Good news:Evangelicals join interfaith leaders in Washington to promote religious tolerance

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

As hundreds of Jewish, Muslim and Christian faith leaders from the United States and abroad descended on Washington for a conference on religious tolerance this week, attendees were quick to note an unexpectedly large delegation from one particular religious group: evangelical Christians.

To read more:

https://religionnews.com/2018/02/07/evangelicals-join-interfaith-leaders-in-washington-to-promote-religious-tolerance/

[msongs]

1. as in, everyone should be tolerant...of them nt

[yallerdawg]

2. "The conference also touted its declaration, released Thursday, at the end of the gathering."

“Recognizing that our shared values are more important than our differences, and that we are strongest when we act together, we pledge to combine our best efforts to foster unity where there is discord, aid the impoverished, tend the vulnerable, heal the poor in spirit, and support measures that will ensure respect for the dignity of every human being,” the declaration reads in part.

It later adds: “There is no room for compulsion in religion, just as there are no legitimate grounds for excluding the followers of any religion from full and fair participation in society.”

[guillaumeb]

3. And this is good news, as was the post about a joint

religious/atheist discussion group. We can reach out and discover our commonalities, or we can reject all attempts at outreach and dialogue as not good enough, or too late, or a multitude of other excuses.

[AtheistCrusader]

4. You say it's good news. Until they band together to do something that jives with their religious

mores, instead of civil rights, or democratic/party principles, etc.

Remember Prop-8 forever. THAT's what 'discovering commonalities' amongst religious people gets you.
THAT's why nobody believes you when you say GOOD NEWS EVERYONE.

It's a running gag from Futurama even. It's NEVER good news.

[guillaumeb]

5. I understand and agree with your concern.

But I also know that there are political divisions in the faith community. And my view is that more outreach on both sides is necessary.

[Permanut]

6. I'm not clear on what the sides are.

Not trying to be snarky, just want to clarify.

[guillaumeb]

8. My view is that there must be outreach from theists to non-theists.

And a willingness on both sides to respect the other. And the primary burden is on the majority, theists, to make this outreach.

[trotsky]

7. What about tolerance of non-believers?

Did they talk about that?

[guillaumeb]

9. A good question.

From near the end of the piece:

“Recognizing that our shared values are more important than our differences, and that we are strongest when we act together, we pledge to combine our best efforts to foster unity where there is discord, aid the impoverished, tend the vulnerable, heal the poor in spirit, and support measures that will ensure respect for the dignity of every human being,” the declaration reads in part.
It later adds: “There is no room for compulsion in religion, just as there are no legitimate grounds for excluding the followers of any religion from full and fair participation in society.”

This seems based on the idea of tolerance. Did they specifically mention non-believers? No. Was this an oversight, or part of an undiscussed agenda?
If there is no room for compulsion in religion, I would argue that it means what it says.

[trotsky]

10. Without a specific mention of non-believers,

I know EXACTLY what that means.