B
BoboBonobo
Guest
Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD wrote:
> Steve O wrote:
> > I have just been watching Richard Dawkins and his program about religion.
> > Dawkins attended a religious meeting presided over by some crazy eyed
> > fundamentalist.
> > There were hundreds of people there, singing , clapping, having a great
> > time.
> > Whilst Richard has his admirers, it's unlikely he could pull a crowd as big
> > as that to listen to him.
> > Now, whilst I believe that Dawkins has far more interesting things to say
> > than the crazy wild eyed fundamentalist who had drawn the big crowd, (and
> > was presumably siphoning off a tidy profit from them) I think it's highly
> > unlikely that Dawkins could have filled that stadium.
> > Which is a damned shame.
> > And it got me thinking.... is the atheism movement doomed in the face of
> > this rising tide of irrationality and religious fervour?
> > Then again , is atheism a movement at all?
> > Is that part of the problem?
> > Because those organised religions appear to have so many attractions,
> > (structure, support, friendship, etc) does that mean that, in the eyes of
> > the herd, it will always have far much more to offer than the alternative?
> > Is that why religion is growing rather than declining?
> > When Dawkins first heard of evolution and understood that there were no Gods
> > he honestly believed that within his own lifetime, he would see religion
> > eradicated or rendered irrelevant.
> > In his own admission, that hasn't happened, nor is it likely to.
> > Why?
> > Simple answer - religion, (for the masses) has far more to offer.
> > Apart from filling people's minds with dangerous nonsense, it also happens
> > to provide a support structure, and well, something to get together with
> > other people and celebrate.
> > That's the problem with atheism - there's nothing to celebrate.
> > Nothing to form a support structure around.
> > ....So how do we change that?
> > Yes, I know Mickey has made a good start by maintaining an atheist list, but
> > is that the best we can do? (no offence intended towards Michelle)
> > I was personally shocked to find when I joined that list that I was only
> > atheist # 2240.
> > Two thousand two hundred and forty - out of a potential list of millions.
> > We are the majority - if you count apathy and disinterest as atheism, so how
> > do we take it further to counterbalance the rising tide of religious
> > fervour, fuelled by these happy, clappy meetings which inspire so much faith
> > in people?
> > Should we start having major meetings and rallies ourselves?
> > Should we fill those rallies with music, singing, and interesting stuff to
> > do?
Isn't that kinda what Rock'n Roll shows are?
> > Why should the fundy nuts have all the fun, and the advantage of a community
> > with a vested interest and similar views?
> > In other words, how can we coagulate, and build a wall against this
> > relentless onslaught of blind, ecstatic, whooping and hollering religio -
> > fascists who seem to be taking over the world?
> > Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Capitalism has already robbed the West of most of our decency. You
want to finish the job of destroying people's minds by removing the one
thing they have left? And you want to replace their dearly held
beliefs with what? With all the harm the conservative religios do, the
liberal ones counter, and your or my belief that they are living in
make-believe land shouldn't inspire us to intolerance.
I used to be just like you, a fundamentalist Atheist. Now I count very
many Christians among my friends. They all know I don't believe, and
they accept that. Still, you asked about suggestions. Go here:
http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/
Very scholarly, even if rather bitter.
>
> Without the LORD, life is meaningless (Book of Ecclesiastes). Sorry to
> break this to you. Please forgive me for my iniquities.
>
> Would be more than happy to "glow" and chat about this and other things
> like cardiology, diabetes and nutrition that interest those following
> this thread here during the next on-line chat (01/12/06) from 6 to 7 pm
> EST:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/cpayh
>
> For those who are put off by the signature, my advance apologies for
> how the LORD has reshaped me:
What shaped you into one of the biggest assholes on Usenet?
>
> http://tinyurl.com/bgfqt
>
> Prayerfully in Christ's love,
>
> Andrew
> http://tinyurl.com/b6xwk
--Bryan
> Steve O wrote:
> > I have just been watching Richard Dawkins and his program about religion.
> > Dawkins attended a religious meeting presided over by some crazy eyed
> > fundamentalist.
> > There were hundreds of people there, singing , clapping, having a great
> > time.
> > Whilst Richard has his admirers, it's unlikely he could pull a crowd as big
> > as that to listen to him.
> > Now, whilst I believe that Dawkins has far more interesting things to say
> > than the crazy wild eyed fundamentalist who had drawn the big crowd, (and
> > was presumably siphoning off a tidy profit from them) I think it's highly
> > unlikely that Dawkins could have filled that stadium.
> > Which is a damned shame.
> > And it got me thinking.... is the atheism movement doomed in the face of
> > this rising tide of irrationality and religious fervour?
> > Then again , is atheism a movement at all?
> > Is that part of the problem?
> > Because those organised religions appear to have so many attractions,
> > (structure, support, friendship, etc) does that mean that, in the eyes of
> > the herd, it will always have far much more to offer than the alternative?
> > Is that why religion is growing rather than declining?
> > When Dawkins first heard of evolution and understood that there were no Gods
> > he honestly believed that within his own lifetime, he would see religion
> > eradicated or rendered irrelevant.
> > In his own admission, that hasn't happened, nor is it likely to.
> > Why?
> > Simple answer - religion, (for the masses) has far more to offer.
> > Apart from filling people's minds with dangerous nonsense, it also happens
> > to provide a support structure, and well, something to get together with
> > other people and celebrate.
> > That's the problem with atheism - there's nothing to celebrate.
> > Nothing to form a support structure around.
> > ....So how do we change that?
> > Yes, I know Mickey has made a good start by maintaining an atheist list, but
> > is that the best we can do? (no offence intended towards Michelle)
> > I was personally shocked to find when I joined that list that I was only
> > atheist # 2240.
> > Two thousand two hundred and forty - out of a potential list of millions.
> > We are the majority - if you count apathy and disinterest as atheism, so how
> > do we take it further to counterbalance the rising tide of religious
> > fervour, fuelled by these happy, clappy meetings which inspire so much faith
> > in people?
> > Should we start having major meetings and rallies ourselves?
> > Should we fill those rallies with music, singing, and interesting stuff to
> > do?
Isn't that kinda what Rock'n Roll shows are?
> > Why should the fundy nuts have all the fun, and the advantage of a community
> > with a vested interest and similar views?
> > In other words, how can we coagulate, and build a wall against this
> > relentless onslaught of blind, ecstatic, whooping and hollering religio -
> > fascists who seem to be taking over the world?
> > Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Capitalism has already robbed the West of most of our decency. You
want to finish the job of destroying people's minds by removing the one
thing they have left? And you want to replace their dearly held
beliefs with what? With all the harm the conservative religios do, the
liberal ones counter, and your or my belief that they are living in
make-believe land shouldn't inspire us to intolerance.
I used to be just like you, a fundamentalist Atheist. Now I count very
many Christians among my friends. They all know I don't believe, and
they accept that. Still, you asked about suggestions. Go here:
http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/
Very scholarly, even if rather bitter.
>
> Without the LORD, life is meaningless (Book of Ecclesiastes). Sorry to
> break this to you. Please forgive me for my iniquities.
>
> Would be more than happy to "glow" and chat about this and other things
> like cardiology, diabetes and nutrition that interest those following
> this thread here during the next on-line chat (01/12/06) from 6 to 7 pm
> EST:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/cpayh
>
> For those who are put off by the signature, my advance apologies for
> how the LORD has reshaped me:
What shaped you into one of the biggest assholes on Usenet?
>
> http://tinyurl.com/bgfqt
>
> Prayerfully in Christ's love,
>
> Andrew
> http://tinyurl.com/b6xwk
--Bryan
