The Importance of Freedom of Speech

      “The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.” 
      ― John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

        Anyone who has been watching the news over the last few days has seen the violent protests that have erupted all over the middle east. There are many reasons for it but one of the highest mentioned ones by the protesters is the film "Innocence of Muslims."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19625167

      The content of the film in the end matters very little. The people who wished to silence the views expressed in it would have found another justification to do so, much like what Salman Rusdhie experienced when Iran's Ayatollah declared a Fatwa on him for writing the "Satanic Versus," (A book not even explicitly about the prophet Muhammad) and also other people who have done work  explicitly critical of Islam.

     The limits of free speech legally are an ongoing conversation. Much like a person cannot scream fire in a crowded theatre or commit libel against another, but that conversation should never be dictated by thugs. The threat of death for the sharing of an opinion should not even be on the table. It is savage and barbaric and has no place anywhere in society or in any group of people. Extortion is something that should play no part on how the courts and people define free speech's limits.

     This is important because shutting down the conversation doesn't give the other a chance to correct the opinion through reason. As John Stuart Mill beautifully illustrates in the quote above. Freedom of speech means more than any one person's feelings. If someone is offended they can write why the person is wrong, they can mock the other person...they can do countless things that don't involve killing, violence and extortion.

     Another point that must be brought up is why any one group should deserve special protection from being critiqued? Why should Islam and Muhammad deserve special treatment when Jesus, Buddha, Moses and countless others have been on the cutting board since people finally were able to critique these figures without the threat of death hanging over their head (blasphemy laws in Europe and the West that existed years ago). To whitewash their legacies is to a lie about who they were as flawed human beings.

     Connected to this is the danger in those laws that once existed. Who is defining what "Blasphemy" is? Isn't blasphemy by it's very nature a thought crime? In all the places were such laws exist (Iran, all over the Middle East, etc.) Minorities suffer for it. There is no protection for Christians, Jews, Baha'i, Sufis, Ahmaddiya Muslims and Sunnis and Shiites (depending on which faction is in control of the government in regards to Sunnis and Shiites)  and other religious minorities. They actually live in fear for their lives and can't speak about why they believe in their religion without getting targeted in many cases. This is directly tied to free expression (and also the separation of Church and State...which will be another blog post for another day).
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/opinion/friedman-look-in-your-mirror.html?hp

      The final piece I wanted to touch on was the liberal hypocrisy in regards to Islam. I consider myself moderate liberal and find it sad and hypocritical that the left is comfortable criticizing and mocking conservative Christianity, but never does so with conservative and radical Islam. This is hypocrisy that should be pointed out. No group is above criticism and radical Islam does have problems that should be brought up and problems that are worthy of satire and mocking, just like conservative (and Liberal) Christianity and religion as a whole.

     Part of what tolerance and acceptance means is accepting views that make you uncomfortable. You have no right to shut another down simply because you are offended. Just as they do not have a right to keep you from expressing your opinion. That's what freedom of speech means. It means allowing a place for the views you disagree with. 

The Inevitability of Change - Saint Aloysius Church - Spokane, WA - September 3rd, 2012

     This is going to be a blog that is a little bit different. St. Aloysius was not having a service when I visited the Church...but by visiting it I still got to experience it's significance in the conversations I had with my friends during the visit and after leaving. 

    First, I am going to mention why I was in Spokane because of the close friends who live there who went and go to my College. My friend and I are graduates from the college that they attend and before he goes across the country for an internship we saw it as a last get together for the four of us to do. Suffice to say it was amazing. The experience of getting together with old friends is a difficult thing to describe, but whenever it happens it brings some of the best memories. 

     We were visiting Gonzaga University because one of my friends who lives in Spokane taught a class there and also went to the prep school there too. He was showing us around the campus and with it came the stories. 

    One of the major services that Churches do is bring community together. At private religious schools this is most obvious, but even outside of religious schools church can play a big role. Whether it is hosting community events or recognizing accomplishments within the community it serves, while at the same time providing a service...the community aspect that Churches and specifically St. Aloysius accomplish can not be understated. 

       During our time in the Church I lit a candle for those who have died and recalled how the Temple's in China served a similar purpose. Whether it was weddings, funerals, births or deaths...the Church offered a place to remember and to honor in a small way those who have passed. 

    Change, the very existence of life is a monument to the inevitability of it. Matter is always changing, we are always changing, even if parts of our base personality stay mostly constant. It's this change that gives me hope about the future. 

    Change does happen in institution and always is. No organization is static. No person is static. It's in this very neutral truth that I realize possibility, and with that, how our power is greater than we know. 

Saint Joseph's Catholic Church - Salem, Oregon - August 26th, 2012

   What does it mean to be a member of a faith group? Is it okay to question and to be agnostic within a faith tradition? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it. I'll explain my own point of view and what happened at the service in the following post.

    The service was unquestioning of dogma. Essentially. "If you don't believe with the policies of the papacy, then get out."

    The service itself was quite beautiful, though that undercurrent of fear didn't add to the connection with anything higher, even with the church pulling out all the stops. From bell ringing during the Eucharist, large candle sticks, an ethereal choir and good music. Which I think showed for me that creative/mystic experiences can't always be simply created.

    I wasn't there for the first reading, but the second reading tied into the theme of obedience. Now I can understand this theme but I think it ties into trust. A trust that I don't feel many religious figures (and other people) have truly earned. It can lead to problems too, such as Cardinal Ratzinger order that abuse should not be reported until 18 years after and should only be dealt with in house (much like how Penn State for years "dealt with it" in House).
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/now-pope-linked-to-child-abuse-coverup-2098327.html

    The Church didn't deal with the sex abuse cover up until long after, and it's only been recently that we've been seeing secular justice applied to these people who hid these atrocities...and even then, the now Pope Benedict will never be held accountable unless those who are members speak up.

    We see this happening in the Orthodox Jewish communities too in regards to abuse and in other communities that try to cut themselves off from "The World" and in turn claim to be above it, even when their mistakes question the validity of that claim of being God's chosen or being guided by something more than any other group or person on Earth.

     The Decon who was giving the service seemed completely unaware or in denial over this point. Simply saying that, "I know we've made mistakes," while at the same time attacking those who question. This is a mentality that does nothing for organizational growth.

    Religion by its very nature is based in uncertainty. Whether it's dealing with God, the Prophets, Angels, Demons, the soul and the supernatural...these are claims that are in the end based on faith. They can't be proven or falsified. It is for this reason that I find myself drawn to the attempt at ethics religion does...as well as to the stories and myths...some of which are amazing tools for teaching and growing. The practical application and "Living the best you can be," within your faith tradition or no faith tradition is what I hope for. One should live by the higher truth of the Good/virtue relating to the self and to others.

    I have some issues with the Dalai Lama that I'll bring up in another post, but he does have a quote I believe is relevant to my current beliefs about religion,

  "Whatever that makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical. The religion that would that for you is the best religion. I am not interested my friend, about your religion or if you are religious or not. What really is important to me is your behavior in front of your peers, family, work, community, and in front of the world. Remember, the universe is the echo of our actions and our thoughts." 

     How in interpret the Universe bit at the end is karma, which is the fact that our actions have consequences. What we do and how we treat people matters. It is this simple truth that so often we miss in whatever stories we pick up and believe about ourselves and others.