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What Atheists Want
The Washington Post ^
| Chris Mooney
Posted on 10/17/2003 4:04:27 PM PDT by TXLibertarian
Excerpted from a longer op-ed. Author discusses the danger of legal proselytizing by a few firebrand secularists. Worth a read, IMHO.
What Atheists Want
By Chris Mooney
....
Unfortunately, in my experience, the U.S. atheist and secularist communities contain a number of activists who are inclined to be combative and in some cases feel positively zestful about offending the religious. Madalyn Murray O'Hair, easily America's most famous atheist firebrand, wasn't dubbed "the most hated woman in America" for nothing. Despite her landmark 1963 Supreme Court victory in a case concerning the constitutionality of school prayer, O'Hair's pugilistic and insulting public persona hurt atheists a great deal in the long run. A head-on attack on the pledge seems to epitomize the confrontational O'Hair strategy.
....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism
KEYWORDS: atheists; pledge
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To: Salman
If a mega asteriod was going to hit the earth the Atheists would fall on their knees and pray to something.
Just like a Vegetarian would eat meat rather than starve if meat was the only food source after the asteriod hit. These people are brainwashed so the left can sell them books.
To: Graybeard58
To: Ronin
Since I am neither atheist nor theist, I have no personal belief in any particular divinity or creed, so I cannot answer your questions regarding attributes. Thanks for pointing out the spelling mistake. Sorry, but you can't be neither an atheist nor theist. You either believe in a deity, or you don't.
To: microgood
But this response does answer my question about how you think we got here. Sorry I left out the middle steps of abiogenesis or evolution as I thought everyone on these threads was familiar with them.
There are several theories of abiogenesis. Time will tell which hold up. I don't think that starting with the assumption of a supernatural creator is going to get us there, however.
To: antiRepublicrat
One person here has enough respect for a fellow human to honor the other's beliefs. I would say that DannyTN has so much respect for all people that he is deeply concerned about atheists and where they spend eternity. Therefore he evangelizes everyone. DannyTN has a great deal of respect for others, I'd say.
To: Mushinronshasan
Sorry, but you can't be neither an atheist nor theist. You either believe in a deity, or you don't.
Exactly right. Some atheists distinguish between 'hard' and 'soft' atheism (ie. the belief that there is no god vs. the lack of belief in a god). I suppose there is a difference, but simply saying, "I don't believe in any gods" has always been good enough for me.
To: TXLibertarian
"Well, there was a book called "Madalyn Murray O'Hair: Most Hated Woman in America"
...I only said I never heard a Christian say they hated her. What I remember way back then was people in Church requesting prayer for her. For her salvation that is, not her damnation.
...I can't comment on the book you referred to as I have never read it. Was the author "Rappoport" speaking from a Christian perspective?
To: charmtrap
"Now, there's a bizarre assertion. Care to back that up with any facts? "
Atheists attack Chrisianity especially, with a truly religious fervor. Atheism IS their religion.
Nam Vet
68
posted on
10/17/2003 6:42:50 PM PDT
by
Nam Vet
(It's a small world. So you gotta use your elbows a lot.)
To: Ronin
My contention that atheism is a religion is based on an atheists belief that there is no god. OK, I can understand your misconception about the atheist position. Many "strong" atheists posit the assertion that there is no god. The actual position of atheists is that they do not accept the belief in a supernatural being. Those atheists who move the next step further are positing that no evidence exists for any deity, therefore the lack of evidence is evidence of lack of existence. Deists could counter this position by presenting a shred of evidence of any deity.
To: TXLibertarian
I don't believe in atheists.
70
posted on
10/17/2003 6:43:29 PM PDT
by
spodefly
(This is my tagline. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
To: Nam Vet
Atheists attack Chrisianity especially, with a truly religious fervor. Atheism IS their religion.
Was there a sale on broad brushes today at Home Depot?
"Atheists" do not attack Christianity especially. Some do, I suppose. Most atheists are simply interested in living their lives, god-free. Don't forget that there quite a few Christians that attack atheists. Neither side is entirely blameless on that score.
To: spodefly
I don't believe in atheists. I don't believe in theists. I think they all realize that in the real world, their faith is simply false assumptions. God is simply a construct of wishful thinking, and reality is truly real. It's a concept that is quite disturbing when first conceived, but is ultimately rational when considered in reality.
To: Graybeard58
...I only said I never heard a Christian say they hated her. What I remember way back then was people in Church requesting prayer for her. For her salvation that is, not her damnation. ...I can't comment on the book you referred to as I have never read it. Was the author "Rappoport" speaking from a Christian perspective? It was a title dubbed by O'Hair herself. A point the author of the article should have pointed out.
To: charmtrap
"Was there a sale on broad brushes today at Home Depot"?
...That's a good one charmtrap! Who says atheists don't have a sense of humor? Hope you don't mind a Christian using that one.
To: gcruse
As an atheist, I feel as mainstream as the next guy... I don't reject or accept people solely on their religious beliefs. Bigotry lies there.
Bigotry is when people are denied their religious freedoms because some atheists were "offended". Many examples - school prayer, the pledge, "Separation of Church and State", etc, etc. As an atheist, do you fight against the intrusions that your own ilk perpetrates on this country?
75
posted on
10/17/2003 6:53:48 PM PDT
by
singsong
To: Matchett-PI
Well said. I might add, though, that nothing irritates so-called "atheists" more than suggesting that their belief, or studied lack of belief, is no more special than the mental processes of anyone else. So look for opposition, heh heh!
To: TXLibertarian
"It was a title dubbed by O'Hair herself"
...Now it makes more sense, because I think that title was what she was aspiring to be. Some people seem to think that infamy is better than no fame at all.
To: singsong
As an atheist, do you fight against the intrusions that your own ilk perpetrates on this country?
The only intrusion I see if the insistence of religionists that their faith be reflected in the laws that govern the rest of us, theists and atheists alike. Sorry, but you don't get to legislate superstition without resistance.
78
posted on
10/17/2003 6:58:28 PM PDT
by
gcruse
(http://gcruse.typepad.com/)
To: singsong
Bigotry is when people are denied their religious freedoms because some atheists were "offended". Many examples - school prayer, the pledge, "Separation of Church and State", etc, etc. As an atheist, do you fight against the intrusions that your own ilk perpetrates on this country?
I am honestly befuddled when theists say this. What religious freedoms have you been denied? No-one is attempting to stop you from praying or saying the pledge anyway you'd like.
To: gcruse
I own myself.
Actually you're just renting yourself, because one day you're gonna get evicted.
80
posted on
10/17/2003 6:59:46 PM PDT
by
hemogoblin
(The few, the proud, the 537.)
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