By Madison S. Hughes (08.30.2011)

On 08.29.2011 I posted I posted a YouTube video on my blog titled, “Janet Porter Prays for Control of Government,” below which I penned the caption, “WOW! How disturbing is this? Religion should be criminalized before we find ourselves back in the Dark Ages.” As one may imagine, some found my caption as disturbing as the video itself. What follows is my response to a comment left by a fellow blogger. “dannyraysongs”responded to my comment as follows:

“I have to say that I’m also very disturbed by your comment Madison. It’s seems apparent here on your blog that you desire to get your message out. Are you really that naive to think that Christians, Jews and/or Muslims don’t desire to have more of their fellow believers in government positions? It seems quite apparent (or at least inferred) in your blog that you would like less devout believers (or atheists) in positions of government. Should we now police what people pray? Who would qualify to be hired as a Prayer Police Officer? I really do appreciate your talent as a writer, but I’m one of those right-wing Christians you obviously feel are so dangerous and deserving of criminal charges.”

I responded as follows:

Danny Ray,

One would be quite accurate to infer that I desire to get my message out, as stated on the about page of my blog, and no, I am not so naïve as to think that the Abrahamic monotheists don’t desire to do the same. However, there is one astronomical difference, neither I, nor my fellow—going to burn in hell—atheists aspire to replace our government with less devout believers, or what’s more, atheists only. Although doing so would insure we had rational representation.

In as much as policing prayer (ask an amputee how that is working out for him/her) I believe that one may find the answer to that question in that little black book of myth and fable, specifically Matthew 6:5-6, which reads something like this:

[5] And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full, [6] But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

I suppose one is welcome to interpret that as they may, for most Christians do, however, my interpretation is keep your prayers to yourself, which may also logically be interpreted to keep ones prayers out of the public sphere.

I specifically, and hyperbolically suggested, “Religion should be criminalized,” not that individual right-wing Christians are deserving of criminal charges. I believe as individuals most Christians are somewhat sane; however, driven by religion, I could not agree more with Steven Weinberg, Ph.D., Theoretical Physicist and Nobel Laureate in Physics, who stated, “Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.”

With the exception of shackling of the mind, I have yet to find what religions organizations can do that secular organizations can’t.

In Reason,
Madison