Archbishop attacks public atheism - what are your views?

Question

The Archbishop of York has condemned what he called the systematic erosion of Christianity from public life.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6138486.stm

what does everyone think of this?

to be honest, i think if there is a God (i don't actually think there is) I think he would rather we stand up for what we believe in and not follow others blindly...like a lot of religious people do - people are brought up in a religion and just accept it. I didn't. And i'm proud of the fact i can think for myself

Answer 1

I don't think much of him or his ideas.

Answer 2

This is thing about most,not all,but most religious leaders,
is that they are never happy with the amount followers they have,
And are constantly trying to convert and insult people of different religions,and obviously the people who blindly follow the religion are going to follow everything the religious leaders say,
which is why I'm convinced that religion plays a high role in racism,
therefore I do not agree with what the archbishop of York has said,
Why isn't he focusing on the followers he already has rather than the followers he doesn't?
xxx

Answer 3

Dr John Sentamu is right he is criticising the way certain atheists and PC councils are stripping are countries heritage. Judeo Christian values and Symbols are at the heart of our civilisation and there suppression is leaving a moral vac um. You don't have to be a churchgoer to see this we have had the Fiona Bruce and her cross incident and Christmas is becoming Winterval under a misguided belief that it might offend. Dr Sentamu was brought up in Uganda under Idi Iman so he knows what oppression is and he sees it happening here. He is not asking people to be forced to go to church on Sunday or the criminalisation of atheism and other faith groups but to recognise the christian foundation of are nation and the moral values which came from it. This is our civilising factor without it with have moral relativism and that is a dead end which is leading us back to a true dark age of barbarism and do we want that for are children?

Answer 4

I think that he is absolutely right, and I think that it is a part of his role to say so.This attack on traditional British values is largely the result of left wing indocrination and so called political correctness, particularly in recent years. The following groups are mainly responsible for the spread of this creed, this Government and their various acolytes, teachers and lecturers, feminists, TV media, Guardian reader types and much of the public sector. Those with a left wing persuasion almost never believe in anything greater than themselves. Some of the immoral things going on in the field of medical research give testament to a void in moral values.

I think that you place far too much trust in man made science and the secular world, and, as a result, you are unable to grasp the possibility of a spiritual world, because you can't see, feel, or touch it.

I also think that you might have missed his main point, he was referring to the SYSTEMATIC erosion of Christianity. Now, as I stated above, left wingers don't like anything that competes with their totalitarian attitudes. Consequently, this government is trying to undermine religion, and that process is underway right now. That isn't leaving people alone to make a free choice, it is actively trying to discourage it. Also, without any religious belief at all, where would we have got our fundamental moral values from. Mankind has a tendency to fashion morality according to what it finds convenient at any given time. 'Moral Relativism.'

Answer 5

I think he's correct in his perception of an attempt to phase out Christianity, but wrong in his perception that Atheism is replacing it and wrong in his condemnation of this erosion of national religion. No nation should be governed by the spectres of the past, neither proactively nor reactively.

Answer 6

So what if people don't beleive in God it a choice the individual has to make.

There was a survey done a couple of years ago that said people in the UK believed in God and Jesus, but did not beleive in organised religion - its people like him that put people off it.

Answer 7

As an atheist and a fervent advocate of the banishment of religiosity from all public life, to be confined to the sphere of the individual, I find these comments encouraging. It shows that the church is starting to feel the pinch of what is a growing desire to see organised religion marginalised. The UK has one of the least religious populations by proportion of any country and there is a growing mood of intolerance amongst British people for the invasive attitude held my many religious organisations, that they should have some sort of default right to inclusion in policy and decision making processes. Recent world events serve to highlight the dangers of having religious opinions over-represented in governance.

Answer 8

The christians stole the winter festival from the Pagans and put christmas on it - they did that with lots of Pagan festivals to oust them. He is entitled to his view but so are Atheists and we have to go through compulsory religious education at school so who's forcing their opinions on whom? It made me laugh running up to the millennium when the christians had car stickers saying 'The millennium is Jesus' 2000 birthday' when, if it is even true, it would have been his 1999th birthday since there was no year 0, bless 'em.

Answer 9

We all think our opinions are the right ones, but it's those of us who try to impose our beliefs on others that's the problem. It's especially bad in the US, but getting bad everywhere. Atheism doesn't hurt anyone, so let us be!!! In his view, "God" will judge in the end and he is supposed to be here to love mankind. Whatever happened to that notion?

Answer 10

Religion and Spirituality is a very personal and private thing. And no one the right to say to criticize in what you believe in.

Answer 11

York minster would make a fantastic multistorey car park,
or an even better LIDL.