Activist atheism

[Dan From Smithville]

I don't think those nerds have the cojones to get out of their houses to start some atheist revolution, it is all just a bunch of talk but still there is a little danger to it like all prejudicial hyperbole out there. Some nerd with a gun might go crazy and think he has a mission

Mind control by aliens that are believed to exist on another thread cannot be ruled out either.

 

[tayla]

Your reaction to them, however, is exagerated to a ludicrous level, and misrepresents them.

I don't misrepresent these quotes. For example:

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I think I would abolish schools which systematically inculcate sectarian beliefs.
--Richard Dawkins

That's exactly what I am objecting to, that atheists would abolish schools they disagree with.​

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How dare you force your dopey unsubstantiated superstitions on innocent children too young to resist? How DARE you?
--Richard Dawkins

That's exactly what I am objecting to, that atheists think parents should not be allowed to teach about Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, or their religion.​

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Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
--Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

He is hinting that allowing people to believe things untrue might cause them to commit atrocities, implying social violence. The implication is: we should stop them before they get to that stage in the process of ignorance.​

 

[tayla]

I can't do the everyday world with only reason, logic and evidence and I have yet to meet anybody else, who can do so.

Yes, a very astute observation.

 

[tayla]

No, they are objecting to theism being pushed down peoples throats, particularly children.

Yes, because they hate theism, which is exactly my point. They hate certain beliefs. If you like a certain belief you probably don't care whether children are exposed to it or not.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm worried that their easily misunderstood comments might form the philosophical foundation for a future atheist totalitarian society.

As long as we're a constitutional republic, the risk of that looks vanishingly small.
But if ever Constitutional liberties are suspended, it would be more likely that
believers (who outnumber atheists) would establish a totalitarian regime.

 

[tayla]

And those quotes are exaggerated in themselves and are designed to sow controversy.

Perhaps so. But I'm worried that in the future they will be used to usher in an atheistic totalitarian state.

Why is it that atheists don't mind if a fellow atheist exaggerates and sows controversy, but I can't use hyperbole in my OP to make it interesting?

 

[Revoltingest]

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
--Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

He is hinting that allowing people to believe things untrue might cause them to commit atrocities, implying social violence. The implication is: we should stop them before they get to that stage in the process of ignorance.​

You read hinting, while I read only what he says.
But Dawkins is right about this, eg, Jim Jones & the Peoples
Temple mass suicide, Boko Haram & the kidnappings.

Tis good advice to avoid believing absurd things as true.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Perhaps so. But I'm worried that in the future they will be used to usher in an atheistic totalitarian state

They really aren't that motivated, it would get in the way of playing video games

 

[Revoltingest]

They really aren't that motivated, it would get in the way of playing video games

I'm not even motivated enuf to play those.

 

[Jim]

But considering that atheism merely assumes materialism and physicalism, explaining everything in terms of these, their hatred of spiritual beliefs seems unwarranted.

I do not see any hatred of spiritual beliefs ...

Does that include religious beliefs? I’ve seen people denouncing and ridiculing religious beliefs, and people who believe them, sometimes in ways that looked hateful to me.

So have I. And very consistently, the actors where emphatically monotheistic.

Very few people who are not find any reason to be troubled by diversity of beliefs and belief stances.

Sorry. I’ve tried to be careful about that, but I slipped when I wrote that paragraph.

A few of the denunciations of religions and their followers that I’ve seen, that looked hateful to me, have come from people calling themselves atheists. I thought Dan was saying that he never saw any atheists doing that. What I was thinking but didn’t say clearly was that I have seen people doing that, who call themselves atheists.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

I'm not even motivated enuf to play those.

@dmap You see? There is nothing to fear

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Here are some personal views I have about atheists.

There existence has no impact on how I believe.

I do not fear them as a group. I do not know any individual atheists that I fear either. Why would a Christian be afraid of what another person believes or does not believe?

Given how I believe, if God has any issues with them, that is His business and not mine. I am not their judge.

Atheists are people. I will like them if they are likable to me. I will not like them, if they are not likable. Just like any other people.

If I disagree with them, I will tell them. Given that they tend to be fairly honest in my experience, I know they will tell me when they disagree. Not only that, they will explain why. I usually learn something.

I have found that, like any group of people, they are like any group of people. I appreciate the fact that many tend to be well educated, articulate and knowledgeable.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Sorry. I’ve tried to be careful about that, but I slipped when I wrote that paragraph.

