August 16, 2006
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that exploded in July constitutes
a humanitarian disaster. Public debate is largely focused on questions of
blame and whether the Israeli response to Hezbollah provocation was
disproportionate. Many humanists believe, however, that the underlying
conflicts and controversies that led to the hostilities must also be
addressed if peace is ever to come to the Middle East.
The present conflict is the product of a toxic mix of religious and
historical differences, leading both sides to subordinate their sense of
common humanity to the crisis mentality of their in group. It seems unlikely
to us that something resembling peace will ever come to the Middle East
until and unless the antagonists rediscover their common humanity.
In this context, the principle of the separation of religion and government
becomes critically important. It follows that U.S. policy toward the Middle
East should more explicitly reflect the goal of secularism than it does now.
If we genuinely want the countries in that region to become more democratic
and stable, we should start by putting more emphasis in our public and
private diplomacy toward advocating the separation of religion and
government in their societies.
Reform can and should begin at home. Fundamentalist Christians, who
fervently believe that chaos in the Middle East is a necessary first step to
the achievement of their millennial goals, heavily influence our present
administration. Such sectarian fortune telling has no place in a rational
country’s calculation of its national interest. Future historians will see
the present high level of influence as a singularly bizarre aberration.
Humanists are convinced that mainstream America must decisively reject
“prophesy” as a guide to national policy.
Christian fundamentalists have a right to hold their own religious views,
but the rest of us should not be coerced into following national policies
that are harmful to the national interest and which extend human suffering
abroad.
Carleton Coon is the Vice President of the American Humanist Association,
former U.S. Ambassador to Nepal, and author of One Planet, One People,
Beyond 'Us vs. Them.’
