tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28755195.post6292654273377072509..comments2023-09-25T04:26:51.568-06:00Comments on The Barefoot Bum: Common groundLarry Hamelinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08788697573946266404noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28755195.post-42176558927672971132011-02-17T21:16:43.735-07:002011-02-17T21:16:43.735-07:00> your private religious beliefs are no one'...> your private religious beliefs are no one's business but your own (and those you freely choose to share them with).<br /><br />I agree that theists will generally agree with that (and, indeed, many of them assert it as a basis for complaints about atheist behaviours).<br /><br />But the trouble is in defining “private”.<br /><br />> The emphasis here is on <em>private</em>. No atheist is, as far as I know, interested in invading your church, your home, your bookshelf or your mind to root out beliefs we disagree with.<br /><br />Many atheists do, though, want to root out beliefs we think are false practices of parenting, and from children's education. That's one obvious place where the theist's definition of “private” can conflict with ours; when it does, we are not on common ground there.Ben Finneynoreply@blogger.com