among others. Their attacks on my value system are ignorant, bigoted and ill-informed.

I have, therefore, decided to proclaim a new phobia in the UK – seculaphobia, deemed to be an irrational fear or prejudice towards secularists.

I assume that the government will immediately back my call for an inquiry and appoint aggrieved secularists to the inquiry panel, so this new crime can be addressed.

Perhaps, you could tell me to whom in the government, I should address my complaint.

Alistair McBay

Methven

Perth

Comments

There are 23 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 2

• 1
• 2
• Next >
• Show all

23

steuartcampbell

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 03:29 PM

#22 Prayer in public is 'a public expression and endorsement of... belief', so the ref is not out of context. If Xians were true followers of Jesus they would keep their religion private, as he urged. Groups of Xians should not be making a show of praying for the Parliament IN the Parliament.

• Report Unsuitable

22

PeterVincent

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:34 PM

SC - Neil's post said, "Why does it seem necessary for the religious to have a public expression and endorsement of their beliefs at all" - which didn't refer to prayer, then he quoted Matt 6:5 which did - therefore wrong context. Probably due to the fact he is ill informed, ironic given McBays letter.

• Report Unsuitable

21

steuartcampbell

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 03:48 PM

#15. Neil might be mischievous but he's right that public prayer contravenes Jesus' instruction to his followers (Jews then, but Xians now). The contaxt was all about not making overt displays of either almsgiving or even prayer. Nothing there about evangelism. If Xians were true to their declared Lord then they should not engage in public prayer.

• Report Unsuitable

20

PeterVincent

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:46 PM

"It's not always a question of 'for or against us'." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Great a kindred spirit! It's important that the extremists at either end of this religiosity don't highjack the debate. It's quite possible to live in harmony.

• Report Unsuitable

19

stoppleman

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:34 PM

You are right that I don't entirely mean it. I think my problem is that often it seems religious people aren't interested in any appreciation a person might have of Jesus' ministry or the Bible if they don't accept the whole package. It's not always a question of 'for or against us'.

• Report Unsuitable

18

PeterVincent

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:30 PM

Stoppers old chap - yes it was rather a complex sentence, Being a smart cookie I think you understood my meaning though. The insult wasn't directed at you anyway. I have no doubt that your tongue-in-cheek post was intended as a cheery side-swipe.

• Report Unsuitable

17

stoppleman

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:22 PM

you mean' you don't have to have faith to appreciate..', I suppose. Just testing the waters... I recognise the insult as yours. Why swivel eye though?

• Report Unsuitable

16

PeterVincent

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:13 PM

"Using advice from the Bible in 21 st century is using it 'out of context'." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You don't have to have faith to not appreciate the relevance of Jesus' ministry, but you do need to be a swivel eyed looney.

• Report Unsuitable

15

PeterVincent

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:05 PM

steuartcampbell, context = the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning. Neil was not using Matthew 6:5 in context because he is mixing up Jesus' instructions on prayer with His instructions on evangelising. Neil is either ill-informed or being mischevious.

• Report Unsuitable

14

stoppleman

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 04:51 PM

Using advice from the Bible in 21 st century is using it 'out of context'.

• Report Unsuitable

13

steuartcampbell

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 12:11 PM

#12 In what way is #9 quoting out of context? It's what Jesus told his followers and aren't Xians his followers?

• Report Unsuitable

12

PeterVincent

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 09:16 AM

Neil - You are quoting out of context

• Report Unsuitable

11

Neil Barber

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 09:07 AM

http:en.wikipedia.orgwikiMatthew_6:5

• Report Unsuitable

10

PeterVincent

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 08:00 PM

"Jesus' instruction that his followers should not pray like 'hypocrites'" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . As Alistair McBay wrote your "attacks on my value system are . . . ill-informed"

• Report Unsuitable

9

Neil Barber

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 03:51 PM

Sayeeda Warsi proclaims that religion should have “A proper place in the public sphere”. Why does it seem necessary for the religious to have a public expression and endorsement of their beliefs at all ? They appear to have overlooked Jesus' instruction that his followers should not pray like 'hypocrites' (i.e. actors) in the open but should pray in secret (Matt. 6:5). In the minds of all but the most unthinking of believers there must be a quiet voice of doubt. Is it possible that unless they have some sort of group entertainment of belief that voice becomes a roar ? To avoid this they routinely employ other believers in what become god dominated institutions so as to minimise the event of ever having to rub up against someone who pokes at that self-doubt. They insist on the right to impose religion on intellectually defenceless children and to have religion timetabled into public life which they call religious freedom. Their shrill cries of “aggressive atheist” again are a response to the comfort they need to feel from the idea that they are a majority established institution. I would ask of Sayeeda Warsi …is your religious conviction so weak that you can’t do it on your own ?

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 2

• 1
• 2
• Next >
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.