Re: Morality and Reality
What a joy to engage in the discussion of the ages with David Brooks, of the New York Times.
We are here in this country due to the same disagreement. It was during what is considered the age of enlightenment, (when liberals had Karl Roves spin talents).
Long story short, we are here to let people govern themselves beyond the confines of any particular religion, due to the uncompromising nature of religion.
There is still the argument that our founding fathers brought their god and Christianity into our govt with them because it says god, or creator or deity in the constitution or the declaration of independence. I would suggest otherwise. Even in this day to suggest that god doesn't exist or shouldn't be included is to bring down the wrath of god...so to speak.
As a current example I suggest we observe our rebuilding of Iraq. We aren't trying to eliminate god from their lives. No, we are trying to eliminate the possibility that imams will dictate what the country will do based on their interpretation of the Koran.
We can look to both sides of Iraq to see what we don't want. In the govt of Saudi Arabia a pungent form of Islam, Wahabi, has given us a wake up call; and in Iran we have the mullahs deciding how to make the world safe for their form of Islam.
Liberalism is not the panacea of the world. What it does offer is a less than 2000 year reign of control. We operate on the Gregorian calendar; observe seasonal holidays that were absorbed and converted into religious observances and the Vatican is considered powerful enough to have US ambassadors.
Religion couldn't rule the world correctly when there was no science or even an attempt at reason, when TV and Hollywood weren't spreading what is widely considered cultural filth. They had their chance and blew it.