The Atheism Plus "movement" -- good, bad, ugly?

[Thinking Aloud]

The thing that bothers me about the whole "you're with us or against us, pick a side" bullshit is that it's just not true. If you want to draw lines, go for it, and declare that those standing on whatever side are this and that and I'll shake my head at you like the idiot you are. I don't have to declare anything. I don't have to pick one of two imaginary sides in your self-obsessed, self-made war. I don't actually care who the "leaders" of whatever the newest coolest version of newest new atheism are or what they think I should believe.

I'm here on ratz because I got booted off RDF when it closed down and luckily I met some really awesome people that I wanted to keep hanging around and talking to. I was at RDF because I absolutely love Richard Dawkins the evolutionary biologist and found the forums while wanting to discuss those ideas. I do not consider myself part of "the atheist community" or "movement", I don't believe in god(s) and I tend to get along with other people who also don't believe in god(s) and have an interest in evolutionary biology and space and beer and cheese, but am perfectly fine with people who are not atheists and also like those things.

All that to say all of this stuff is just really silly to me, and while annoying, doesn't make me feel any need to "stand up" against anything. All I have to do is sit here and be reasonable and be glad that they are labeling themselves in a way that makes it easier to disassociate if anyone asks...which they probably won't, because I don't know anybody in real life - outside of forum members - who have the faintest clue what the "atheist community" is.

These things +1.

[Trinity]

She says it good, our Rachel

[Gerald McGrew]

The thing that bothers me about the whole "you're with us or against us, pick a side" bullshit is that it's just not true. If you want to draw lines, go for it, and declare that those standing on whatever side are this and that and I'll shake my head at you like the idiot you are. I don't have to declare anything. I don't have to pick one of two imaginary sides in your self-obsessed, self-made war. I don't actually care who the "leaders" of whatever the newest coolest version of newest new atheism are or what they think I should believe.

I'm here on ratz because I got booted off RDF when it closed down and luckily I met some really awesome people that I wanted to keep hanging around and talking to. I was at RDF because I absolutely love Richard Dawkins the evolutionary biologist and found the forums while wanting to discuss those ideas. I do not consider myself part of "the atheist community" or "movement", I don't believe in god(s) and I tend to get along with other people who also don't believe in god(s) and have an interest in evolutionary biology and space and beer and cheese, but am perfectly fine with people who are not atheists and also like those things.

All that to say all of this stuff is just really silly to me, and while annoying, doesn't make me feel any need to "stand up" against anything. All I have to do is sit here and be reasonable and be glad that they are labeling themselves in a way that makes it easier to disassociate if anyone asks...which they probably won't, because I don't know anybody in real life - outside of forum members - who have the faintest clue what the "atheist community" is.

Nuthin' like a little perspective.

[SteveB]

                      

!!1!	NOTMOD Too much RachelBean appreciation, back on topic, please.

[Seabass]

                      

!!1!	NOTMOD Too much RachelBean appreciation, back on topic, please.

The RachelBean Plus Movement?

[mistermack]

Was there ever a Saint Rachel?

There is now.

I would go on my knees to her. I really would.

[SteveB]

Was there ever a Saint Rachel?

There is now.

I would go on my knees to her. I really would.

No, there's been no Saint Rachel as of yet. Hmmm...

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

They're more like penis Kryptonite.

[SteveB]

The thing that bothers me about the whole "you're with us or against us, pick a side" bullshit is that it's just not true. If you want to draw lines, go for it, and declare that those standing on whatever side are this and that and I'll shake my head at you like the idiot you are. I don't have to declare anything. I don't have to pick one of two imaginary sides in your self-obsessed, self-made war. I don't actually care who the "leaders" of whatever the newest coolest version of newest new atheism are or what they think I should believe.

I'm here on ratz because I got booted off RDF when it closed down and luckily I met some really awesome people that I wanted to keep hanging around and talking to. I was at RDF because I absolutely love Richard Dawkins the evolutionary biologist and found the forums while wanting to discuss those ideas. I do not consider myself part of "the atheist community" or "movement", I don't believe in god(s) and I tend to get along with other people who also don't believe in god(s) and have an interest in evolutionary biology and space and beer and cheese, but am perfectly fine with people who are not atheists and also like those things.

