Everyone, “secular” and “religious” alike, should state the foundations of their beliefs about morality and justice. If you are an atheist, just admit that your views on justice stem from figures such as David Hume and Charles Darwin. If you are a Christian, just admit that your views ultimately stem from the Judeo-Christian worldview. Being clear about those foundations allows us to go about the task of sorting out our real differences within a democracy. Fully airing our views allows us to be honest about the possibility of convergence or, instead, irreconcilable disagreement.
Which brings me to the purpose of this essay: Journalism has a religion problem. More specifically, journalists are either unaware or unwilling to admit that their own views, presumably untouched by “religion,” are nonetheless passionately held convictions grounded, well, somewhere. What do I mean by that? Well, journalism that touches on religion and politics tends to see religious viewpoints as carrying a special burden. It goes something like this: “Tell me, Mr. Pious, why a diverse population should accept your views on morality, considering they come from religion.”
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