Religion

procon

(15,805 posts)

47. Thank you for such a convincing and succinct response.

Fri Oct 3, 2014, 08:12 PM

Oct 2014

Be it ever so humble, let me try to clarify as best I can; whilst atheists and humanists are similar, they are not one and the same. There is a difference. The British Humanist Association which you alluded to, and other similar groups, are nontheists which certainly includes some atheists, but they have a much broader appeal that also includes agnostics or just those who remain skeptical about the God thing, while adding a social and moral philosophical component.

Therefore, the purest form of atheism to which many like myself subscribe to, is simply a bare bones philosophical stance that says no supernatural deities exist. Period. It has no contingent moral obligations, which generally remain a separate personal conviction that differs from one individual to the next.

It often comes as a surprise that we atheists don't all share the same philosophy, and I understand why this concept might be confusing in our one-size-fits-all society where we often get shoehorned in with humanists to more easily fit the narrative of bloggers rushing to meet a deadline.

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Atheism’s shocking woman problem: What’s behind the misogyny of Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris? [View all] cbayer Oct 2014 OP

Why does every atheist always have to answer for these two jerks? arcane1 Oct 2014 #1

Did you read the article by any chance. cbayer Oct 2014 #4

I read it. The title doesn't reflect the article. Feral Child Oct 2014 #10

She may not have written the headline, but it is a bit cbayer Oct 2014 #12

I suppose you've made some valid points. Feral Child Oct 2014 #23

Your position is just fine and i hope that you will embrace those that see it differently. cbayer Oct 2014 #50

I've not attacked anyone. Feral Child Oct 2014 #65

It's been nice talking to you and I respect your position for the most part. cbayer Oct 2014 #68

"We don't agree about there being leadership in organized atheism. There clearly is..." cleanhippie Oct 2014 #82

Of course there;s not. rug Oct 2014 #83

"Atheism, by it's very nature, rejects leaders, dogma, or unity. " YoungDemCA Oct 2014 #19

you've made a compelling argument.. frylock Oct 2014 #20

Rather laconic response. Feral Child Oct 2014 #21

If you've got a bus, I'll throw dawkins under it. AtheistCrusader Oct 2014 #24

I've recanted. Feral Child Oct 2014 #25

As such, it does. That doesn't mean that individual atheists might not have their 'gurus'... LeftishBrit Oct 2014 #64

+100 nt Starboard Tack Oct 2014 #130

If you are a male who values science, but found proportionately few women in that field - then what? Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #67

Do a search. You'll find hundreds of those posts in this Group alone. rug Oct 2014 #77

Because they're the Athi-Popes? Ken Burch Oct 2014 #102

Sorry, name's already taken. okasha Oct 2014 #105

Not "antipope"..."Athi-pope"-as if athiests had one of their own now. n/t. Ken Burch Oct 2014 #121

"Christianity's shocking child-rape problem" is a great example of the logical fallacy Fortinbras Armstrong Oct 2014 #117

If atheism has a "shocking" woman problem... trotsky Oct 2014 #2

Yes, calling the atheist movement anti-women based on some word scramble sentences Fred Sanders Oct 2014 #7

I didn't realize there was an atheist movement. Kalidurga Oct 2014 #3

Well, there is, but I don't think there is any expectation that you join it. cbayer Oct 2014 #5

Another hit piece on Dawkins Lordquinton Oct 2014 #6

Hit piece? Do you take issue with Amanda Marcotte? cbayer Oct 2014 #8

The Pope is even worse than Dawkins Lordquinton Oct 2014 #15

We have threads about the pope. We have threads cbayer Oct 2014 #16

You know, you really should check your link with reality. It seems to be missing. mr blur Oct 2014 #29

Check my link with reality? Are you suggesting that your take on what is going on with women cbayer Oct 2014 #31

There are numerous threads daily on that. rug Oct 2014 #79

Some things need to be hit. rug Oct 2014 #78

This is baloney. Atheism has no woman problem. There is no dogma concerning women. BillZBubb Oct 2014 #9

So all those female atheists who are complaining loudly and eloquently cbayer Oct 2014 #13

There are no "spokepeople" or "leaders" for atheists. That is baloney. BillZBubb Oct 2014 #22

These are two of the most influential atheists around. Leadership is irrelevent. kwassa Oct 2014 #30

Nonsense. BillZBubb Oct 2014 #36

Why? Because you say so? kwassa Oct 2014 #44

And that is exactly the problem, isn't it. cbayer Oct 2014 #51

Sounds like you are agreeing Starboard Tack Oct 2014 #131

Unfortunately, it's not baloney. Just google it. cbayer Oct 2014 #32

It is baloney, and it isn't patronizing to say someone is misguided when they are. BillZBubb Oct 2014 #37

It's very telling when one calls women who are complaining of misogyny "misguided". cbayer Oct 2014 #40

What??? procon Oct 2014 #28

What?? There are lots of organized atheist associations. cbayer Oct 2014 #34

What is the problem? BillZBubb Oct 2014 #38

Well, since I have no idea what you mean by that question, cbayer Oct 2014 #41

Thank you for such a convincing and succinct response. procon Oct 2014 #47

One thing I have found is that no matter how many labels one applies to cbayer Oct 2014 #49

Pat Buchanan and I both call ourselves Catholics Fortinbras Armstrong Oct 2014 #119

I am in agreement with you. cbayer Oct 2014 #120

"the purest form of atheism"? rug Oct 2014 #80

Is it only my vocabulary that provokes your intolerence? procon Oct 2014 #99

You remind me of the members of the Catholic hierarchy Fortinbras Armstrong Oct 2014 #118

