Letter to the editor

Morals born from religion, not reason

I found Ryan Masaaki Yokota’s submission
(“Fundamentalism is an attack on reason,” Jan. 27) to
be somewhat offensive and politically degrading.

To make the broad assumption that religious beliefs are contrary
to reason is harmful. Yokota accuses all conservative Christian
beliefs of being unreasonable.

While Yokota does make an attempt not to stereotype Christians,
his statement regarding those who support “progressive
causes” is demeaning.

Yokota said, “These kinds of religious groups are to be
commended for their willingness to transcend dogma and grasp the
basic realities of what is right and wrong.”

Where do the basic realities of “right and wrong”
come from? Certainly not from the field of “rational
thought” that states morality is dependant on the
individual.

Concepts of morality have come to us through various forms of
religions. The U.S. Constitution was written and based on the
Judeo-Christian beliefs of the Founders. Yokota’s statement
implies that any non-progressive (nice word for conservative)
Christian is inherently immoral.

Yokota’s final statement ““ “they seek to
attack the foundations of rationalism that have allowed society to
progress, and demonstrate a hidden danger that we as thinking,
compassionate Americans should and must stand against”
““ is repulsive and is a direct attack on Christian
beliefs.

Simply put, I am disappointed and angered by what was said about
Christian beliefs. This has reinforced my previous opinion that the
Daily Bruin being highly biased. I am frequently disgusted at the
lack of opposing views.

Taylor Dacus

First-year, aerospace engineering