Excellent speech, no idea who this guy is but he nailed it. About damn time too.
How is it bullying to point out that those awful parts of the Bible are ********? Most Christians are well aware of this which is why they happily ignore those very passages. Of course they prefer to dress it up in...
I did limit myself to my single main anti-theistic argument in my OP in an (admittedly poor ;)) attempt to keep it brief. If the problem of extremism wasn't around I admit that I would be less inclined to go after religion/gods.
Another big reason for me to label myself 'anti-theist' is my...
What I want to believe is irrelevant, I don't expect the universe to work how I would like it to. You are right that I don't want to believe Dawkins is a bigot, but if he said something bigoted I would accept that he is. I didn't want to believe that Morrissey is a pretentious moron, I like his...
So I have biases, who doesn't? I at least try to acknowledge my bias and present my opinion on the significance of certain points as what it is, opinion. I will try to refrain from doing so again.
Please, rather than saying I am unjustifiably prejudiced, by all means tell me how my reasoning...
If I think that I have harmed someone, of course it makes me feel at least a little bad no matter how much I may think it was justified to do so. Ultimately I think it is impossible to go through life without harming anyone as sometimes it is necessary, the best we can do is to consider how our...
I think the British government has been pretty clear in the message it gives out. Inciting hatred and violence against someone because of their race/religion/gender/sexuality is unacceptable, unless it is justified by unfounded superstition and the people doing so are likely to throw a childish...
Thats all there really is to it, while it is an unattractive part of human nature and should be avoided whenever possible, we all do it at times. The thing that really annoys people like me is when religion is exempt from it unlike anything else.
Good example, I still think religion makes the...
I like the definition of 'good' in the OP, if I tried to define my idea of what 'goodness' is I think it would be pretty similar.
Ultimately I think there can be no absolute definition, it seems like just a concept and its meaning can change drastically over time, depending on circumstances.
I completely agree that it will push those irrational fundamentalist types deeper into their own beliefs, I think it has been demonstrated that reasoning with that type of individual is futile. But I'm not exactly an optimist if you hadn't noticed ;) I do hope I am wrong on that point.
The goal...
Both to some extent, admittedly my biggest objection to a belief in a deity who starts the universe then takes a back seat is a lot weaker, and not especially significant alone IMO. I just don't see how if such a being existed there would be anything to gain by accepting or denying it, such a...
It seems reasonable to me. One of many groups that I identify with is labeled 'English' despite the fact that I do not agree with many things, that many others believe who also identify as such.
We all use labels to describe ourselves as a way to show what groups we identify with, it is human...
I didn't brand all religion as extremism. In my OP I went on to make the point about how extremism is enabled, however unwillingly by the moderates through a combination of group identity and the untouchable status religion/scripture seems to expect.
Reinforcing the 'moderate or mainstream...
It's understandable, I have no doubt there are many things about religion (and the behavior of some religious people) that Dawkins does hate, as do I. When discussing something that incites as much emotion as religion does (whatever side you may be on) it is only natural to take some things...
I have always been atheist.
My parents sort of attempted to raise me Christian (they weren't that religious), but apparently I was a very annoying skeptical child who never believed anything I was told... (So this Santa guy comes down the chimney and brings presents? Ok I'm making a trap.)...
I would identify as both atheist and anti-theist, not very good labels IMO as they can mean many things to many people, this is how I see them.
I think atheism has many attributes applied to it unnecessarily, as far as I'm concerned it only means the lack of belief in god(s), nothing more...
That seems obvious, but I don't see why you think that was happening at the Reason Rally. I'm assuming it was the Dawkins speech?
Calm, rational debate is of course preferable to petty insults or similar uncivil behavior. But if that degenerates into inane or absurd comments (like threats of...
I have only just got around to watching the Dawkins speech, I have no objections to what he said.
It seems relevant to point out that Dawkins is English, and religion in general is seen over here as while a bit odd, it has some good morals to it (not my view, but whatever). I hardly know any...
Of course it doesn't apply to all believers, to have that opinion you must first accept the doctrine of hell which most religions do not have, unfortunately the religions with the most influence do have it. It is unfair, but seems to be a case of guilt by association. For some people, (myself...
This should be good, what exactly was the problem with the reason rally? I thought the aim of it was to promote a secular society and to show that atheists aren't actually the evil baby eating monsters that some would like to think. Brainwashed? (Now that's what I call civil) In what way? Since...