Religion should remain a personal affair
In both letters, “Religious values behind principles of secular democracy” (July 29, online) and “Atheism a natural and inseparable part of communism” (July 30), the writers insinuate that atheism has played some vital role in the world’s ills.
I agree on the need for religious freedom in every democracy. I can also argue that such freedom is understood to be based on personal choice and that religion should remain a personal affair and nothing more.
Attempting to push a religious agenda on others and insist it is the only valid ideology is disrespectful. One cannot conflate bias against non-belief with an ideology one disagrees with, or personal beliefs with an unwillingness to understand.
Secularism is, based solely on its definition, the separation of religion and state affairs. State atheism is in itself not an ideology but a means of usurping religion-like control over people.
Socialism is not communism. Communist states might have used that label to identify themselves, giving their people the illusion that they cared for them when they did not.
Vladimir Lenin, an atheist, was dictatorial and egotistical — two things Karl Marx argued against and most atheists frown upon too.
Many wars and massacres in history have had religious motivations, such as the Crusades, the Inquisition and the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
It is also worth noting the origin of the Communist regime: The frustrations of oppression under the monarchy, which stemmed from the advice of Russian Orthodox leaders and which resulted in worse crimes against humanity than in communist Soviet Union.
Of course, this does not diminish the crimes that occurred during the latter’s regime.
The same moral values we can draw from religion can definitely be derived from logic and empathy as well. What is not needed is an ideology that is potentially intolerant of its dissidents and any group it wishes to marginalise.