"There was an immediate uproar among female atheists" AtheistCrusader Oct 2014 #11

Indeed, PZ has been particularly vocal about this. longship Oct 2014 #35

Nice to see you longship and particularly nice to see that cbayer Oct 2014 #39

Always nice to see you, too. longship Oct 2014 #42

I am glad to hear that your summer has presented you with things more cbayer Oct 2014 #45

as others have tediously pointed out, atheism, the lack of belief in gods, Warren Stupidity Oct 2014 #46

I fully concur. longship Oct 2014 #48

Renouncing religion isn't the same as renouncing the culture it exists within. hunter Oct 2014 #14

That's exactly right, cbayer Oct 2014 #17

The movement to organize exists edgineered Oct 2014 #27

I disagree. I see great potential in organized atheism. cbayer Oct 2014 #33

Exactly. Yet a lot (not all, certainly, but a fair number) of self-described atheists.... YoungDemCA Oct 2014 #18

It's a very small group and not at all representative of atheists in general. cbayer Oct 2014 #43

I think they are in a different sect from me. rurallib Oct 2014 #26

Lol, i got your joke. cbayer Oct 2014 #52

I've been looking on the web for the ratio of male atheists to female atheist but have found no.. BlueJazz Oct 2014 #53

The most reliable and believable demographics show that males constitute about two thirds cbayer Oct 2014 #54

The thought did cross my mind was perhaps the ratio you quoted might be a lot closer ... BlueJazz Oct 2014 #56

I'm not so sure it has to do with women wanting a "god" cbayer Oct 2014 #57

Good points. Your words ring true. I DO know that when I go to my other country (Australia) BlueJazz Oct 2014 #59

Australia is very, very interesting when it comes to religion. cbayer Oct 2014 #60

Here's some raw data. rug Oct 2014 #81

Yes, I was absolutely correct in my assumption. Except everything was Ass-Backwards. BlueJazz Oct 2014 #85

This was the subject of the sermon at atheist church Hari Seldon Oct 2014 #55

Welcome to DU and to the religion group, Hari Seldon. cbayer Oct 2014 #58

So what is it about atheism that makes Richard Dawkins a misogynist? immoderate Oct 2014 #61

There is nothing about atheism that make RD a misogynist. cbayer Oct 2014 #62

Yes, I will allow that RD's personal sensibilities are somewhat provincial, however... immoderate Oct 2014 #63

Here is the issue, imo. cbayer Oct 2014 #72

I think the article title does rather suggest that: muriel_volestrangler Oct 2014 #73

You and I both know that titles are written to attract attention cbayer Oct 2014 #74

I do find the misogynistic tenets edhopper Oct 2014 #66

I know you are being sarcastic, but no one has suggested cbayer Oct 2014 #69

I was mocking the title edhopper Oct 2014 #70

I think most male dominated organizations are at risk cbayer Oct 2014 #71

Typically males do better at science and math; at school and in the professions Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #75

Your premise is entirely wrong and your analysis overtly sexist. cbayer Oct 2014 #76

+1 rug Oct 2014 #86

"For math, science, boys lead on achievement tests while girls do better on classroom grades" Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #87

Please present the evidence to support your #2 assertion. cbayer Oct 2014 #89

Standard statistical surveys say there are far more males than females in science professions Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #90

What 6 or 7 recent repeated DU attacks on male atheists are you referring to? cbayer Oct 2014 #91

Attacks on Richard Dawkins, and by extension, male atheists; as sexist Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #92

How is criticism of Richard Dawkins an attack on male atheists in general? cbayer Oct 2014 #93

In at least four of these articles by Rug, the aim was to hint that Atheism in general was sexist Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #94

You must be rather sensitive to infer that. rug Oct 2014 #95

Read your own articles. Including, at random, the present one: Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #96

Specifically, he's referring to "new atheism" not atheism. rug Oct 2014 #107

You are making an accusatory claim without evidence. cbayer Oct 2014 #98

Clearly these articles are attempting to generalize Dawkin's example; to condemn all atheists Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #101

I was looking for a broader brush but you beat me to it. rug Oct 2014 #115

Actually? Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #122

Does the posting of articles about atheism, by atheists, disturb you? rug Oct 2014 #123

Having these re-posed by anti-atheists bothers me. Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #124

Ah, so you feel problems within the atheist community should be discussed rug Oct 2014 #125

When any given community criticizes itself, before others, that is considered higher criticism. Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #126

Good. I'll continue to post "higher criticism". rug Oct 2014 #127

That is good only if, for YOU the re-poster and most of your readers, it is also self-criticism. Brettongarcia Oct 2014 #128

That's unabashed rubbish. rug Oct 2014 #129

That's one reason I enjoyed working in Public Health. In general their was more gender equality, imo pinto Oct 2014 #97

Good point. I think that for whatever reason there is more balance cbayer Oct 2014 #100

The same problem does not exist within religion edhopper Oct 2014 #108

Even more reason to make sure that this doesn't happen to atheist groups. cbayer Oct 2014 #110

Yes edhopper Oct 2014 #111

It is wonderful to agree with you, edhopper. cbayer Oct 2014 #112

I still think edhopper Oct 2014 #113

Agree with that. cbayer Oct 2014 #114

Yeah edhopper Oct 2014 #116

Have Heard a Lot About This RadicalGeek Oct 2014 #84

Welcome to the religion group, radicalgeek. cbayer Oct 2014 #88

Thank you RadicalGeek Oct 2014 #106

I agree with you. cbayer Oct 2014 #109

Sadistic bullies tend to rise to dominance in loosely-organized "movements" carolinayellowdog Oct 2014 #103

Once again RadicalGeek Oct 2014 #104