Does anyone else think that religion is a bit of an odd protected characteristic?

[ADHDPI]

I may be way off the mark here as it is only a thought that has popped into my head just now.

As an atheist, I have quite strong feelings about religion and find it all quite bizarre and absurd. However, if I said that to someone religious in my office I could potentially be sacked due to criticism of their protected characteristic.

I just don't feel it is the same as saying a similar comment about disability, ethnicity, sex etc. Of course I don't think anyone should be actively discriminated against because of their religion, but no more so than because of the colour of someone's eyes. It doesn't effect anyone else. It's more the fact that I as an atheist cannot voice my opinion about religion without insulting a protected characteristic and vice versa.... Yet its generally OK to believe that God doesn't exist. Odd!

Thoughts? Have I missed something? Am I being far too black and white here?

Fellow ADHD PI here, just wanted to say I like your username (and your respectful curiosity)!

It's fine to not be religious and to think those that are are wrong. It's not fine to up to someone and say you think they're absurd or ridiculous. That's just being a dick.

I figure that none of us genuinely know what happens after death. Those that believe could be the ones ultimately laughing. I guess that makes me agnostic. But if anyone can stand up and say with absolute certainty what happens in the hereafter, I'll defer to their knowledge. Until then, I'm going to suffer the barbed wire up my arse, and respect all viewpoints.

I mean nobody definitely knows what's going to happen tomorrow. But if someone tells you that all birds will transform into guided missiles, that you will grow three more arms and that it will become a capital offence to speak English would you build those possibilities into your plan?

Hatred also comes from atheism. Atheistic systems killed 100 million people last century. It’s actually calked human nature.

But there is a huge difference.

Religions are ideologies some of which have in the past, and do now, prescribe death for certain people as the will of their deity. In other words religion can lead directly to murder, over and above any natural human instinct towards violence. Many millions have died over the centuries because religious people believed that their religion required and justified the deaths.

Atheism is nothing more than an absence of ideology. It contains no moral values and does not require anyone to do anything. No one ever killed anyone because atheism required it. Some murderers may not have believed in any god. But the fact that they did not believe in god did not lead to them killing anyone, any more than the fact that they did not believe in a heliocentric solar system or the Loch Ness monster.

You need to look up what happened in the Soviet Union.

How many times have you died to inform your estimate of the probability of there being 'something' after your next death? Or are you just believing what you're comfortable with?

It's about discrimination. Stop being obtuse.

By that logic, pregnancy should not be a protected characteristic, and women (mostly) choose to be pregnant).

Exactly. Atheism has no morality. That’s why atheistic regimes have justified themselves in behaving in an amoral and subhuman way as there is no objective morality. The fruits of it were over 100 million murders

Pregnancy is unique though as it has its roots in sex discrimination and is therefore intrinsically connected with the protected characteristic of sex.

Obviously I'd be very much more comfortable believing in an eternal existence in paradise! And I'm afraid that quite understandably that comfort blanket, and a fear of mortality, is undoubtedly at the root of humanity's long-standing belief in countless deities and various forms of immortal existence. One of the tragedies of our species is that we've evolved far enough to understand the oblivion that we're heading towards.

I reluctantly believe in mortality because there is no evidence whatsoever for the alternative, and the arguments in its favour (which I've explored over decades) are vacuous even when dressed up in intellectual puff!

This is ridiculous! It's like saying that baldness has no morality, and therefore bald men are a menace to humanity. Baldness and atheism have no morality in the sense that they are not, and do not claim to be, moral codes. They are both just absences (of hair or a belief in a deity). Religion (in most cases) does involve a moral code (and its moral values are often appalling).

Both atheists and bald men can be deeply moral. Their moral philosophy has nothing to do with atheism. Ideally it is rational.

So you've no evidence for 'life after death' and you've no evidence for 'no life after death'. Why do you choose to believe the latter?

I strongly disagree.

Humans have evolved the capacity for morality regardless of any particular religion or belief system (or lack of) because we have evolved to survive in groups and that only works if we don't all shit on each other. Morality is part of being human.

The problem, for atheists and religious people alike, is the conviction that you are so right, and everyone else is so wrong, and their beliefs, or lack of belief, are so harmful, that they must be suppressed by force. Neither atheism nor any religion has clean hands.

Out of interest, what is your religion?

Occam's razor.

There's a very very very long list of things which I don't believe in, although there's no evidence against them. I think if you're honest the same is true for you. (If not your life must be quite exhausting )

No, that's not how Occam's Razor works. You're just believing what you feel comfortable with. That's fine, but don't think your beliefs are on any stronger grounds than people who do believe in 'life after death'.

The religious leaders were replaced by political leaders. It’s all the same - cult of the leader, either way, it’ the same, surely?

But how can you come up with a rational estimate of the probability of God existing?

I think, though, religion can sort of mean your cultural background which you can’t really change or help. Other people can discriminate against you on the basis of a perception you belong to that religion, even if you no longer believe in it.So I guess it’s a bit of a “catch all” characteristic.

I think it's not religion per se but belief system. So eg veganism would be classed as a belief system....as would be, wait for it......views around sex and gender.
Im not quite sure how you can define a belief system.
My gripe is that more unusual belief systems dont seem to be taken as seriously and treated fairly. Why should eg a Catholic requesting Easter BH off have more 'grounds' than say asking for Friday off as 'Mercury is retrograde'? I believe (like most) I am entitled to be physically comfortable at work. My employer has made provision to ensure adequate heating is in place so its not uncomfortably cold. I don't care about being a bit chilly. I do care about being hot though and there's no law to back me up).
What happens when freedom of expression and religion clash? I don't think it's right that when working in operating theatres you are not required to remove a wedding ring but you arecrequired to remove jewelery that your deceased grandma gave you. How is that fair? Well apparently that's because its part of Mrs Christian's belief system but not apparently Ms Atheiests!
If say l believe The Beatles are the greatest band ever can have a moment to reflect in silence on each of the members birthdays?

Ever heard of Maya Forstater?

I presume there is law in place, or if not there should be, to be that if you are aware of a crime ie child abuse you are required to report to the police and not use religion as a get out card?

I am not an atheist, I am perfectly happy for religion to exist but not partake myself but I don't think religion should mean people should be able to act in a different way that is against normal society

Many people are killed in atheist and religious countries for their religious beliefs. That’s why it needs to be a protected characteristic.