Against my better judgment ...

[bigtree]

50. there should be understanding

... of the need to speak out against 'beliefs' which discriminate, subjugate, or threaten.

Religious beliefs don't always adhere to the best of instincts or behavior. In fact, many religious expressions are used to justify discrimination or bigotry; or used to define the role of women, for example, into narrow and subservient boxes. It would be nice if those who espouse those views just kept to themselves, but we know it's not as simple to live and let live when there are efforts to politicize or legislate those beliefs into practice by exclusion or entitlement.

Imagine if practicing Mormons, for instance, adhered to their faith's original beliefs that considered black folk as less than human. We're actually just decades away from the time when that church sanctioned and encouraged those views. It's not realistic that those who adhered to that bigotry restricted their belief to the church or their private life. Those beliefs translate to their interactions with society. They bear commenting on; deserve comment and rebuke in our society.

Many beliefs associated with many pretexts of Islam are similarly discriminatory and subjugating; some even threatening. Are we really to be expected to not speak out against those?

I don't really disagree with leaving folks to their beliefs; but only of those beliefs don't manifest themselves into action. It's really not our experience that religion is just made up of private expressions of faith. Most often there's some attempt to proselytize or assert individuals' own beliefs superiority in many aggressive and imposing forms. That's really the aim of most religions, like the history of the deliberate and often oppressive spread of Christianity around the world.

Speaking out in opposition or even in ridicule, in response or in defense, is certainly 'fair game.'