Ok, before I start I think I should lay my cards on the table. In various UK elections I have voted for all three parties. My leanings are closer to the left than the right, I believe in free health care, welfare, free education and so forth but, also, I believe in the rule of law, government, regulation, I am a fiscal conservative and I (probably) buy into the cult of the individual too much (any person smarter than me who can teach me something).
The majority of the people whom I speak to are also liberals who believe in women’s rights, homosexual rights and so forth but one topic that always seems (emphasis on seems as I have a small model to work with) to bring about a strong response is theology.
I was recently involved in an online (I know) group conversation about the current Trump administration. I am as angry and hurt as the next person by the victory and am fearful of the next few years (if not weeks) (Einstein once said ‘Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.’) but the conversation that I was involved in took a turn which was unexpected. Apparently Mike Pence (Vice-President) is a creationist and wants people to be taught about it. Here is where I start to fail to see the problem. A) it should be taught but not as a science but as theology- theology and religions should be taught in school as they have important things to teach us and with a wider knowledge of the world hatred from fear and ignorance will be decreased. And B) what has Mr Pence’s personal beliefs got to do with policy? If he brings in health care, equal rights etc. so what if he believes in literal translation of the bible?
In saying this I was inundated with abuse by liberals who didn’t seem willing to accept my perspective fitting with the liberal notion that, to paraphrase George Orwell, all opinions are equal but some are more equal than others. The likelihood that Mr Pence will not bring about equality but will increase the opposite seems high but what has that got to do with his theology?
The answer given was that ‘HE IGNORES SCIENTIFIC FACTS!’ a sign that he cannot be trusted to be reasonable.
Hmm, scientific fact…
I am not here to say my opinion on the notion of facts rather I am here to speak of another scientific fact. Tobacco and alcohol cause serious health problems. This is a fact. However, how many people find out this fact and cease drinking and smoking? How many go this is a scientific, verified fact, ergo I shall follow it? And if people continue to do such things should we question their ability to govern or hold opinions for these people are ignoring and, in some cases, denying facts.
We on the left are arrogant, smug and so lazy. All of the protesters around the world against Trump, where were you when the election was happening? Why try to close the barn door after a wall has been built before it?
What we need to do is educate our children about theology, about compassion and all of the other principles therein and remove ourselves from our dogmas and accept this very simple and, highly possible, thought. We may be wrong.
‘till next time
thegreaterfool2016 