What is a Moderate?

by Bill Creasy

If humanists and atheists are going to co-exist with religious people, then we need a polite, "politically correct" explanation for why so many religious people and religious cultural traditions exist. The explanation must find a good purpose for religion to explain why people aren't irrational idiots for having beliefs. Then, once we accord them some measure of respect, we can proceed to explain why humanism is a better, more realistic, more scientific, more modern way to live. Such an appeal may not convince fundamentalists, but it may convince moderates. But what is a moderate?

We can agree that religion has some advantages for encouraging social bonds within groups. The bonds help the people within the group to cooperate for common goals. In earlier ages, perhaps even religious fundamentalism had advantages. In times of warfare between small groups, a religious certainty and conviction could motivate warriors to fight harder to gain more territory and resources. They could rationalize killing their enemies to gain territory.

But in the modern age, with modern weapons and global communications, religious fundamentalism is a cultural disadvantage. Modern weapons make wars of conquest so destructive that there isn't anything left after the war that is worth having, aside from destroyed cities and mobs of refugees. The current status of the Middle Eastern countries of Iraq and Lebanon are evidence. Global communications make extremist countries look dangerous and inaccessible for business, leaving their people in poverty, without access to modern technology, and left out of the modern world that they see on television or in the movies.

Moderate religion may still act as a social advantage, but only as long as it allows coexistence and cooperation with people of other beliefs. This may be the important distinction between moderates, or pluralists, and fundamentalists. Moderates can accept that they must live with people of different beliefs.

But coexistence can't proceed to the complete uncritical acceptance of multiculturalism. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, in her book A Caged Virgin, denounces the practice that she has seen in the Netherlands to uncritically accept Islam. She writes, “Politicians and policy makers, as well as intellectuals, have been afraid confront Muslims about opinions, customs, and practices arising from their religion that severely damage Muslims themselves and society.... [The mayor of Amsterdam] seemed to be making an appeal to the Dutch people to adopt an unreflexive, unexamined tolerance of Islamic communities and their activities. With this 'appeal,' however, he blatantly ignored the desperate situation of Muslim women in his own city. And he seemed to believe—mistakenly—that this 'benevolent' sentiment and attitude would help the integration of Muslims into Dutch society. It will not. It does the exact opposite: it makes a virtual institution of Muslim self-segregation and isolation.”

There are secular laws that religious people must follow, even if the laws contradict a strict interpretation of their dogma. There is certainly going to be some dissonance and conflict with their religious principles. But many aspects of modern life generate dissonance, for everyone. This conflict is not an acceptable excuse for violent antisocial behavior.

Moderates find a way to accept and abide by secular laws, in order to function in a civilized society. For religious people who can't, then their option is to withdraw into a closed society based on religion and cut off from modern interactions. The Amish sect of Christianity has been able to do this while peacefully coexisting with their neighbors. Fundamentalism Muslims can make the same decision, but they must accept that they won't be able to conquer the world.

Moderate religion can give rise to fundamentalism, like cancer cells in the body politic. This fundamentalism must be guarded against. But that doesn't mean moderate people should be rejected as allies.

Bill Creasy is president of the Washington Area Secular Humanists. Parts of this essay were published in the July issue of WASHline.