I have been thinking some more about secular Scotland and wondering why those who espouse what they call a secularist viewpoint are so opposed to the religious voice or see religion as being in opposition to them. As I said in the previous blog, the religious people I know would rather live in a secular society than a religious one and many of them would consider themselves to be humanist because the dignity and value of the human person is at the heart of their faith. Are we not all seeking a better society and concerned about the kind of Scotland we want to live in? If we spoke about this and the values we want upheld in society it might be that we are closer than we think. In interreligious dialogue there is a principle that we try to adhere to and that is to compare like with like. It is so easy to compare the worst of one religion or philosophy with the best of one's own. I often think there is a tendency to compare the best of Christianity with the worst of Islam and the worst of Christianity with the best of Buddhism. Similarly i think many secularists compare the worst examples of religion with the best of their own. What would happen if we each looked for the good in the other and admitted that we all fail and do not live up to our ideals?
Belief in Dialogue describes the kind of secular society that I certainly would want when it states " The state seeks to provide ‘a space in the public square’ to a wide range of views to ensure the freedom of many religious groups and not just one or even none". Everyone has the right to express their views and live according to their beliefs and sometimes there can be a clash of values which people have to struggle with. An example of this might be the clash or seeming clash between equality and religious freedom and people must be given time to reconcile these rather than be castigated for what they believe. I think it is time for both secularists and religious people to believe that those who hold differing views from them are good, people of integrity, trying to do their best with the insights and wisdom that have been given them. If we look for goodness we shall surely find it and if we look for the opposite we will find that too. Pope Francis recently said that doing good is a principle that unites all humanity beyond the diversity of ideologies and religions and creates what he calls 'a culture of encounter' that is the foundation of peace. Is this not worthwhile striving for?
Belief in Dialogue describes the kind of secular society that I certainly would want when it states " The state seeks to provide ‘a space in the public square’ to a wide range of views to ensure the freedom of many religious groups and not just one or even none". Everyone has the right to express their views and live according to their beliefs and sometimes there can be a clash of values which people have to struggle with. An example of this might be the clash or seeming clash between equality and religious freedom and people must be given time to reconcile these rather than be castigated for what they believe. I think it is time for both secularists and religious people to believe that those who hold differing views from them are good, people of integrity, trying to do their best with the insights and wisdom that have been given them. If we look for goodness we shall surely find it and if we look for the opposite we will find that too. Pope Francis recently said that doing good is a principle that unites all humanity beyond the diversity of ideologies and religions and creates what he calls 'a culture of encounter' that is the foundation of peace. Is this not worthwhile striving for?
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