To the Editor:
I applaud The Times for publishing Susan Jacoby’s Sunday Review article decrying the grip that religion and superstition have on public discourse and politics in the United States: especially that so many people accept “God bless America” as sacrosanct when it is no such thing (“Sick and Tired of ‘God Bless America,’ ” Feb. 7).
It denies our country’s tradition of tolerance for different beliefs. People laugh dismissively when I confess that I have no religion. They think that my views are simply a passing lapse.
It used to be said during World War II that there are no atheists in foxholes. I am a veteran of World War II. I fought in Europe. I was an atheist then and I am an atheist now.
BERNARD GOODMAN
Glen Cove, N.Y.
To the Editor:
While I yield to no one in my scorn for religion’s ability to explain the natural world, I’ve never considered my atheism especially important. Supernatural gods and life after death simply seem implausible to me, as do elves and unicorns.
Susan Jacoby suggests that these views should draw me to a budding movement — one that involves joining a lobby and demanding attention from politicians.
Thanks, but no. If ending speeches with “God bless America” is an example of the problems the new godless bloc will tackle, any number of issues threaten us with more harm. One of them, from my perspective, is the proliferation of dubious grievance groups.
MICHAEL SMITH
Cynthiana, Ky.
No comments:
Post a Comment