In Defense of Religion

It is with great interest that I read the recent Daily article about the creation of the Secular Student Association. I was dismayed, however, by the attitudes its founders conveyed and the purpose some of their words implied.

I was especially troubled by Calvin Metcalf's comments that the Association's purpose was to create a community that would be free from the "intolerance and bigotry" of religion. Though he described the SSA as a positive and non-confrontational organization, it is difficult to imagine how else these remarks can be interpreted. I would expect him to understand that there is much more to religion than the existence of intolerance and bigotry. These ugly aspects of human nature have been practiced in many guises throughout the course of history -- and needless to say, not all had to do with religious belief.

Furthermore, Metcalf's insistence that the organization derives its "moral compass from common sense" is a puzzling one. It's hard to believe that in this vague phrase he has explained away every moral position of every one of the club's potential members. What he's really referring to is a code of ethics -- rules of behavior that can be rationally defined -- and not morals, which are innate, gut feelings that are often inspired by a sense of what is inherently decent and right; not what is logical.

But even the ethics that guide the law codes of our society stem from a sophisticated and well-developed religious tradition. For example, the founders of this country stated in the Declaration of Independence that our inalienable rights -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness -- are given to us by our Creator. Clearly they are acting on preconceived religious faith. And that is but one example. The intellectual foundation that allows our modern and highly complex moral sense to exist was built over many long and painful centuries of religious thought and development. This process cannot be dismissed as irrational and irrelevant. Without this background we would be utterly lost in our attempt to create any functional morality.

Samuel Kounaves may claim that religion and science are inherently incompatible, that logic has won and "irrational beliefs" have lost -- and yet, religion continues to play a vital role in the lives of millions of people. The most highly respected of our values -- love, generosity, forgiveness, humility -- all come with a justification that is spiritual -- not logical. Without them, we would be left only with base self- interest. Einstein himself -- one of the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century -- famously said that "religion without science is blind, and science without religion is lame." In our quest for a just and peaceful world, there is no room to dismiss either science or religion out of hand.

And yet, for an organization that purports to create dialogue between atheists and religious groups -- while "not trying to confront anyone" -- it is troubling that every quoted reference to religion is a negative one. There is no acknowledgement of the good that all the multifaceted varieties of spirituality that exist on this Earth have inspired throughout the ages. The Torah, the Bible, the Koran -- these great and seminal works of literature, which represent so many of mankind's hopes, fears and yearnings -- all dismissed as bigotry, intolerance, and ancient superstitions? Is the comfort, solace and inspiration that religion provides in this increasingly hectic and materialistic world so worthless?

I am a wholly secular person, and I cannot believe it. There is so much in religion of what makes us human -- the very worst and the very best of human nature -- that to dismiss it as ancient folly seems in and of itself the worst kind of folly. And so I hope my doubts about the SSA and its goals are misplaced.

For the reasons above, I cannot say that they are unfounded. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the SSA will not become a forum for the destruction of religion and the uprooting of its influence. Maybe the debates and discussions it sparks will rather serve to increase our understanding of religion, of its place in the world, its perils, and its promise. That would speak well of the university that funds this organization's existence -- and it would be a huge testament to the intellectual honesty and moral vigor of its founders and its members.

Ilya Lozovsky is a sophomore majoring International Relations.