«I never thought of myself as a writer about religion until a religion came after me.
(...)
Nevertheless, when the attack came, I had to confront what was confronting me and to decide what I wanted to stand up for in the face of what so vociferously, repressively and violently stood against me.
Now, 16 years later, religion is coming after us all and, even though most of us probably feel, as I once did, that we have other, more important concerns, we are all going to have to confront the challenge.
Now, 16 years later, religion is coming after us all and, even though most of us probably feel, as I once did, that we have other, more important concerns, we are all going to have to confront the challenge.
(...)
The simple truth is that, wherever religions get into society's driving seat, tyranny results. The Inquisition results, or the Taliban.
And yet, religions continue to insist that they provide special access to ethical truths and consequently deserve special treatment and protection.
And they continue to emerge from the world of private life — where they belong, like so many other things that are acceptable when done in private between consenting adults but unacceptable in the town square — and to bid for power. The emergence of radical Islam needs no redescription here, but the resurgence of faith is a larger subject than that.
In today's United States, it's possible for almost anyone — women, gays, African-Americans, Jews — to run for, and be elected to, high office. But a professed atheist wouldn't stand a popcorn's chance in Hell.
And they continue to emerge from the world of private life — where they belong, like so many other things that are acceptable when done in private between consenting adults but unacceptable in the town square — and to bid for power. The emergence of radical Islam needs no redescription here, but the resurgence of faith is a larger subject than that.
In today's United States, it's possible for almost anyone — women, gays, African-Americans, Jews — to run for, and be elected to, high office. But a professed atheist wouldn't stand a popcorn's chance in Hell.
(...)
In Europe, the bombing of a railway station in Madrid and the murder of the Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh are being seen as warnings that the secular principles that underlie any humanist democracy need to be defended and reinforced.
Even before these atrocities occurred, the French decision to ban religious attire such as Islamic headscarves had the support of the entire political spectrum.
Even before these atrocities occurred, the French decision to ban religious attire such as Islamic headscarves had the support of the entire political spectrum.
(...)
if America and Britain allow religious faith to control and dominate public discourse, then the Western alliance will be placed under ever-increasing strain, and those other religionists, the ones against whom we're supposed to be fighting, will have great cause to celebrate.»
(Salman Rushdie)
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Nos governos aristocráticos os homens que aí chegam são pessoas ricas que só desejam o poder. Nas democracias, os homens de Estado são pobres e precisam de fazer fortuna.
www.riapa.pt.to
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