I saw this bumper sticker on a car the other day. At first, I thought it was advertising a new goth band, but I quickly realized it was an attempt to promote religious egalitarianism and tolerance.
The “why can’t we all get along” approach to faith is admirable but fatally flawed. The attempt to promote peaceful co-existence among all religions (and science, as iconified as E=mc
First, the religions themselves are founded on the principle that they are uniquely correct about the claims they make regarding the origins and operations of the universe. In doing so, all other religions must be wrong on any point that differs. Mutual respect under these conditions is impossible when carried to logical conclusions. I am reminded of an old Emo Phillips routine wherein he encounters a suicidal man and learns they are part of the same church. As they discuss the cascade of “reforms” the church has been through, however, they ultimately learn they differ slightly in denomination:
[…]
He says, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region.”
I say, “Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”
He says, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”
I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over!
Where does the radically tolerant person draw the line? Mainstream church/synagogue/temple/mosque-goers are OK, but fundamentalists are crazy? Old world religions are fine, but, man, what about those crazy Mormons!? I respect your belief that spirits inhabit tress, but boy are you going to burn in hell after you die!?
This leads me to my second point, which is that the position of radical tolerance closes down paths of critical inquiry and engagement over not only differences among the religions but in differences between theism and atheism in general. As long as religions are “tolerated,” religious pluralists are, in a sense, advocating and encouraging the continuation of the superstition and ignorance inherit within each religion. Despite the differences amongst the religions depicted in the bumper sticker, they share a root belief in the supernatural that closes off rational inquiry into the nature of life and the universe as well as the root causes of the problems the advocates of religious tolerance are presumably concerned about.
Religious tolerance as imagined by the “COEXIST” bumper sticker is not only impossible, it’s counterproductive to the goals that its promoters are hoping to achieve. Only by engaging in a radical examination of the very foundations of belief itself can the social problems brought about by religion and religious differences be addressed and can we, as human beings, realize our potential to improve the world.
A final point about this: I also object to the inclusion of a “science” icon in this symbol. I am sick and tired of people claiming that atheism is “just like” a religion in that it is somehow equally dogmatic and ideological, and I am equally sick and tired of claims that science and religion are somehow not contradictory.
