Religious Values? My Response to Attorney General Barr
By: Cassie Brighter
Tags: Values, Morality, Religion, Parenting, Atheism

Religious Values? My Response to Attorney General Barr

What has replaced the Judeo-Christian values, he asks

Attorney General William Barr took to the pulpit at Notre Dame, Indiana on October 11, to bemoan the fall of “traditional Christian values.”

I find it extremely disingenuous that a Trump minion currently under scrutiny for conspiring with a crooked President to hide crimes is speaking to us about values. But let’s address his questions.

Barr asks, “But where is the progress?”

Secular Progressive Activism Has Resulted in MASSIVE Progress

The progress, Mr. Barr, is in women’s right to vote. The progress is in laws that make it illegal for a husband to rape his wife. The progress is in aggressive prosecution of sexual harassment in the workplace. The progress is in the humanizing of LGBT citizens, and in the passing or laws that allow such individuals to lead lives with the same (well, not yet same — work in progress, but closer to same) rights as the rest of Americans. Laws such as the Marriage Equality Act. Critics of this law turn a blind eye to the myriad examples of happy families raising happy children, living productive, fulfilled lives as a result of this law. I could continue to list examples. NONE of these stem from Christian values. ALL of these stem from secular progressive activism.

Barr claims, “No secular creed has emerged capable of performing the role of religion.”

This statement is either a knowing hypocritical lie, or an extremely clueless, uninformed statement. Either way, it is spectacularly false.

Secular Resources Teach Children Strong Values

There so many secular organizations teaching good values to children. Without any research, and typing in a hurry, I am immediately put in mind of the organizations that helped shape my children’s morals. They are:

And so, so many other secular resources.

And of course, the parents. I was able to raise three wonderful children without the need for magical thinking, without the need for allusions to a mythical man in the sky or tales of horror about a demon under the Earth.

In fact, I wrote a previous article here on Medium on this. It’s called “The Day I Invented a Religion For My Children.” :-)

Mr. Barr says, “This is organized destruction. Secularists and their allies have marshaled all the forces of mass communication, popular culture, the entertainment industry and academia in an unremitting assault on religion and traditional values.”

I would say this grossly inaccurate. Mass media, academia simply do not mention religion, do not reference a Biblical narrative, because doing so would go against the pluralistic values under which this country was formed.

However, I personally would welcome an unremitting assault on religion.

The Christian Religion is NOT A Force of Good

Shall we talk about the Inquisition? Four hundred years of persecution, torture and killings at the hands of the Church.

Should we discuss the oppression of women, the suppression of women’s healthcare?

Should I mention the long, long, LONG history of pedophilia and sexual molestation of young boys among religious practitioners?

How about the outrageous greed and corruption displayed by preachers and evangelists in America?

How about the collusion of religions institutions with mass murdering efforts such as the extermination of the Native American, or the dictatorship of the Nazi regime?

Christian values NEED replacing. Christian values are flawed.

Currently there are thousands of Brown childen in CAGES in the United States. The Christian Right argues with many voices about the wisdom of this barbarity.

The Christian Right is endorsing and callously supporting a President that has engaged in numerous counts of sexual assault, bribery, corruption, election tampering, profiteering and obstruction of justice.

Fear, Magic & Monsters

Growing up Christian meant growing up in fear. I was taught there was an All-Powerful, Stern Father Figure who would judge me at the end of my life, and based on that I might receive or be denied entrance to Heaven.

I was told there was a monstrous, evil, nearly-All-Powerful entity called The Devil, whose ONLY interest was to ruin me, derail my life, make me sinful. This entity could show up at any moment, assume any form. This was terrifying.

I was taught I had Angels and Saints at my side. I prayed to the Angels, I sought the support of the Saints.

This is an egregiously harmful way to raise a child.

I raised my children free of fear, free or magical thinking, free or the shackles upon their critical thinking that the Christian religion imposes. They grew up happy, strong, and good.

Mr. Barr, your whole argument is unsupported by the facts. We do not need religion to raise good, happy children. In fact, they do MUCH better without it.