Pullman on Censorship

[f4f3]

Well worth reading is Phillip Pullman's reaction to his book "The Golden Compass" being one of the "most challenged" books in US libraries, and the fact that it's challenged on "Religious Viewpoint".

I think his concluding remarks are worth quoting in full;

"Religion, uncontaminated by power, can be the source of a great deal of private solace, artistic inspiration, and moral wisdom. But when it gets its hands on the levers of political or social authority, it goes rotten very quickly indeed. The rank stench of oppression wafts from every authoritarian church, chapel, temple, mosque, or synagogue – from every place of worship where the priests have the power to meddle in the social and intellectual lives of their flocks, from every presidential palace or prime ministerial office where civil leaders have to pander to religious ones.

My basic objection to religion is not that it isn't true; I like plenty of things that aren't true. It's that religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. Destroying intellectual freedom is always evil, but only religion makes doing evil feel quite so good."

Comments

[psychochicken.livejournal.com]

Each basic premise may have been tested a thousand times; but has it been tested by every scientist who's based a supposition, theory or test result on it? Science builds on what went before - it's how the thing works.

And yes, I am fully and totally aware that my definition of faith is a million miles away from that of a Christian (actually I'm quite proud of that). A Christian's faith is based in their religion; mine is not. It's based on my experiences, which I don't assume are in any way empirical or objective.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I think you've encapsulated my point perfectly:

"Science builds on what went before - it's how the thing works."

[psychochicken.livejournal.com]

And therein lies the crux of our difference in outlook; to you 'what went before' is proven fact; to me 'what went before' is believed and assumed.

Whose round is it?

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but mine's a large one.