A reply to people like Waleed Aly

Religious believers think that their own belief is the one true religion. Why else would they believe it? Believers may be kindly and well-meaning, but belief gives them an underlying sense of righteousness, of being chosen, of cultural superiority. Yet there is no objective justification. Is this arrogance?
Believers ignore the contradictions of faith. They turn a blind eye to inconsistencies, they are incurious about historical inaccuracies in their sacred texts. Is this a kind of self deception, illusion or delusion?
Muslim commentator Waleed Aly suggests that dispelling ignorance about beliefs is the best way to overcome the arrogance that causes divisions between Islam and the West. It sounds a laudable aim from a respected commentator.
In Aly’s book, however, we see that he assumes that Islamic belief requires no justification. We see that he thinks that Islam is superior because it cannot be challenged by science. He has a benign vision of Islam, without recognising its major flaws. In short, he confirms the hypothesis that believers are arrogant and deluded.
An atheist and professional economist, John L Perkins argues reason and evidence are not arrogant. We need to employ these tools to dispel delusions and overcome divisions, and for a proper understanding of economic and social history. A better world will only result when we apply reason and rationality and adopt the universal secular values of freedom, justice, honesty and compassio

About the Author

Dr. John L Perkins is an economist, mathematical modeller and software developer. He works on issues of world trade, resource depletion and global warming. He has qualifications from universities in Melbourne and London, and is a member of the Humanist Society of Victoria, the Rationalist Society of Australia, the Australian Skeptics, is a Public Relations team member of the Atheist Foundation of Australia, and is the founding President of the Secular Party of Australia.

Contact the author, for sales and general enquiries:
jperkins@secular.org.au
Tel:0411143744
PO Box 6004, Melbourne 8008