A religious affiliation should be a voluntary, educated decision. I made the voluntary, educated choice to be an atheist. It is my right and my responsibility.
However, religion and politics is a dangerous mix. We use politics as a tool to impose our religious beliefs on other people. There is no universal religion; but the law is universal. Why do we impose our own beliefs on people we will never know? Why is your version of right and wrong THE version of right and wrong for everyone?
Religion is a static thing; it does not change, it does not move with society. It keeps people locked in the past, with ideas so old they are virtually alien. Times have changed. Society has changed. Religion? Hardly.
It is everyone's right to have whatever religious affiliation they choose. But please, from one person to another, don't impose your views onto others. Don't deny others the gift of choice.
Politics and law are secular elements of society. Keep it secular.
This is why I do not approve of religious political parties or religious political pressure groups. It is unfair to impose religious ideology onto a fast-changing, liberal secular world. The world needs things, like gay rights and sexual liberation, that religion is not prepared to give. Religion, especially Christianity in particular, has had almost free rein to freely, openly and proudly practice their religion and lead their lives how they want; why can't they return the favour? I'm an atheist, and I deserve no less than you. If people are gay, they deserve no less than you. Women deserve no less than men. Black deserves no less than white.
I'm not anti-religion. I don't dispute our rights to choose our religion. But what I do have a problem is is when we take these religions and inflict the good and bad of them on others. It's neither fair nor right, and sometimes we have to think; how much of other people's business do we take too personally?
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