As Ian points out, agnostics/atheists do not tend to organisation, or indeed to aggressively pushing their views.
What, however, is inclined to get them moving together (and I include myself here) is a sense of being attacked and slandered by theists. We are frequently maligned by religious leaders as being, "one- dimensional", "immoral", "less than human", etc. Here's a typical example from the recently retired archbishop of Westminster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbrfz1DIq9Q Francis On 30 Jul., 16:19, Ian Pollard <[email protected]> wrote: > Deripsni, > > Atheists rarely agree on much; hence the analogy "organising atheists is > like herding cats" is very apt. There is a whole body of science, > literature, and philosophy that atheist forums regular chew over. In fact, > if there was a scripture chase here on Mind's Eye, my money is on one of the > atheists winning it. The Bible is fascinating. > > You will find atheists do rally to some causes. For example, I am a member > of National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association and both > are motivated to act on issues like: > > - State-funded faith schools > - Religious education in schools > - Teaching of science in schools > - Creationism and Intelligent Design > - Religious discrimination in the workplace > - Theocratic incursions into our secular justice system > - Religious privilege and the giving of tax revenues to religious > organisations > - Sexual health issues > - Medical issues > - Religious incursions into the 3rd or emerging world > - Religious privilege in the political process > - Censorship, freedom of speech, free of expression > > Ian > > 2009/7/30 deripsni <[email protected]> > > > > > > > This is all good, but I wonder why a group had to be formed if they > > really have no platform other than "I don't believe in God". Why not > > just say the words and leave it at that? Being ignorant of the extent > > or full essence of Atheism, I have to wonder what Atheists have to > > talk about as it relates to "God", as without the belief by others in > > such, there would be no reason for their existance. From my way of > > looking at it, if I claimed to be an Atheist, all I would have to talk > > about is the seeming naivette of believers because they cannot offer > > scientific proof for their belief. This does not seem to be an > > interesting passtime to me, but like I said, I do not know much about > > it. > > > On Jul 30, 9:43 am, Ian Pollard <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi Lee, > > > > I'll try my best... > > > > The theist makes a positive assertion about the existence of God. An > > atheist > > > is someone who does not accept the theist's claim; thus they are an > > > "a"-theist. Atheism is therefore only the absence of that theistic > > belief. > > > An atheist does not claim to know that God does not exist, only that the > > > arguments presented in favour, thus far, are insufficient hold such a > > > belief. > > > > Positively asserting that "there is no God" is further than any sensible > > > atheist would go. An "in joke" that demonstrates this very well is the > > > chapter of Richard Dawkin's 'The God Delusion' entitled 'Why There Almost > > > Certainly Is No God'. I could well believe that the nuances of this were > > > lost on some people, but there's no semantic word fuckery going on; this > > is > > > really what atheism is. > > > > What you continually describe, I think, is some form of escalated "strong > > > atheism" or obnoxious forum trolling. I've started to wonder whether this > > > particular kind of atheism only exists on Internet forums to antagonise > > > theists (see Chazwin's posts). In a sensible discussion I don't know any > > > atheist who would support such a position, hence I say your assertions > > about > > > atheism lead you only to a strawman. > > > > Look at the atheists you chat with here Mind's Eye; do I, Chris, Fran, or > > > anyone else, claim "there is no God"? > > > > Ian --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
