Letter: Secular people miss tolerance
Church steeple. Credit: iStock
It was kind of columnist Cathy Young to call secular progressives to a "pluralistic and respectful coexistence with religion" -- especially historic American Christianity ["Not religious, but still searching," Opinion, May 19].
Nevertheless, her column clearly demonstrates her belief that only secular progressives can be in charge of our society. She wisely points out the Jacobin trends -- an influence on the French Revolution -- in current secular progressivism. Unfortunately, Young doesn't understand that Jacobinism is inevitable wherever reason rules.
History has proved this time and again since 1789. Ultimately, reason must destroy whatever it deems unreasonable. And Young doesn't fail to tell us her unreasonables: Christian fundamentalists, faith-based obscurantism and bigotry, etc.
On the other hand, Jesus taught, love your enemies, do good to them and you will be sons of the most high, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. In other words, the creator tolerates even those who hate him and his commands. This is the road to classical tolerance -- something the "nones" (Americans unaffiliated with religion) will have difficulty grasping by definition.
The Rev. Raymond Lorthioir, West Hempstead
Editor's note: The writer is the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.
