I am in a discussion in another thread in which my observation that I try not to use American currency because it says "In God we Trust" on it has become something of an issue. Apparently, that view is seen with some degree of hostility. That discussion has prompted a question on my part.
Does anyone here think that a mistaken belief is a good thing? If someone thinks "X is true," would they see value in the belief "X is untrue?" Likewise, if someone believes "X is untrue," would they see value in the belief "X is true?"
I ask because I find that atheists are often cast as "unbelievers," but the truth is that we are all believers in something. We just don't all agree on what is true. So the theist is an unbeliever in atheism, and the atheist is an unbeliever in theism. The theist is a believer in theism, and the atheist is a believer in atheism.
We all have our beliefs about what is "real." None of us wants to be told what we have to believe, and none of us wants to have to be forced to profess a belief we do not share.
This is why I believe government should be mum about gods. It should not profess that gods exist, and it should not profess that they do not exist. It should not force a particular religion, and it should not discriminate against those who have no religion. Religion belongs in churches. The government should take no position on religion in any respects. The founders were so clear on this, that although they included references to god in the DOE (which has no legal weight), they omitted any such references in the Constitution, which is THE legal source for our country. The one place where religion is mentioned is A1 - where the government is barred from taking a religious position.
Thoughts?
Does anyone here think that a mistaken belief is a good thing? If someone thinks "X is true," would they see value in the belief "X is untrue?" Likewise, if someone believes "X is untrue," would they see value in the belief "X is true?"
I ask because I find that atheists are often cast as "unbelievers," but the truth is that we are all believers in something. We just don't all agree on what is true. So the theist is an unbeliever in atheism, and the atheist is an unbeliever in theism. The theist is a believer in theism, and the atheist is a believer in atheism.
We all have our beliefs about what is "real." None of us wants to be told what we have to believe, and none of us wants to have to be forced to profess a belief we do not share.
This is why I believe government should be mum about gods. It should not profess that gods exist, and it should not profess that they do not exist. It should not force a particular religion, and it should not discriminate against those who have no religion. Religion belongs in churches. The government should take no position on religion in any respects. The founders were so clear on this, that although they included references to god in the DOE (which has no legal weight), they omitted any such references in the Constitution, which is THE legal source for our country. The one place where religion is mentioned is A1 - where the government is barred from taking a religious position.
Thoughts?
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