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- Dec 29, 2007
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That's rhetorical exaggeration when there are clearly people of strong religious conviction working actively, visibly and committedly against religious extremism, even in their own faiths.... While moderation in religion may seem a reasonable position to stake out, in light of all that we have (and have not) learned about the universe, it offers no bulwark against religious extremism and religious violence.
I think it's truer to say that the bulwarks against excesses of zeal and tribal inhumanity are inadequate, and that the problem extends well beyond religious zealotry into nationalism, economic and political zealotry and ethnic supremacism.
All ideologies tend to attract falsehoods, and it's only by constant challenge that they can be winnowed out. Moreover, our moral character is constantly developing, so the values underpinning our ideologies need constant challenge too. So to call any ideology sacred and unchallengable is ludicrous and dangerous. That much I support -- in fact I extend it beyond religion and into secular affairs.
What I don't support is Harris' de facto position that there is a single story so pure, robust and enduring that it should be inflicted unilaterally on human minds and used to extirpate 'taboo' religioius beliefs. That's simply another kind of zeal. What keeps our stories improving is that we challenge them and ourselves, so prescriptive storytelling will only lead us down more intellectual and moral cul de sacs.
And further, Harris' idea of extirpating religion is as meaningless as the religious beliefs he wants to dispense with. Human belief runs a gamut from traditional to progressive, pragmatic through to aesthetic and mystical. It's impossible to even try to find the edges of religious belief, and there's substantial evidence that most human minds can't thrive without some belief in magic.
It is possible to be ideologically moderate, yet relentlessly committed to human welfare. One can embrace robust, vigorous discussion, dispense with any notion that ideas are sacred or taboo, yet still respect the human right to revere any part of life they choose. Human diversity has always admitted multiple stories and it's that very diversity that has helped us develop; what matters most is that we put our care and concern for one another above our zeal for storytelling.
And yes, Harris is at times, an idiot.