Herald Column: Defending Freedom of Religion Means Defending Secularism

This week's Calgary Herald column from yours truly looks at the kerfuffle over the atheist bus ads and the University of Alberta's convocation controversy, and argues that both decisions are encouraging for freedom of religion:

 

...It is that neutrality--better known as secularism--which we must strive for. It should come as little surprise that freedom of religion is most threatened, or even non-existent, in nations in which the state has indeed taken sides.

 

That is what makes the West special and unique: enlightenment, reason and freedom of thought--all of which are really at the root of our freedoms.

 

Those believers who are now lashing out at Calgary Transit or the University of Alberta should realize that the decisions being viewed as attacks on religion are really decisions which strengthen freedom of religion. That's the trade-off: no one will ever be 100 per cent pleased with the fruits of true freedom of religion, but everyone will benefit equally from it.

 

(...)

 

Freedom of religion exists to protect believers. However, that does not mean protection from criticism, protection from challenge or even protection from mocking. It certainly does not mean that believers are accorded a certain status and certain privileges that others are not.

 

To argue otherwise would mean a de facto state religion shielded by a de facto blasphemy law. Such an arrangement may be to the liking of some, but it would in no way, shape, or form resemble freedom of religion.

 

The rest is here.

 

Meanwhile, a somewhat related piece from Johann Hari in the UK Independent:

  

The right to criticise religion is being slowly doused in acid. Across the world, the small, incremental gains made by secularism – giving us the space to doubt and question and make up our own minds – are being beaten back by belligerent demands that we "respect" religion. A historic marker has just been passed, showing how far we have been shoved. The UN rapporteur who is supposed to be the global guardian of free speech has had his job rewritten – to put him on the side of the religious censors.

 

Read the whole thing.

 

UPDATE: This is also related:

 

Metro Transit will not allow an advertisement saying You Can Be Good Without God on its buses.

 

"We’re a public transit service first, and then we sell advertising on the side, and normally the standard procedure is we have a contracted agency who sells our advertising,"" said Metro Transit spokeswoman Lori Patterson on Monday.

 

""If there’s something that’s viewed to be controversial, as part of our contract we get to see the messaging on it, and so they advise us if they think something’s going to be controversial and then we review the message.

 

"If we feel it’s going to be something that’s going to upset a number of people, we don’t choose to advertise it," Ms. Patterson said.