Ed Cone's today's column addresses the changes in the way we talk about religion, particularly in the sphere of politics: from James Dobson to Pete Stark, from Mitt Romney to Amanda Marcotte - The last taboos in politics:
But there seems to be something bigger afoot, a willingness to challenge the traditional eggshell-walking practiced around the beliefs of others, and a self-confidence about frank claims of disbelief in the broader culture...
Yes, we talk more about it, due to the vocal atheists and their books, and the debate that started with the focus on the authors has now shifted to religion itself. This can only be good in the long term.
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Keeping quiet about it was dishonest, in the sense of lying by omission. Let's hear it for honesty for once.
I worry about the short/medium term though. You can make a strong case that the strong (and IMO well ahead of the times) push for gay rights energized the reactionary forces within our country, to the point where they brought us our present illiberal government. I think the reaction to the spread of agnosticism/atheism will be similar.