Comments on: The New Atheism vs. Atheism 3.0

By: muggle

muggle — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:34:48 +0000

I’m somewhere in the middle between the two, I guess.

I’m in your face with my Atheism and certainly proud of it. I like your style, RJ. I also agree that it is more than past time to stand and fight and that we must. When they’re trying to make blasphemy illegal around the globe, it is time to stand and fight. It is time to blaspheme all the time and fight for your right to do so. The time to refrain out of respect is when there is no law that says you can’t and that is the only time to show that respect.

I am, however, mindful of individuals. There’s bad and good in any group and I’ve known too many good people who happen to be Christian to paint them with the same stripe as the hypocrites who hunger only after power, not the opiate of the masses. I do not want to go on some rampage against ALL Christians and punish the good with the bad. If my Christian friends respect me enough not to preach at me, then I’m, likewise, going to show them the same respect and not blaspheme to them. If they don’t tell me to live by their rules, I’m not going to tell them not to follow them. That’s they’re lifestyle choice.

The only time I’m going to take issue with any religion’s rules is when they threaten my safety and/or freedom. When the want to force the tenents of their religion into law — such as making blasphemy illegal — then, hell, yes, I’m going to object; I’m going to fight it any way that I can.

I’m not going to sit still for them teaching my grandson the nonsense of creationism as if it were something that should be taken seriously and considered science giving him a false impression of what science is.

If they’re going to make divorce difficult to obtain, I’m going to stand up and fight against that oppression. Hell, I’m of the opinion, divorce shouldn’t even have to be justified. If someone wants out of a marriage, they should be able to leave it. Point blank. Anything else is slavery or, at the very least, indentured servitude.

If they continue to put down single mothers, if they deny women abortion, if they wage holy wars, if, if, if, if….

Individual Christians, hell, I don’t even believe belief is a choice, live and let live. But the key there is live and let live. I’m content to let them live their way as long as they are content to let me live my way and leave the judging up to who they are supposed to trust to do it. Hell, why would I object to that? (More importantly, why would they?) I’d never be judged. If, however, they want to have me judged for disobeying biblical commandments and post such in our courtrooms even though they’re unconstitutional, I’m going to freaking well stand up and fight.

Individuals I take as I find them, including individual churches (though churces I don’t trust) but religious organizations are, for lack of a better word, evil and need to be fought.

Plain and simple.

By: jehovah jones

jehovah jones — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:38:23 +0000

Atheist 3.0 sounds like a fad as you said but I can see why someone would label me under the 3.0 title. I don’t give a shit anymore about the statements opinions or beliefs of the religious. At one time I would get angry and offended with religious or political leaders who were saying dumb ass comments promoting their moral and religious ideologies . At one time I would get into debate with Christians trying desperately to show them how ridicules it was to have belief in god and how I thought they wasted their lives worshiping their imagination . But now I have come to the conclusion that its just to entertaing having these folks around and that I actually want religion to succeed so that I have more to laugh at . I want people to tell me think the world is 6000 years old, I want to hear some bible thumper to go off on how god hates homosexuals, fornicators and rock and roll , I have come to relish being told I will go to hell for my opinions and lifestyle, even if a Christian came to me for advice on leaving his or her religion I would encourage them to “stay with Christ “ just because I enjoy laughing at them so much . So I say long live religion I hope it has more success now then it has ever had .

“The whole universe is one vast morbid sense of humour” and that’s how I like it.

By: RJ Evans

RJ Evans — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:06:26 +0000

Thanks Alba for the clarification. I appreciate it. As far as an edit feature here for comments… From what I can tell, the only editing available in this section is through my administrator account. WordPress doesn’t seem to have the option for me to set with regard to posters. Sorry.

By: Albatross

Albatross — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:43:48 +0000

Great editorial, RJ.

Hey, I wanted to clarify my comment in the chat room this past Friday. I said something to the effect of AU protecting religious freedoms but not necessarily protecting the full effect of the First Amendment.

I’ve posted there for some time, as you know, and have been exasperated at times, not understanding why a post of mine has been put into moderation, or even thrown into cyber oblivion to forever be gone for no apparent reason. I generally don’t swear, and I am usually not vulgar (nor do I appreciate it, as you might recall! I know, I know – vulgarity is a matter of opinion, right?). AU has done nothing to remove the word socialist from the filter, as if this is a dirty word.

I understand it is a fine line for maintaining decency and civility, but I also think there’s a fine line between stifling (or “moderating”) expression. It is Barry Lynn’s blog, but his disclaimer stating that the posts belong to the posters’ and not him, nor do they necessarily express AU’s views should suffice, leaving us free to speak without always curbing our tongue, or fingertips.

Also, the edit feature that all of us have wished for could work wonders as well! People often type the first thing to come to mind, and then think twice – within seconds of hitting submit.

I notice you have no edit feature…