A lot has been said recently about secular Scotland with the suggestion that there is no place for religion apart from the privacy of home and place of worship. In a recent article in the Herald Rosemary Goring depicts religion as intolerant and judgemental, excluding and exclusive. No doubt there are religious people like this because religious people are human and human beings of any belief and outlook can be judgemental and intolerant but I know many people of faith who are the very opposite of this. They are men and women who are open and welcoming to all regardless of their beliefs, committed to social justice, working for the abolition of poverty, offering support and friendship to the lonely, the elderly, the bereaved among other things. At the recent launch of Refugee Week a refugee spoke movingly about her experience and how helped she had been by the local Church. Where would she and other refugees be if it hadn't been for the door opened to them or the food and clothing provided for them by Churches. Would advocates of a secular Scotland want this kind of good work to cease? Would they be asking faith communities to stop soup kitchens, Churches and places of worship to cease from speaking out on behalf of the poor and marginalised, Church Action on Poverty, Islamic Relief to stop caring? And where are the humanist and secular societies that engage in this kind of work?
It is interesting that at the same time as this kind of conversation is going on others such as those involved in the Postcards from Scotland initiative are recognising the contribution of religion to health and well - being as it gives people meaning and purpose, helps them look outwards towards their neighbour and gives them a practice to support them in day to day living. I don't know of a religion that does not incorporate the Golden Rule nor see the essence of its faith as service to others. Do the detractors of religion know what actually happens within faith communities? Do they know of the work of interfaith relations that brings together people of different faiths to explore differences as well as commonalities. This kind of activity allows people to move beyond tolerance to respect and appreciation of different beliefs and views.
While I appreciate the contribution of religion to society I would not want to live in a religious state. I too uphold a secular state but one in which all views are respected, people are able to speak and contribute to society from their own value base, and all are committed to the common good. A few years ago the Scottish Government published a document called Belief in Dialogue. The purpose was to develop good relations between religion and belief groups in keeping with equality legislation. As the document was being written it became clear that it was not possible to see religion and belief as separate. Everyone has beliefs, some religious and some non-religious. Secularist and humanist beliefs are beliefs in much the same way as religious beliefs are so should they also be relegated to the private and personal sphere? And as it is possible to get fundamental religious people so it is possible to get fundamental secular people. What is the answer? Not to deny anyone the right to express their views but to encourage dialogue between these different views because, as Belief in Dialogue says, dialogue is the building block of a healthy society.
It is interesting that at the same time as this kind of conversation is going on others such as those involved in the Postcards from Scotland initiative are recognising the contribution of religion to health and well - being as it gives people meaning and purpose, helps them look outwards towards their neighbour and gives them a practice to support them in day to day living. I don't know of a religion that does not incorporate the Golden Rule nor see the essence of its faith as service to others. Do the detractors of religion know what actually happens within faith communities? Do they know of the work of interfaith relations that brings together people of different faiths to explore differences as well as commonalities. This kind of activity allows people to move beyond tolerance to respect and appreciation of different beliefs and views.
While I appreciate the contribution of religion to society I would not want to live in a religious state. I too uphold a secular state but one in which all views are respected, people are able to speak and contribute to society from their own value base, and all are committed to the common good. A few years ago the Scottish Government published a document called Belief in Dialogue. The purpose was to develop good relations between religion and belief groups in keeping with equality legislation. As the document was being written it became clear that it was not possible to see religion and belief as separate. Everyone has beliefs, some religious and some non-religious. Secularist and humanist beliefs are beliefs in much the same way as religious beliefs are so should they also be relegated to the private and personal sphere? And as it is possible to get fundamental religious people so it is possible to get fundamental secular people. What is the answer? Not to deny anyone the right to express their views but to encourage dialogue between these different views because, as Belief in Dialogue says, dialogue is the building block of a healthy society.
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