Freedom of religion, and nonreligion

[cbayer]

http://www.guampdn.com/article/20121219/OPINION02/212190304/Freedom-religion-nonreligion

2:00 PM, Dec. 19, 2012

Written by
Charles C. Haynes
Gannett

Atheists, humanists and other nonreligious people face discrimination and persecution in many parts of the world, according "Freedom of Thought 2012," a report released this week by the International Humanist and Ethical Union.

The survey is the first to highlight how people with no religious affiliation -- sometimes dubbed "religious nones" by pollsters -- are often treated as second-class citizens, outsiders or, in some societies, enemies of the state.

The worst offenders are authoritarian regimes like Iran and Saudi Arabia that use anti-blasphemy laws and other measures to protect a particular sect of Islam as the state religion and deny religious freedom to atheists (and everyone else, including minority Muslim groups). In such places, open espousal of atheism can lead to imprisonment or death.

Less draconian, but still discriminatory, are laws in many countries against speech that disparages or offends religion. Legal restrictions on free expression are prevalent across the globe from El Salvador to Austria to India. Even where rarely enforced, such laws have a chilling effect on speech, especially speech perceived as critical of religion.

more at link

[Fumesucker]

1. He says that like it's a bad thing

[cbayer]

2. He does?

[Fumesucker]

3. If the good people of the world see atheists and atheism as something to be discouraged

Then who is this guy to disagree?

[cbayer]

4. But he does disagree.

I watched the PBS show last night on religion in the early US. It was really interesting how the founders worded things so carefully as to include those with no religious beliefs under the "freedom of religion" clause of the Bill of Rights.

Worth the watch, imo.

[Fumesucker]

5. That was my point in my first comment, who is he to disagree with the good people of the world?

There's some subjects I just find impossible not to snark about at least occasionally.

[cbayer]

6. And you can be very snarkalicious, Fumesucker.