It is very interesting article for me, Reiner.
There is something in what he says that I agree with.

I don't know James MacMilan's music. I should try to listen to his music.
Thank you for posting this article.

I started as an atheist, became agnostic and now tend towards belief in faith, as a good thing, in the world, on the whole, far better than atheism which produces rather nasty ideas and ugly buildings.


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B7eZAhD4KFg&feature=related

Er, who are these atheist liberals?  They look like a lot of straw men to me.  

After all, we live in a society in which Christian worship is still compulsory in schools, faith schools are on the increase, and the last Prime Minister but one was a practising Christian who defended the teaching of creationism.  Blair and Blunkett sought actively to promote legislation that would effectively ban the public criticism of religion.  I should have thought that the boot was somewhat on the other foot.

And if Macmillan's claim that seventy percent of the population regard themselves as religious is true, why all those empty pews?

Works for me, Anty.

Right on Marty x 3 times Mysore Arbatti Agarbatti Rose.

"Don't call me Rose!"

 

I've heard some of his music and enjoyed listening to it, t-p.  On the basis of what I read in the linked article I would suggest that as a philosopher he makes quite a good musician.  I'm wary of judging people on selective quotes which they have no opportunity to substantiate; but this looks like yet another case of religious sour grapes at the fact that they no longer have a privileged position from which to preach at the rest of us.  How long have Roman Catholics believed in pluralism anyway?  My guess is that it's approximately since they realised that sectarianism wouldn't wash any more.  When I was a kid there was no hope of heaven for Jews and Proddydogs unless they saw the light; and as for atheists, communists etc, well it was just a shame they couldn't go to hell before they died as they so richly deserved.

<<I believe it is God's divine spark which kindles the musical imagination now, as it has always done...>>

Well, he has the right to believe that, but there's absolutely no reason why he should expect anyone else to do so.  To me it looks like meaningless waffle and if he advances such an opinion people are entitled to ask him to express it in terms that can actually be understood without recourse to nebulous concepts like 'faith'.  Of course, if some people are less than polite when asking for that explanation that could just be because some atheists, like some religious people, are ruder than others.

As for  'secular liberal elites' maybe he could remind us how many seats in parliament are reserved for atheists.

I like that thought, lb.