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

[Jaygray]

If call it Stalinist, you will be denounced.

No chance of that. Whatever else may be said of Stalin, he could multitask. I'd be surprised if Carrier is muti-celled.

I notice PZ is after members:

http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/ ... discussion

I just had a thought: maybe the anti-atheist+ people are sad because they don’t have a cool logo. So I made one for the asshole atheists. A*

This guy teaches?

[Thinking Aloud]

Oh - their forum is here: http://atheismplus.com/

It has many rules.

[Bella Fortuna]

Many, many rules.

[Clinton Huxley]

Many, many rules.

I think it has a rule about having many, many rules.

[Bella Fortuna]

Many, many rules.

I think it has a rule about having many, many rules.

That's what the plus stands for.... plus loads of rules!

[Coito ergo sum]

Every time I think they can't get any stupider they out-poe the poes again. Look at this for fuck's sake. This is the official logo for their forum

Atheismplusheadersmall1.png

That reads like "A + theism." Given their resemblance to evangelical theists, that may be quite appropriate....

I hope Dawkins asserts his trademark on that A. Does he know about this movement yet? Maybe LordPasternack can shoot him an email.... I am sure the Dawkins foundation didn't spend the money filing multiple registrations for the A for no reason. They've spent at least $1500, plus attorneys fees for preparing the filings, probably a total between $5000 and $10,000 to register that mark. And, that movement is rabidly anti-Dawkins. I hope he doesn't fall for any sweet talk on the part of this A+ movement. They clearly want to bootstrap off of Dawkins' popularity and the notoriety of the red "A" symbol to get their douchebaggery off the ground...

[Thinking Aloud]

Every time I think they can't get any stupider they out-poe the poes again. Look at this for fuck's sake. This is the official logo for their forum

Atheismplusheadersmall1.png

That reads like "A + theism." Given their resemblance to evangelical theists, that may be quite appropriate....

It's been changed to this:

[Audley Strange]

I'm already there in disguise as a supporter. My plan is to gently push and provoke them towards more and more extremist thought, it's a long game,

Or AM I?

Yeah I am.

or AM I?

Muahahahahah.

[SteveB]

PZ Myers describing A+

Imagine a great big party with a lot of diverse attitudes present, and you discover that a few of the invited attendees are also hooligans who wander about calling everyone “cunts” and slapping derrieres and telling women to stop being so sensitive, it was only a quick fondle. Also they smell bad. We’re the segment of the party that’s decided to go off to the library and enjoy some good conversation with the interesting people.

Are you interesting?

[Coito ergo sum]

..., it's about paying attention to the great work someone like Jen McCreight, for example, does instead of reducing her to a boob joke at every opportunity.

I didn't know of her so I did a Google. Here she is:



I'd never reduce her to a boob joke, she's got one helluva fine rack! But I'd certainly motorboat the Hell outta those puppies.

O.k., Lak, we're going to have to take this from the top.

She is allowed to show all the cleavage she wants, but you are not permitted to enjoy it (unless she wants you to enjoy it) and you're not allowed to think about motorboating or other such activity (unless you clear it with her first, without coming out and asking her directly...). And, if you say anything out loud about her cleavage, without her wishing that you say something about her cleavage, then you are a sexual harasser and a misogynist. And, don't try to mansplain your way out of this.

[Coito ergo sum]

Let's not pick a fight with atheism+. They have the intellectual artillery of Robert Carrier behind them, we don't want to fall into range of big guns like that.....

"intellectual artillery..."

I can't believe that jackass actually said that...

....and about himself.... I mean... I could see someone describing The Hitch of old to have "intellectual artillery" or a similar analogy...but it takes a certain extreme level of self-conceit to to say that about oneself....and, usually, that kind of conceit is wielded by those of little merit or import....

[Coito ergo sum]

The internationally renowned academic and deep skeptical thinker Mr Carrier...

Anyone who does not call themselves a member of Atheism+ but thumbs up what it stands for is a friend of Atheism+. Those people are with us. Everyone else (who doesn’t cheer or approve of what we stand for) is against us.

Remember, if you don't cheer for A+, you are the enemy.

Applaud.......NOW!

I trust a Bronx Cheer will suffice.

[hadespussercats]

All right, I've read the first and last pages of this gigantic thread, and will make a stab at the rest, but right now I'd just like to know:

Who cares what the Blag Hag gang (or anyone else, for that matter) decide to call themselves?

If atheism isn't a movement (you said yourself, CES, that you didn't think it was-- and I agree), then what do we care about splitters? Or people using the word wrong?

The other reason to at least pay attention is that, right now when someone from "the media" wants a token atheist for a discussion, they call upon Dawkins, or Harris, (and wish they could call Hitchens) or the guys from AA or FFRF. At some point they're going to want fresh faces, and if you google "atheism" and find page after page of "Atheism Plus" and "Skepchicks" you're going to assume that you've found a new 'voice of atheism'.

They are a new voice of atheism. They're just not the new voice of atheism.

I don't necessarily care for Dawkins or Hitchens speaking for me, though they are enchantingly articulate (or were.)
I definitely don't care for that yahoo in charge of AA speaking for me. (See-- They're using a girder from the Trade Center like a Cross! Oh noes! America is ruined!)

This just seems silly. Find what you think is important, and put it out there. Maybe you'll get to be a voice of atheism, too.

re the bit I've bolded .. How does anyone be the voice of non-belief in god/s?

Well, primarily by communicating that it's possible to live life without believing in god(s), and explaining why it can be a beneficial choice, at the personal or societal level.

But if you're saying that there isn't an atheist movement, because you can't really organize around an absence of belief, well, most people here agree with that.

If not sure if I'm entirely on board, in that I don't see how fighting against teaching creation myths as science in schools, or denying opportunities to atheists because of bigoted ideas about atheism equalling being an immoral or evil person, or laws that legislate hateful behaviors because of religious dogma, yadda yadda, isn't a political movement. But then, not all people who don't believe in God care about those other issues. Which is the point of this thread, I think.

[Coito ergo sum]

PZ Myers describing A+

Imagine a great big party with a lot of diverse attitudes present, and you discover that a few of the invited attendees are also hooligans who wander about calling everyone “cunts” and slapping derrieres and telling women to stop being so sensitive, it was only a quick fondle. Also they smell bad. We’re the segment of the party that’s decided to go off to the library and enjoy some good conversation with the interesting people.

Are you interesting?

And, then on the pretense of throwing people out who slap women on their asses, they ban people who do not cheer, do not agree that wearing "I am not a skepchick" t-shirts is sexual harassment, and who mock the Atheism Plus movement. Not only do they say the word "cunt" should not be used, but they say that selling ceramic jewelry not made by a particular person is to be banned and that anyone who doesn't think an unwanted coffee invite at 4am in a 4 star Irish hotel elevator after a woman talks about unwanted emails is a misogynist."

If you don't agree, you're a mansplainer. Don't gaslight me, bro!

[Azathoth]

From their forum


Awesome troll is awesome