A force for good or bad

Re “The triumphs of faith,” Opinion, Sept. 29

Ian Buruma declares that opposition against immoral acts of governments by religious groups represents a triumph of faith. He does this by first noting that atheism has become “fashionable,” asserting that many atheists say that religion is responsible for “violence, oppression, poverty and many other ills.” He cites instances in which people of faith have risen against despotic followers: devout Christians who sheltered Jews in World War II and Buddhist monks who oppose the Myanmar junta. Conclusion: Religion, at least in his examples, is not the villain but the champion.

Opposition to despotic regimes by organized religious groups is not a triumph of faith. It is a triumph for those who stand against immorality, whether they are religious or atheists.

Humanity needs those who take stands against immorality, whatever their religious beliefs are or are not.

Larry Kaufman

Los Angeles

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Buruma gives a cogent reply to the Christopher Hitchenses of the world who believe that the practice of religion is backward.

Buruma counters with examples of religious faith being a driving force for human liberation over the last 70 years, primarily in Europe and Asia. I would add that ethics and values based on religious faith have fueled most of the important movements for social change in our own country: abolition of slavery, women’s rights, the civil rights and farm workers movement and so on -- all social movements with a spiritual foundation.

I would suggest that Hitchens and others who denigrate all religion seriously study the contribution of religion to the development of a more humane society. They fail to understand the essence of religion -- God’s desire for human liberation, and man’s religious endeavors to do his will.

Dan Jiru

Long Beach

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No reasonable atheist denies that religion can have positive (as well as negative) effects on the lives of believers. But that fact does absolutely nothing to address the assertion that religion is based on myth. Belief in Santa Claus can lead to positive result for children on Christmas morning.

Matthew Strugar

Brooklyn, N.Y.

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Religion can indeed be a force for good -- or bad -- depending on who wields the force. While many devout Christians resisted the Nazis, many other devout Christians supported them. That is why, although religion may be inevitable in politics, it must be kept out of government, as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and other founding fathers understood so well.

Ed Carstens

Santa Clarita