Editor: I cannot sit idly by while a “belief system” gets completely misrepresented in The Times’ opinion section. The response from James Paulgaard (The Times, Feb. 17) brings into the debate a completely debunked point of ‘atheistic governments’ committing atrocities, when those governments are wedded to no religion.
I must clarify this point, although it digresses from Robert Rock’s original letter (The Times, Feb. 12). Atheism is simply a lack of belief.
Totalitarian regimes like the USSR and Cambodia of the 20th century simply replaced religion with leader worship. They still included faith in the dear leader and an unquestioning attitude towards their governments. A little critical thinking and a good look at their policies and practices clears this right up.
Until a society or country decides to raise their young for generations with an enlightenment attitude among the works of great thinkers like Spinoza, Einstein, Thomas Paine, Bertrand Russell, Phillip Larkin, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens, just to name a few, you cannot even know how a true atheistic society would be put into practice.
When you have rational thought and reasonable thinking combined with literature, science, philosophy and critical thinking put into place, you might have a good start. Even then, atheism is simply a lack of belief. Stalin and Hitler both had moustaches, but this doesn’t mean than moustaches caused the genocide of millions of innocents.
This gets away from the debate of what right and influence does a private university have over its students’ sexual preferences and conduct? I for one am in favour of human rights for all. That being said, I don’t believe a private university should be forced to hold views contrary to their belief doctrine.
While I am conflicted, in the end I do believe in basic human rights trumping discrimination. I respect a person’s right to believe in whatever religion they happen to practise, just so long as it doesn’t hurt others.
I would expect the same courtesies for those who lack belief, but I will not stand silent while certain people conflate and misrepresent a position I am proud to hold.
Zak Graham,
Langley