A few of the denunciations of religions and their followers that I’ve seen, that looked hateful to me, have come from people calling themselves atheists. I thought Dan was saying that he never saw any atheists doing that. What I was thinking but didn’t say clearly was that I have seen people doing that, who call themselves atheists.

I have had far larger numbers of people that claim to be Christian attacking me for my beliefs than I have had atheists do it. Even as a percentage of the whole, in negative encounters I have had, they are still out numbered by fundamentalist Christians that do not seem to like anyone that disagrees with how they think or those that believe differently from how they do. Fundamentalists are very dogmatic, intractable, often arrogant and easily frightened by the different.

Edit: I need to qualify that to indicate those fundamentalists I am speaking of are those I have met on the internet. I cannot rule out that anonymity has emboldened some to lengths they would not normally go to in person, though I do wonder about some.

 

[PruePhillip]

Yes, I agree. People should be allowed to be stupid as long as they don't hurt anyone else.

Exactly. You could say the same thing about the Marxists who infested our universities
and trade unions. Eventually Marxism collapsed under its own cruelty and contradictions.
But had these "intellectuals" and activists been persecuted we could have wound up with
exactly that - a Marxist society.
But now there's this new one, Cultural Marxism, supported by radicals of all sorts of
persuasions. And seriously, like their grandfather's hard leftism, it can do a lot of harm.
And if you read my profile below, wisdom is an increasingly scarce commodity in our
secular world - the numbers speak for themselves.

 

[PruePhillip]

I think you are providing evidence of a statement in the OP that so many have strongly objected to, claiming such a thing simply doesn't exist.

Not sure what you mean. But if you don't believe what I wrote then that's good - because
it's disturbing. We have another one, right now, concerning a rugby player who posted
biblical verses on-line about adultery, gays, dishonesty, divorce etc. He lost a multi-million
dollar contract as corporations withdrew their sponsorship.
Another company was targeted last year because a board member belonged to a church
with a strong anti gay-marriage stance.
So certainly, religious freedoms ARE under attack, and by extension, the rights of people
to speak their mind.

 

[LuisDantas]

Do quotes such as these qualify as activism, meaning, wishing for change in society? (Argumentation is a tool of activism, an action.)

Activism, sure.

But not even remotely of the form or goals that you described in the OP.

It truly looks to me like you are at least flirting with libel in the opening post of this thread.

 

[LuisDantas]

I agree with them all. My only worry is whether in the future an atheistic totalitarianism might take over under the influence of the ideas I mention in the OP.

Boy. You must be kidding... because you just can not be talking seriously.

 

[LuisDantas]

Sorry. I’ve tried to be careful about that, but I slipped when I wrote that paragraph.

A few of the denunciations of religions and their followers that I’ve seen, that looked hateful to me, have come from people calling themselves atheists. I thought Dan was saying that he never saw any atheists doing that. What I was thinking but didn’t say clearly was that I have seen people doing that, who call themselves atheists.

Well, I do say that I never saw such a thing.

 

[SomeRandom]

Lately I've been studying viewpoints of various atheists, and am disturbed at many of their radical agendas for society. They want to abolish religions, including home school and religious schools. Basically, they consider non-atheists as people not deserving of participation in society, because of viewpoints so obviously incorrect and untrue.

But considering that atheism merely assumes materialism and physicalism, explaining everything in terms of these, their hatred of spiritual beliefs seems unwarranted.

Ignoring atrocities by both atheists and religious, I don't see evidence that improvements to our world are all the result of atheism, and that religion holds us back.

Anti theists are not necessarily all atheists. Actually even among anti theists there are more moderate folk.
Even Hitchens seemed to fall short of banning religion by force. He said it has and will continue to be humanity’s favourite toy. As long as people play within their own house, that’s fine (paraphrasing.)
Which is pretty soft ball. Well it was for Christopher “Hitchslap” Hitchens.
Very few atheist or even anti theists wish to ban religion. A few rabble rousing troublemakers existing doesn’t change the strong belief of personal freedoms practically all of humanity shares.

Noisy peace disturbing preachers might be banned for being nuisances though. But even moderate theists would agree with such restrictions.

 

[Jim]

Why would a Christian be afraid of what another person believes or does not believe?

I think that sometimes people do feel threatened by people not believing the way they do. I’m wondering, do you think that’s the only reason for Christians feeling threatened by atheists? Another reason might be some displays of animosity and hostility against Christians, rallying around some banners of atheism.