Lerner, further argues that the left should accept what they call a "New Bottom Line " a call for the implementation a set of values and ethics he seems to think the left doesn 't have and that we must acknowledge the " ...recognition that the spiritual dimension of reality has to be brought into the center of progressive politics. " He goes on to state "that a leftist secularist ought to approach other belief systems with a greater spirit of humility, recognizing that secularism is one possible answer among many to the question of how to understand the universe and how to live one 's life. Secularism is not "the rational approach " but "a rational approach " among other rational approaches. " What he is really asking is that we go back to pre-enlightenment thinking about whose spiritual values are best, rather than a belief that reason can carry us forward without the attachment of superstition or that values are only possible through religion-spirituality.
My question is where is the humility of the religions? Are they ready to acknowledge their vast failures throughout history to support the advancement of civilization against the forces of ignorance and greed? Are "progressive " churches ready to acknowledge openly what many pastors and priests will admit privately about the superstitions in their belief structures? Are "progressive " churches willing to have open and frank discussions about how irrational rituals, superstitious beliefs and dogma are damaging to the solution of modern problems and be ready to change them?
Lerner misunderstands the position of myself and many other secularists, which is, quite frankly I don 't care what superstitions you believe in, just don 't try to drag them into the public sphere under the guise of "values ". Religion has no exclusive claim to the evolution of values only to the superstition of the day.
I welcome spiritual and religious people into the left. But please do not come here and try and offer us moral authority, you do not own it or even have it most of the time. If you want to join us in the search for economic and social justice, peace, real democracy, saving the human race and biodiversity from environmental destruction please feel free to do so. If you do share these values, come on in, we welcome you. Just remember you are joining us not the other way around. You are free to keep your beliefs, just don 't show up late for the party and try and tell everyone you 're putting it on.
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