Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 15:00:45 -0800 (PST)
From: K**** B****
Subject: Religion in Law
To: Darwin@Atheists.net

Darwin,

I read your post where you summarized the story of

the gospel. With a few minor exceptions, I think you

retold it fairly accurately. As a believer, I

disagree with your take on religion, but unlike many

believers, I believe you have the right to your

opinion and I have mine. If you choose to scoff at my

beliefs, that doesn't make you stupid, and if I choose

to believe, that doesn't make me naive.

One question. You stated that all religion should

be removed from our laws. I'm wondering how you would

do that. Basically every law we have at the center of

this country is based on Old Testament law. You throw

out religion, and you have no choice but to legalize

murder because any law against it is based on "thou

shalt not kill". You throw out religion and suddenly

purgery is fine - "thou shalt not give false witness".

You say believers don't think much, but have you ever

considered what it would be like to live in a world

without religious influence? The only thing that

ensures that the world is relatively safe is that

religion (a.k.a. God) says that people are to respect

each other and treat each other well.

No matter what the world says, people are not

inherently good. Left to my own devices, I am unfair,

mean and selfish. If there was nothing that told me

there was more to life than life itself, I'd live

exclusively for me and screw everyone else. Religion

is the only reason Canada is a good place to live.

Have a nice day.

Respectfully, but in disagreement,

K**** B****.

P.S. Please write me back. I want to hear your

opinion on how religion could be removed from our laws.

__________________________________________________

To: K**** B****
From: Darwin Bedford <Darwin@atheists.net>
Subject: Re: Religion in Law

Dear K**** B****:

I am currently drafting a "Declaration to Prescind Religion from Government" that I hope will be adopted by all levels of government in all countries and by the United Nations Assembly as a common standard. Similar to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights it will be complete with a preamble containing "whereases" and a proclamation containing articles.

Meanwhile, may I suggest that you read the following book.

Can We Be Good Without God?: Behaviour, Belonging and the Need to Believe
by Author Robert Buckman

Hardcover | 208 Pages | 5 x 7 in | ISBN 067089222X
Published in October 2000 by Penguin Books Of Canada, Limit

Here is the promotional text extracted from the Chapters Books website at:

http://www.chapters.ca/Books/Details/default.asp?ISBN=067089222X&MATBExpand=True&WSID=0003DDC78C09317F423EBC44BD0F903FD8B53726&mscssid=2175JGQSQKL19K3W9LDH6B6EMD5V3TR7#Section11

Every religious code of behaviour, no matter which particular doctrine it ascribes to, offers a specific framework for human action. Whether you’re following The Ten Commandments, The Koran or even The Golden Rule, a specific code of conduct is illustrated to direct human behaviour towards what is accepted as goodness. In Can We Be Good Without God?: Behaviour, Belonging and the Need to Believe, Robert Buckman explores ethical behaviour in those who do not believe in a higher power of being. Addressing some of humankind’s most difficult questions, this fascinating journey touches upon several myths, theories and groundbreaking developments in the neurology of theology, to provide a thought provoking and fascinating exploration of faith and the contradictions of religion in our modern world.

Publisher Comments:

Whatever religion we may follow, many of us act as we do because of a set of rules that direct our behaviour towards "goodness." The Ten Commandments, The Koran, The Golden Rule and all religious codes of behaviour provide a framework for our actions. Fear of reprisal or anticipation of rewards motivate us to at least acknowledge, if not adhere to, those rules. But if you don't believe in God, can you still behave decently and ethically?

Can We Be Good Without God? suggests that you can. Indeed, it suggests that the world would be a better place if we all believe what we wish, but behave as if there is no deity to sort out humankind's problems. Dr. Buckman offers proposals for answering our most difficult questions. He shows us how ethics and religion can be separated, how we can think about the different religions (as well as the absence of religion) in a reasonable and equitable way, and how a code of ethics can exist without a deity at its centre. He suggests non-theist principles for "good" behaviour, having to do with "this is the way we are" rather than "this is the way God ordained us to be."

Along the way, he takes us on a provocative, stimulating journey from Joseph Campbell to James Fraser to Karen Armstrong, and from the mysterious cargo cults of Melanesia to the groundbreaking developments in the neurology of theology. Throughout, Buckman explores the dilemmas of faith and the contradictions of religion in our modern world.

From Can We Be Good Without God?: "Perhaps it's fair to say that it doesn't matter so much what you believe as how you behave. If you happen to hold the finest theological beliefs there are, and if you understand all the very best and most detailed divine precepts and commandments, but in your daily life you are actually angry, shouting and inhumane, then that's the way you will be remembered. Believing is all very well, but behaving is what you are judged by and will be remembered by."

Dr. Robert Buckman is a medical oncologist at the Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, and a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He has a Ph.D. from Cambridge University. For the last twenty years he has had a second career in communication and broadcasting. He has written ten books and currently writes and presents a series of medical information videos - called What You Really Need to Know About... - with actor John Cleese.

Darwin Bedford
www.atheists.net