Why We are Mad At You by an Atheist

[longship]

9. I don't like painting with a broad brush

First, I am with you 100% on the history. I like your citation of Hypatia, a particularly grievous case of religious over step, putting it mildly.

But I think all of us atheists should also recognize that there are many liberal religious who may be our natural allies. The demographics unequivocally state that we are not likely to be able to do this alone. We need the liberal religious on our side. So let us not burn that bridge.

Secondarily, some atheists claim that the liberal religious give comfort to the extremists by not explicitly calling them out. I cannot find a way to disassociate myself from this argument. However, I think that we atheists (or whatever you call yourself) should take a tact with our allies not to piss them off, no matter how pissed we are about atheists' position in society. Make no mistake, the liberal religious are our allies in the political battle.

Finally, I think it is crucial for all atheists to acknowledge that the world will likely never be rid of religion; it is too engrained in our culture, and even possibly our genetics, for it to be even worthy of an argument that any small group could wipe it out. Instead, as Dennett has professed, it might be desirable for religion to morph into one of aviralence (sp?), a less toxic form.

I have no idea whether these are true. But if they are, why not join with people who are, as I call them, the atheists' natural allies. And if we achieve aviralence together, what could be better for the world?