Thru various links, I discovered the Carnival of the Godless.
As mos of y’all know, I’m a pretty devout atheist — but I have to say the atheist fervor of many of the contributors to this carnival really puts my irreligiousness in perspective!
Check out Goosing the Antithesis, for ex, a 6-author blog that basically attacks fundie xtians — and defends “rational individualism” — something I put in quotes only cuz I need to find out more about it. The blog even has a somewhat helpful Individualist Morality FAQ.
Fascinating in its atheist ferocity. Even more fascinating, and more intellectually engaging, is this interview with Sam Harris, leading atheist and author of The End of Faith, who suggests that “when it comes to faith-based violence, religious moderates are part of the problem, not the solution”:
In our society, people are rewarded for pretending to be certain about things they’re clearly not certain about. You cannot have presidential aspirations without being willing to pretend to be certain that God exists. You have to pander to the similar convictions of 90% of the American population. 70% of Americans claim to feel that it is important that their president be strongly religious. No aspiring politician can fly in the face of those numbers now, so we are rewarding people for false certainty, false conviction.
Clearly, anyone who claims to be certain that Jesus was literally born of a virgin is lying. He’s either lying to himself or he’s lying to others. There’s no experience you have praying in church that can deliver certainty on that specific point.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:06 pm
Atheists are no less certain of the unknowable than the devout; I am amused by the faith-fueled fervor of atheists compelled to deny.
We Buddhists have it wired: “only don’t know.”
June 30th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
To be truly liberal you have to be willing to accept people for what they are whether they be gay, minority or indeed a right-wing christian conservative from Texas. Yet many like the one’s above you quote seem to not realise this unless of course they don’t consider them selves liberals.
nice blog by the way. I’ll have to read a bit more. Even though I don’t drink coffee.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
“Atheists are no less certain of the unknowable than the devout; I am amused by the faith-fueled fervor of atheists compelled to deny.”
Buddhism is touching, but rather primitivist. Well, what do you expect from a pre-modern religion, even with the best of intentions? Propel yourself to the 21st century, my friend.
June 30th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
I think of buddhism more as a way of life than a religion — In any case, I guess I’m really an agnostic, though a practicing atheist…
simon — There’s a difference between accepting people for who they are, and accepting their misguided beliefs as okay. For ex, I wouldn’t go around advocating the murder of anti-choice people, but I also don’t pretend to respect their beliefs — I speak out against them.
June 30th, 2006 at 9:14 pm
Siel — Indeed, but it has some classic religious structure and some of the same difficulties of any organized belief system once the structure begins to dominate. But it is no more religion or lifestyle than Christianity, Judaism etc.
Francois — Snort! Exactly! Primativist? Rofl! You bet! Just so, and no more is desired!
But if I were to look for it, how will I recognize your 21st century, sir? Is it swaddled in plastic and marketed on TV? I saw one of those once, and passed it up. Or is that where the haunted looking fellow I saw this morning came from — the one worried that nature was having its way with his aging Metrodude body, but unaware of his place in nature? Rofl!
Plus ca change, mon amis . . .
R.
July 1st, 2006 at 12:03 am
I thought Francois was being a lil tongue in cheek — Dude, Roger, for a buddhist guy, you could learn to chill out a bit :P
July 1st, 2006 at 6:34 am
There’s a difference between accepting people for who they are, and accepting their misguided beliefs as okay.
If you think that their belief’s are misguided then you are not accepting them for who they are.
July 1st, 2006 at 10:28 am
If you define acceptance as giving all opinions equal weight, then no, I’m not “accepting” certain people “for who they are.” If I did that, I’d have to think that neonazism’s NOT misguided. Gimme a break.
July 1st, 2006 at 10:31 am
I was not unchilled, if you read between the rofls. I was amused (as I am now) because I was pegged as I am; copped to it even.
And cheeky-tongue or no, I was curious what might qualify as Francois’ 21st century answer to my primativist choice — certainly nothin’ I’ve seen lately . . . [/troll mask]
R.
July 1st, 2006 at 11:59 pm
Again, I think Francois’ bit about the 21st century thing was tongue in cheek (as in he may not have an answer in mind…)
You, not unchilled? I’ll believe it when I see it :P