All that to say all of this stuff is just really silly to me, and while annoying, doesn't make me feel any need to "stand up" against anything. All I have to do is sit here and be reasonable and be glad that they are labeling themselves in a way that makes it easier to disassociate if anyone asks...which they probably won't, because I don't know anybody in real life - outside of forum members - who have the faintest clue what the "atheist community" is.

Oh fuck it, one more. Grade A+ critique!

[Kristie]

                      

!!1!	NOTMOD Too much RachelBean appreciation, back on topic, please.

No such thing as too much RachelBean appreciation!

[SteveB]

                      

!!1!	NOTMOD Too much RachelBean appreciation, back on topic, please.

No such thing as too much RachelBean appreciation!

I appreciate your candour.

[orpheus]

I've just been catching up on the latest brouhaha. Good lord.

I just posted this over at RatSkep, but Uncle Orph always has enough to share:



(Uncle Orph'sTM popcorn - "Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends..." )

[orpheus]

Oh, and RachelBean: well said!

[charlou]

The thing that bothers me about the whole "you're with us or against us, pick a side" bullshit is that it's just not true. If you want to draw lines, go for it, and declare that those standing on whatever side are this and that and I'll shake my head at you like the idiot you are. I don't have to declare anything. I don't have to pick one of two imaginary sides in your self-obsessed, self-made war. I don't actually care who the "leaders" of whatever the newest coolest version of newest new atheism are or what they think I should believe.

I'm here on ratz because I got booted off RDF when it closed down and luckily I met some really awesome people that I wanted to keep hanging around and talking to. I was at RDF because I absolutely love Richard Dawkins the evolutionary biologist and found the forums while wanting to discuss those ideas. I do not consider myself part of "the atheist community" or "movement", I don't believe in god(s) and I tend to get along with other people who also don't believe in god(s) and have an interest in evolutionary biology and space and beer and cheese, but am perfectly fine with people who are not atheists and also like those things.

All that to say all of this stuff is just really silly to me, and while annoying, doesn't make me feel any need to "stand up" against anything. All I have to do is sit here and be reasonable and be glad that they are labeling themselves in a way that makes it easier to disassociate if anyone asks...which they probably won't, because I don't know anybody in real life - outside of forum members - who have the faintest clue what the "atheist community" is.

I'd really like to have a beer and some cheese with you someday, Rachel.

And Pappa, I spose.

[Audley Strange]

Quality Rachel, pure quality. (The highest Glaswegian accolade.)

But essentially what they've done is attack other people and groups in the wider loose knit atheist/skeptic network and malign the almost the entirety of those who don't actively agree with them while just fucking whining. Some of us. CES and myself and others have considered this bizarre and worrisome for a while, but it wasn't until it hit here that it really affected anyone here.

Pappa's tasteless query meant we had to choose sides. We weren't really given an option. We either supported Rationalia's right to be an autonomous website of loosely affiliated weirdos who abided by their own rules and be deemed Rape apologists and all sorts of other slurs or we bought into a culture of lashing out, victimisation, refusal to debate and attempts to actually shut down people by various different means.

That they've been pilloried or ignored by most suggests to me they've had little option to become more insular. They are engaged in a pathological groupthink. I mean seriously, a group of pseudo intellectual hand wringing american middle class white net whiners are going to make the world a better place for minorities and neurotics? Talk about privilege, talk about patronising. I guess the emphasis is on white with those knights* I think everyone else has too little fucking time on their hands. They tried to take the loose net of folks that comprise the atheist skeptic community. (And it is a group of communicators, it is a community) and turn all discussion to them and their political and self interests, to be regulated in such a way that they were always right. FUU-UU-UUUUUUUCK that! Moderation is derived from moderate. They are extremists.

So I for one would like to say Ape Lust, good fucking riddance. So long and thanks for the laughs, you feckless clowns. Keep them coming.

(* sorry Robert, I hadsta.)