Not a few readers will be surprised to learn that there is no generic LEFT devoted to persecuting religion. Many " democratic socialists " have been appalled by the war on God, especially Catholic Church bashing and rampant Islamophobia , for a long time. " Socialism " is hardly monolithic anywhere on the planet. Perhaps the biggest mistake of Soviet era " socialism/communism " was to make the state officially godless and atheistic -actively hostile to humanity's spiritual quest. In that infamous " Prayer on the Wall " controversy at Cranston West High School I thought the New Atheists were being arrogant and obnoxious. Catholic Bishop Tobin was just upholding church doctrine when he opposed gay marriage. I thought secular " marriage " was beyond the moral authority of the Pope. But there was never anything " hateful " about traditional Catholicism. I note the " progressive "- quasi-socialist ? - social philosophy of the Catholic Church. It is this always so politically correct pseudo-Left that is waging war on God. Their cult leader, Christopher Hitchens, wrote a nasty book titled " God is not Great - how religion poisons everything ". None of the illiberal liberal New Atheists have a quarrel with " free market capitalism ".Or with the more fanatical brand of Zionism. I suspect most " democratic socialist " types view religion with benign indifference.
Not a few readers will be surprised to learn that there is no generic LEFT devoted to persecuting religion. Many " democratic socialists " have been appalled by the war on God, especially Catholic Church bashing and rampant Islamophobia , for a long time.
" Socialism " is hardly monolithic anywhere on the planet. Perhaps the biggest mistake of Soviet era " socialism/communism " was to make the state officially godless and atheistic -actively hostile to humanity's spiritual quest.
In that infamous " Prayer on the Wall " controversy at Cranston West High School I thought the New Atheists were being arrogant and obnoxious.
Catholic Bishop Tobin was just upholding church doctrine when he opposed gay marriage. I thought secular " marriage " was beyond the moral authority of the Pope. But there was never anything " hateful " about traditional Catholicism. I note the " progressive "- quasi-socialist ? - social philosophy of the Catholic Church.
It is this always so politically correct pseudo-Left that is waging war on God. Their cult leader, Christopher Hitchens, wrote a nasty book titled " God is not Great - how religion poisons everything ".
None of the illiberal liberal New Atheists have a quarrel with " free market capitalism ".Or with the more fanatical brand of Zionism.
I suspect most " democratic socialist " types view religion with benign indifference.