American Gadfly

Commentary, Critique, and Insight on Contemporary America

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Freedom FROM Religion?

Those of the religious persuasion like to tout the religious freedoms America espouses. While one cannot deny the reason many early European settlers to America came over was to avoid religious persecution, as the example of the Quakers.
Now, we face a greater threat from religion in America - indoctrination from religious zealots.
Living in the Bible belt, I am accosted in the most public places by Christian zealots trying to evangalize people to their brand of Jesus worship. Such incidents have happened in the mall, outdoor squares, parks - anyplace one would expect lots of people congregating.
What I propose to counteract this is a concept of freedom FROM religion in America.
The unfortunate millions of children born in our country who are inculcated with the fantasies and mythology of various religions today is a sad testament to how superstitions are perpetuated in this modern era.
What if we declared a moratorium on all religious indoctrination of children until they are 18 years old? Additionally, what if we declared that all people should be free of religious proselytizing the same way we can be free of telemarketer calls?
By allowing millions of kids to be indoctrinated with the myth of religion, we get grownups who believe crazy things like the earth and universe are only 5,000 years old, and that Adam and Eve were the first humans, making all human beings children of incest. Once such beliefs are indoctrinated in us, no amount of reason or fact can shatter them.
It's time America moves away from superstition and becomes a country of science and reason, a country beyond superstition, a country free from religion.

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