baroness warsi

[Ankou]

is she leading a whole new crusade ?

http://www.telegraph....rsecutors-abroad.html

she says....."faith needs “a seat at the table in public life”."

does it ?

[China Doll]

I quite welcome the idea of religion and politics being seperate (although I doubt it will ever truly happen).

[humbersloop]

OP, in my view, no.

I don't necessarily mind it sitting on the back doorstep having a packet of crisps and a bottle of pop with all the other faiths. Provided they don't squabble and share nicely.

[birdie1971]

The religious community likes to portray anyone who speaks out against religion as 'militant'. They conveniently forget that the population of this country (and a great many others) have had religion force-fed to them for centuries, during which time any hint of dissent was dealt with harshly - anything from social ostracism to execution and everything in between.

Warsi and others are crying foul because those of us who don't believe now have a platform and a voice and we're growing in numbers, much to her and their chagrin.

[mibn2cweus]

It would seem the same lack of rationality that led them to believe that religion is indispensable to their moral guidance has likewise led them to believe that those of us rational enough to reject the existence of their divine overseer of reality lack the moral guidance to not threat them as they saw fit to treat us for millennia. Could it be just compensation and retribution from those of us who were so long made victims of their policies that they fear, given their inability to grasp what it means to be guided by reason . . . poetic justice for crimes against humanity to be witnessed by those with the capacity to appreciate it.

[jake-the-peg]

A seat at the table - Yes
A seat at the head of the table - No

They have for thousands of years interwoven their beliefs and practices with everyday life

That interweaving is now being unpicked

People are not being baptised or going to church, the heir to the throne was married in a registry office even humanist fulnerals are not unusual.

Religion has gotten used to being part of the fabric of everyday life and they fear becoming just an ordinary voice at "the table" no different from any other charity or speial interest group.

Well Baroness Warsi is a politician and should understand the concept of democracy - when a majority of this country is standing in a church or mosque or synagogue or temple on whatever day is their respective sabbath she can come back and start her crusade.

[Ankou]

will it take a resurgance in christianity though to defeat muslim extemism and get moderate society back to liking each other and being nice again ?

[emmie]

no it doesn't, take it off the table, out of schools, councils, and so forth. If you have a faith fine, but it certainly should have no place in schools.

[emmie]

ankou, no because Christianity in Britain has been on the wane for years. As to extremism, well i believe that Islam will be the dominate faith in Britain one day, and effectively wipe out Christianity here once and for all.

[Ankou]

em10, what about the rise in atheism, surely this will come to dominance in the uk at some point in the future. maybe we need to drop christianity altogether and tackle islamic extremism with atheism ....?

[naomi24]

Faith may feel it needs “a seat at the table in public life”, but the country can do without the obligation of pandering to guests who outstay their welcome.

[flip_flop]

Faith needs a seat in public life the way a fish needs a fondue set.

We are a largely secular society - if people want to believe in their fairy stories, then fine, but it should have no place in politics or in the education of our children.

Faith schools, if they are funded by the church, are fine, but they should have absolutely no say in state funded schools.

The Lords Spiritual should have no role in politics, perhaps other than a ceremonial role based on tradition.

[Zeuhl]

<<"Confidence in our own beliefs enables us to defend attacks on others. >>

Well confidence in core values such as human rights and freedom of expression will do fine.

All the better if they are allied with rational beliefs and not attached to an acceptance of fairy stories, superstition and ritual.

[Khandro]

@em10, "i believe that Islam will be the dominate faith in Britain one day" If by that you mean there will be one day more practising Muslims than Christians, that may well be true, (it might already be true!) but it can never dominate the country in the sense that Christianity once did. As education slowly permeates the world population I believe you will see a decline in Islam, which only really flourishes in countries where the population is least educated.

[FredPuli43]

What I find disagreeable is the argument, put forward by some Christians in the media, that someone who is now an atheist, but was brought up as a Christian, is still governed by "core Christian values". The 'core values' are not peculiarly Christian, any more than they are Muslim, Hindu, or atheist, but are universal.
Faith does not need a seat at the table in public life. Honesty and the other universal values do.
The idea that we need to be confident in our own religion in order to fight religious or other oppression, if I read the Baroness correctly, is ludicrous. Atheists will fight it just as keenly.