"That's not science, but scientism."
76 posted on 10/03/2007 2:39:55 PM EDT by Logophile
Apparently they are mentally unable to see or understand the distinction.
Posted on 10/03/2007 10:15:01 AM PDT by jacknhoo
Religion Must Be Destroyed, Atheist Alliance Declares By Matt Purple CNSNews.com Correspondent October 03, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - Science must ultimately destroy organized religion, according to some of the leading atheist writers and intellectuals who spoke at a recent atheist conference in Northern Virginia. God is a myth, and children must not be schooled in any faith, they said, at the "Crystal Clear Atheism" event, sponsored by the Atheist Alliance International.
Some of the luminaries who spoke at the conference, held at the Crown Royal Hotel in Crystal City, Va., over the weekend, included Oxford professor Richard Dawkins, author Sam Harris and journalist Christopher Hitchens. The Atheist Alliance International describes itself as "the only democratic national atheist organization in the United States."
While most attendees on Friday night were adamant that God was a myth, the convention, attended by hundreds of people, brought into focus a divide among atheists as to their identity as a movement and the nature of the enemy they faced.
In his speech, Dawkins portrayed a black-and-white intellectual battle between atheism and religion. He denounced the "preposterous nonsense of religious customs" and compared religion to racism. He also gave no quarter to moderate or liberal believers, asserting that "so-called moderate Christianity is simply an evasion."
"If you've been taught to believe it by moderates, what's to stop you from taking the next step and blowing yourself up?" he said.
By contrast, Harris's speech was a more tempered critique of the atheist movement itself. While Harris said he believed science must ultimately destroy religion, he also discussed spirituality and mysticism and called for a greater understanding of allegedly spiritual phenomena. He also cautioned the audience against lumping all religions together.
"The refrain that all religions have their extremists is bull-t," Harris said. "All religions do not have their extremists. Some religions have never had their extremists."
Specifically, he noted that radical Islam was far more threatening than any radical Christian sect, adding that Christians had a right to be outraged when the media treated the two religions similarly.
Harris also criticized movement atheism and questioned the use of the word "atheist."
"Atheism is not a philosophy, just as non-racism is not," he said. "It is not a worldview, though it is frequently portrayed as one.
"Rather than declare ourselves atheists, I think we should emphasize reason," Harris added.
While the audience gave Dawkins a standing ovation, Harris received only polite applause. One questioner later declared herself "very disappointed" in Harris's talk.
But whatever differences the speakers had with each other, they were united in their contempt for religion and their belief that religious faith had to be challenged and ridiculed by secularism and reason.
"Religion is not the root of all evil, but it gets in the way of [determining] how we got here and where we find ourselves," Dawkins said. "And that is an evil in itself."
Dawkins was particularly critical of parents who raise their children as a "Catholic child" or "Protestant child." Children must not be labeled as subscribing to a particular religion, he said, and should be allowed to examine the evidence and determine their beliefs for themselves.
"If I said that's a post-modernist child, for example, you'd think I was mad," he quipped.
Other speakers at the convention included philosopher Daniel Dennett, evolutionary scientist Eugenie Scott, and Charles Darwin's great-great-grandson Matthew Chapman. There was also a performance by atheist rapper Greydon Square, who wore a shirt that read "The Black Carl Sagan."
Many of the attendees seemed to have developed an aversion to religion from conservative, Protestant Christians. Several of the atheists Cybercast News Service spoke to complained of living under fundamentalist parents who frowned upon any questioning of the Bible or any activity condemned in Scripture.
"It wasn't easy [telling my parents I was an atheist]," one said. "I still haven't entirely told them. I just say I'm a humanist, which they don't seem to mind."
Further emphasizing the attendees' distaste for conservative religion was the convention gift shop which, in addition to atheist materials, sold politically liberal-themed bumper stickers and pins, including "Impeach Bush" and "Stewart/Colbert '08."
A common decoration at the convention was the red letter "A," which was emblazoned on t-shirts and pins worn by several of the attendees. The "A," an allusion to Hester Prynne's punishment in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, is a symbol of the Out Campaign, a movement started by Dawkins to encourage Americans to proudly display their atheism.
Although Crystal Clear Atheism was well-attended, it received little publicity and media attention. The convention also experienced frequent technical difficulties, particularly during Dawkins' Powerpoint slideshow.
Atheists are still a small minority in America. A Newsweek poll earlier this year found that 91 percent of Americans believe in God. A more recent Pew Research Center poll found that atheists were among the most distrusted people in the nation, with 53 percent of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of them.
But they are a proudly elitist and self-certain minority. When asked what the main difference between believers and atheists was, Dawkins had a quick answer: "Well, we're bright."
review
"That's not science, but scientism."
76 posted on 10/03/2007 2:39:55 PM EDT by Logophile
Apparently they are mentally unable to see or understand the distinction.
Great response!
There’s a new movie coming out starring Ben Stein, about how any discussion of creation is systematically stopped at any campus or other scientific venue.
http://www.expelledthemovie.com
Oh, after further reasearch, “Crossroads” was a working title for “Expelled.” So it’s not a new film, it’s the same one. You can read Ben Stein’s rebuttal at the link in my earlier post.
