After my interview with Annie Laurie Gaylor, Devika posted the following:
A question for Ms. Gaylor:
When you mentioned your religious side of your family in your interview with Mr. Mehta, I couldn’t help but reflect on one my own conundrums. My family is staunch Catholic and although I don’t live with them, I often have to interact with their social circle, which includes a great number of priests, nuns, etc.
I have no issue with addressing nuns as “sister”, but I really am bothered by the idea of calling the priests “father”. I think I am insulted by the whole notion that priests are a “middleman” to a god. Do you know of any reason-based writing about this topic? As a humanist, I don’t feel I should have to acknowledge religious titles, but I also wonder if I’m just being petulant and immature about this. Any thoughts on this?
cheers,
Devika
Here is Annie Laurie’s response:
Can’t you just ask your priest-relative to let you call him “Uncle
Chris?” as a member of the family? Or first-name only if it’s cousin,
nephew, etc.?If you can simply couch your request as a family member or in the name
of informality rather than as a philosophical objection, perhaps you
will get cooperation. Otherwise, try “hey you” and drop the name
altogether! Good luck!
[tags]Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freedom From Religion Foundation, atheist, atheism, Catholic, Christian, Humanist[/tags]
