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Where Did We Get the Idea Religion Should Always Be Inclusive?
By its nature, religion excludes and discriminates — and that’s okay
For those who increasingly celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion as a mantra, it’s understandable that religion has fallen out of their favor. By its nature, religion stands opposed to all three of those objectives.
And that’s okay.
We need to accept that, embrace that, and move on.
Lest I be misunderstood, I’m speaking of the moral, spiritual, and ecclesiastical realms, not the realms of public policy or the marketplace.
Count me among those who support civil rights for all — including those who don’t subscribe to a religious faith.
I am also not personally advocating for hate or bigotry. On the contrary, I believe we should be loving and kind to all. And I disagree strongly with many religious faiths and traditions that haven’t been so loving or kind.
I believe in the institutional separation of religious establishments from civil government. I don’t believe that a government in any society today should enforce a particular religious orthodoxy or mode of worship on its people.