My Response to Angry Atheists

Oh Adam, you write far too well to fall into the pitfalls of the angry atheist. The truth is that your blog was mostly critical of what you were doing yourself. Irony is probably the word I’d use. You are persecuting the LDS faith, or any faith that disagrees with your opinion and treats you different for it. But don’t get me wrong here, that it such a good thing. The ability to disagree is vital to a healthy society. Persecution has and does exist, but it is healthy persecution. I’m not talking about the whole tar and feather thing nor the Hans mill thing either (Both happened to LDS members). The kind of persecution you’re talking about is people classifying you as a crazy atheist and not listen to your arguments because they know what they believe. And you do the same to LDS members. Don’t you dare suggest that Atheists have been more persecuted than Mormons. We remain the only people that have had an extermination order in the United States history.

Yes, it is almost impossible to be elected as an atheist, because the majority of America is religious, with a large percentage of them zealously Christian. And if anything is an American ideal it’s power to the people, even if they are religious zealots.

Yes, Atheist’s are persecuted. That is a good thing. You’ve now joined the ranks of every freakin’ religion out there. Consider it an acknowledgement that atheism is now recognized and hated, just like Mormonism. So come join us Mo’s on the persecution wagon. It’s the only way that any atheist will have a chance to be elected anything, to be persecuted.

But I do agree that LDS members need to be more receptive to criticism about our religion, because it’s important for people to know what we believe and practice. Where you are wrong is that there is a lack of knowledge about Mormon Doctrine and History. The PBS special did wonders on that. And the more recent LDS literature is pretty clear on our doctrinal beliefs now.

And if you want doctrinal answers about Mormonism, you’re right, you’re not going to get it from Mitt. He’s not going to bring up the mountain massacre or polygamy because that LDS doctrine will scare people, just like Kennedy never talked abut the crusades or any of Catholicism’s skeletons. If you, Adam Gregg, want to know Mormon Doctrine, type it in on Google, and you’ll have more than you need. Heck ask an intelligent LDS member and they can probably answer it sufficiently.

I wasn’t a big fan of mitt’s speech, but it did do one good thing. He emphasized that someone can separate their personal religious beliefs from political actions and decisions made for all people in a country, even for Atheism. The wall of separation between government and organized religion is so important, but that wall doesn’t cover up our right to hate and love ideals and religions.

And Guess what, you are living in a single party state. Deal with it, because we all do. Moderation in Utah is needed badly, and people with views such as yourself will help moderate our state. It will require some persecution of beliefs, but hopefully not of people. But this isn’t simply a Utah problem. Try living in the south for a couple of months and tell us if it’s any better.

So yes, Mitt dodges questions about his religion, just Hilary dodges questions about anything, just as Guillani dodges questions on his affairs, and just as George Bush dodges questions on Iraq. It’s called politics. You answer strategically ....or as George puts it, “streegery,”

It’s when people stop boycotting movies, covering signs with trees, and researching politician’s religious beliefs I’ll be scared. Expressing your support or dissent for something is exactly what we need. You call it persecution, I call it Democracy.

Thus we see that the “faithful” Americans should not open their arms to you. And you shouldn’t meet the faithful with open arms either. You should both open your minds, so you can understand the opposing viewpoint, but not subscribe to it. Dissent, compromise, rebellion, and even religion and the separation of religion and government were used to make our country. And God willing—or non-God willing—that will continue to produce a free society with some tolerance and some “persecution”.

You are guilty of what you accuse the religious of doing. You are sick and tired of how they act, just like they are sick and tired of you. Frankly I’m sick of how atheistic people act and sick and tired how religious people act. You think that the faithful are trapping you, and the faithful think you are taking God out of anything. And that’s the balance between both of your ‘off the wall’ beliefs that keeps the collective America sane and progressive.