Freedom of religion?

Somebody in Cambridge sent me this link via e-mail today. Have a go and read it first.

Personally, my initial reaction is, “What a twat!” Then, when I calmed down a bit, I guess my comment would be “He’s a rather ignorant person, isn’t he?”

I’m referring to the writer of the column mentioned in the article, Prager.

Since Mr Volokh has presented his arguments more informatively and eloquently than I can ever manage, I guess there isn’t much else I can say. Just want to add my two-cent worth. I think being born in a supposedly multicultural country makes people think they’re all embracing diversity and all that jazz, but the reality is people might be more ignorant then they think they are. He implied that it doesn’t matter what you think and believe, when elected to congress, then uphold the bible. Seems like a contradiction to the supposedly multiculturalism, don’t you think? It doesn’t matter that the person will feel somewhat forced to adhere to another religion’s holy ceremony. It doesn’t matter that the person will probably not take the oath seriously because, hey, you don’t believe in the bible, so the oath is void, right? In fact, the oath doesn’t matter at all, what matters is that you swear on the bible and then just do your job as a congressman. Is that what he’s implying?

I think this is coming from the mouth of a person who really has no inkling of the significance of religion to somebody else. This is not tolerating other religion/culture. This is “Hey, as long as it doesn’t bother me, then who cares” kind of attitude. But if it does disturb your blissful apathy, then you’ll say “Nope, we’re not having any of that!” If this is the paradigm of an average joe, then we have a long way to go for multicultural understanding.

I also agree with the article in that the person doesn’t have to take an oath on the Qur’an, just do an affirmation on the name of God or something. That’ll do.

As an aside, in Cambridge, when you graduate, they’ll present you your degree in the name of the holy trinity. However, you can tell them beforehand and they’ll just say ‘in the name of God’ or something of that effect, and you don’t have to bow before them. I know, Cambridge is cool that way.

Yaz.