Rachel Carson (author of "Silent Spring" which resulted in the DDT ban): 50-80 MILLION deaths and rising every year.
Margaret Sanger: 46 MILLION deaths worldwide EVERY YEAR (850 MILLION to 1.2 BILLION worldwide since 1900).
Stalin: 13 MILLION+ deaths.
Hitler: 12 MILLION+ deaths
Mao: 50-80 MILLION deaths
So, in just the last century, atheism is responsible for the deaths of AT LEAST 975 MILLION INNOCENT people. (And note that this only counts the genocide that can be directly attributed to them, if the wars initiated by Stalin, Mao and Hitler were included there would be close to 100 MILLION more.)
Why are there so many stories of mighty beings making the sun and moon and so few about mighty being tearing it all down at the end?
Read Revelations.
At least you admit science doesn’t have “very good answers” and is “still working on it” though.
I suspect scientists will be “working on it”, well, for as long as they’ll be alive to be working on it.
The problem people sometimes have, aside from the arrogant condescension so many scientists seem to possess, is that not all scientists see things the same. Recently Pluto was claimed to no longer qualify as a planet.
Yet not every scientist agrees.
So, how is it schools no longer teach Pluto is a planet in science class, when there’s no scientific consensus? What made Pluto a planet on September 28th and suddenly on the 29th of September, Pluto wasn’t? Did Pluto change?
It seems we came to the conclusion the earth was no longer flat (it was round all along), but it’s obviously opinion, scientific opinion and not proof that determines the definition of a planet in our solar system. Otherwise, like a round earth virtually all scientists would be in agreement on Pluto.
Why is global warming so much a part of science class, when again, scientists themselves can’t agree on what global warming even is, let alone what causes it?
Society is so hell bent on keeping God out of science, but science itself isn’t exactly absolute, as new knowledge is produced, and yet that very same new knowledge can and often is debunked by more so called “new knowledge” down the road and so on ad infinatum.
How often have I heard about this not being good for you, some drug or food, then by golly it IS good, but wait...no it isn’t...
later it is...
then...
well...
it’s not...
Inquiring minds want to know.
And the other kind keep asking the same questions and ignoring the answers.
VERY well stated! As opposed to science texts, this very subject too is also addressed (many times) in the Bible!
Don’t know...I do know what real love feels like, though...unlike anything you or anyone else has ever experienced. He’s very real, and yes, I’ve met him. Sarcasm not appreciated.
Don’t know...I do know what real love feels like, though thanks to his presence in my life. He’s very real, and yes, I’ve met him. Sarcasm not appreciated. Hope this doesn’t come through twice (tried editing once, sorry!).
I'll take Pascal's Bet, thanks.
I’ll give you all the rest, but Hitler was a Christian. Didn’t ACT like one, but thought of himself as one. As did the rest of the Nazi’s. The Spanish Inquisition weren’t exactly nice guys either. Some people, like many you have listed, espoused atheism for purposes of convenience - in order to excuse their actions. This should be rightfully condemned. However, there are many others who espouse atheism for reasons of high conviction and intellectual honesty. I do find the stridence of some of these people to be quite annoying, in the same way I find the stridence of Creationists to be annoying. They claim to knowledge they cannot and do not possess.
Just exactly who did Margaret Sanger kill? Are you talking abortions?
I have heard it said that the Mark of the beast being on the hand and head are symbolic of thoughts and deeds. If you worship the beast then your thoughts will be on him and your deeds will reflect this. Although the chip idea sounds pretty cool too.
Why do they care about some made up God, about his followers believing in a made up fairy tale? What are they going to ban the Easter bunny next? What about the tooth fairy? They always compare God to these said examples and yet they seem to take him far more seriously in reality.
Give me a break with you leftist apologetics.
Some people, like many you have listed, espoused atheism for purposes of convenience - in order to excuse their actions.
As opposed to Darwinists like yourself.
Just exactly who did Margaret Sanger kill? Are you talking abortions?
NONE of the genocidists personally killed anyone.
See you all in the catacombs.
They have a god, and many have two.
1. That which stares back at them from the mirror.
2. “Science”. Which is different from real science.
“Give me a break with you leftist apologetics.”
I’m an arch-conservative. I despise leftists. Did you read my tag line?
“As opposed to Darwinists like yourself.”
I’m not a Darwinist. I do believe in reason, logic and common sense, however. It only follows that I would believe in Evolution because of the staggering amount of data that supports it.
“NONE of the genocidists personally killed anyone.”
Dead is dead. I’d say your numbers are fairly accurate with the exception of the ones for Sanger.
What, exactly, makes you think I’m a leftist?
NOTHING I've read from you supports that claim.
I’m not a Darwinist. I do believe in reason, logic and common sense, however. It only follows that I would believe in Evolution because of the staggering amount of data that supports it.
Right, you're a Darwinist (and the reality is that evolution is the LEAST DANGEROUS aspect of the Darwinist's agenda).
Dead is dead. I’d say your numbers are fairly accurate with the exception of the ones for Sanger.
Are you denying that Sanger was a eugecicist/Darwinist and is greatly responsible for the nearly 1 BILLION abortion deaths.
What, exactly, makes you think I’m a leftist?
The fact that you seem to oppose most conservative principles.
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