The Only Hope for Iraq is Atheism

When President W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq the big rift between branches of Islam were widely known. As the war dragged on, the U.S. strategy was to keep the religious faction apart. This was different than Sadam's system of tamping down their disagreements which resulted in some intermarriage and good neighbors.

Now a new twist is unfolding, young people who refuse to express belief in religion of any kind. One aspect of this new development is funding for an escape route out of Iraq for atheists. From the outside these natives of Iraq write and encourage atheism in their country.

Back in parts of Iraq there is a new freedom of expression. Something that has changed since the beginning of that unending war is social media. Not surprisingly young Iraqis are just as sick of the religious factions as everyone else who is not inside them. They can now express their frustration on Face Book where many thousands now subscribe to secular sites.

Also, a new sidewalk cafe society now gathers in the open and reinforces non belief. They meet in plan sight of ISIS soldiers.

What a refreshing thing it would be if our President or some other entity speaking for the U.S. would step forward and say atheism is a positive force in the world and is not frowned on by this country. Such a person could say atheism is a potential solution to the endless war we started. It is an acceptable position in the U.S., he/she could say, and acceptable in other places in the world.

Atheism has been available as a force for good since the Iraq invasion was ordered. Now is the time to do something that has a positive potential.

Comments

  1. Matt NoahJuly 9, 2018 at 8:07 PM

    It seems the Forum has insisted you shut off comments. Probably for the best if that's what is happening.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 10, 2018 at 8:47 AM

    Tribalism is the overarching problem -- and atheism merely a means of reduction in the religious forms of tribalism. Ethnic and political tribalism will remain problematic too, or at least until humans realize that all forms of dogmatism and division underpin most of the murder and mayhem that plague us.
    Of course, when leaders are invested in dogmatic authoritarian tribal rule, they will disparage anything that challenges it. That's why there's little or no chance that our current president (whose base is rooted in religious fundamentalism) will ever say anything positive about atheists.

    ReplyDelete

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