Confronting Our Own Hypocrisy and Repudiating Bad Behavior

[Brettongarcia]

5. This article was posted by Rug; as part of his apparently endless series of posts attacking atheists

The evident intent here, like 3/4 (to be sure, not all) of Rug's OP posts and subsequent responses, is to accuse atheists - and not religious people - of being bad.

This particular article he likes no doubt, because it is an article by an atheist, finding extremity and dissention in the ranks of Atheism. And because it seems to encourage atheists to ... tone it down. To shut up.

Any bad news for Atheism is good news for Religion, therefore seems to be the philosophy behind such posts. Especially anything that tells Atheists to shut up.

Given that probable intent, it is worth responding not just to the article itself. But also the likely intent behind posting it.

Here our first agnostic respondent does respond very well, furthermore. By deftly sidestepping this superficial attempt at using a red herring to after all, divert attention away from the real point and focus of Atheism: noting the sins of Religion, after all.

The real subject for atheists is criticizing Religion of course. Which is full of sins. And no atheist should allow himself to be diverted from that task. Or told to shut up.

Could atheists be more polite? Religion actually, WAS subtly and politely criticized for thousands of years. By academics, and even theologians. But believers didn't hear it; ardent believers just don't do logical subtleties.

That is why some atheists today should often, say it strongly, and repeatedly.

To be sure, I prefer the calm and reasoned approach. But I know perfectly well that Reason just doesn't resonate with many believers. Many of them actually explicitly oppose "Reason" and the "mind" and "knowledge" in fact; in favor of blind faith.

How SHOULD we approach such persons? I prefer Reason greatly. But when people are deaf to Reason? I also see a role for simple, repeated, adamant confrontation.

Should atheists at times introspect, and consider their own sins? Probably. But let's not let that distract them from the main task.

That I take it, is the main point of our first respondent. And it is a very good point indeed.