From: ralph@eddlewood.demon.co.uk   
      
   In message , Ray Wesley   
   Kinserlow Jr.  writes   
   >   
   >I don't think we should "exploit" it.  Bringing Humanism to the   
   >religiously oppressed isn't a part of my agenda.  If you ask me what I   
   >believe I will tell you what and how, otherwise, I will let you go your   
   >way.  I consider my agnostic humanism a gift from myself to myself, and   
   >it is up to each individual to find his or her own path. Since I   
   >believe the real strength of a civilization, socially and biologically,   
   >is diversity, I am gratified, not threatened, there are people   
   >different from myself in my civilization.  I think we should try to win   
   >the battles one at a time and not worry about winning the war.  Evil   
   >should be opposed in specific instances, not railed against in generalities.   
      
   I have a lot of sympathy for your point of view, Ray, but there is a   
   limit to the diversity which I welcome. I would discourage anyone who   
   cannot tolerate the existence of others, for whatever reason. This is   
   the old dilemma: freedom for the individual cannot be absolute, since   
   there are those who wish to restrict the freedom of others. Society is   
   generally allowed to restrict *their* freedom.   
      
   I also agree that destroying someone's faith by persuading them to a   
   humanist viewpoint is dangerous; much better that they discover the   
   truth for themselves. But by "exploit" I really had in mind the alliance   
   of humanists firstly to acknowledge each other's (surprising) existence,   
   and then using our numbers to influence policies. Most policies in most   
   countries today acknowledge the existence of established religions, and   
   bow to some extent in their direction. I know of no official policy that   
   bows in any extent in our direction.   
      
   I would, of course, be delighted to hear of examples that prove me   
   wrong!   
      
   --   
   ralph   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)