As one autonomous human
being interacting with others, I am obligated to treat each person with the
kind of respect that includes not violating their bodily autonomy, not usurping
their control over their own lives and not purposely causing harm to people or their environments. I am in no way whatsoever obligated to respect a system
of beliefs...ANY system of beliefs...whether it be a belief in authority of a
state or authority or validity of a religion. I am free to criticize any
religion or any activity by a religious or political organization. When a system of belief
repeatedly encourages deadly violence for any reason what-so-over, marriage to or mutilation of children, or the idea that one sex is greater, worth more, or is
the only sex that can have any form of true autonomy, then I will criticize it
as I see fit. My goal is universal human rights and respect towards all, and if
there's anything I feel that gets in the way of that: governments, organized
religion, traditions that squash the rights of groups of people, then I will
continue to point out flaws in those things until such a time that all
human beings have the right to their autonomy, bodily autonomy included, and
all interaction between individuals and communities are consensual events.
At no point will I tell others that they do
not have the right to believe what they believe, but I will at every point let
them know that they are not in any way excused from honoring and respecting the
autonomy and human rights of every other person on
the planet, regardless of how their beliefs might clash with that idea. No, not
every person has to be autonomous if they do not choose to be. Some people willingly give up their autonomy,
but no person may demand that another person submit to the will of a religion
using violence, threats or coercion any more than a government or community may
force individuals to submit to frivolous laws or authority not consented to.
