The New Atheism, and Something More

[soul_biscuit]

Sounds nice, but a rare event indeed.

I'll have to make sure they have a massive blow-out when I die.

Which, I suppose, means I'll have to make sure everyone is happy to see me go. I'll start here. You're all a bunch of motherfuckers!

[CP]

I'm still trying to work out what "new atheism" is. How is it different to regular atheism?

[Existentialist1844]

I'm still trying to work out what "new atheism" is. How is it different to regular atheism?

grrr, I answered the wrong question. DUH!

[BrettA]

I'm still trying to work out what "new atheism" is. How is it different to regular atheism?

Not sure, but I suspect it relates to a more assertive and perhaps in-yer-face atheism resulting in open discussion and more. So The Horsemen with their writing and other media (vid, TV interviews, etc.), for example, epitomize the 'New Atheism", and to a lesser extent, so do TAF, HoC and here, as do the fairly recent conferences (e.g. Long Beach last year, Atlanta coming up, etc.)

This is indeed 'new' compared to the relatively subdued and under-the-covers atheism of the 50s, for example.

[Existentialist1844]

I'm still trying to work out what "new atheism" is. How is it different to regular atheism?

Not sure, but I suspect it relates to a more assertive and perhaps in-yer-face atheism resulting in open discussion and more. So The Horsemen, for example, epitomisze the 'New Atheism", and to a lesser extent, so do TAF, HoC and here, the fairly recent conferences (e.g. Long Beach last year, Atlanta coming up, etc.)

This is indeed 'new' compared to the relatively subdued and under-the-covers atheism of the 50s, for example.

edit:ooppps

[BrettA]

Well, I'm not sure that I "didn't hit the mark"... The 3rd Google hit for < "New Atheism" Wiki > seems close and was... http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php? ... ew_atheism

"The New Atheism is an informal social movement in which atheists have become more vocal in recent years than they have been in the past, gaining prominence as a result."

Edit: Donno what your 'edit' means, unless a retraction.

[Existentialist1844]

Well, I'm not sure that I "didn't hit the mark"... The 3rd Google hit for < "New Atheism" Wiki > seems close and was... http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php? ... ew_atheism

"The New Atheism is an informal social movement in which atheists have become more vocal in recent years than they have been in the past, gaining prominence as a result."

No, you were correct. That is why I edited my response. I interpreted something in the wrong way

[Trolldor]

Yay for soaring fucking rhetoric.

I am not expected, required, or should I do anything in accordance to or with my atheism.

[Hermit]

Yay for soaring fucking rhetoric.

I am not expected, required, or should I do anything in accordance to or with my atheism.

Indeed. Seems, if you are an atheist who speaks out gets the "New Atheist" label tatooed onto the forehead, and the label is synonymous with "arrogant zealot". I guess atheists are only acceptable if they are nice atheists, that is, as long as they shut the fuck up.

Meanwhile, a nice muslim spokesman and member of the British parliament, Lord Ahmed was reported to have said that he would bring a force of 10,000 Muslims to lay siege to the Lords if Wilders was allowed to speak. Lord Ahmed denies having said this. Nevertheless, after some umming and aahing, the Home Secretary’s office sent a letter to Wilders, saying that he can't enter the country because "your presence in the UK would pose a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat to one of the fundamental interests of society.
The Secretary of State is satisfied that your statements about Muslims and their beliefs, as expressed in your film Fitna and elsewhere would threaten community harmony and therefore public security in the UK." That, apparently, is not something that could conceivably happen with the execution of concerted bomb attacks. Besides, almost all muslims are exceedingly nice people. They just become a threat to community harmony and public security if they are described as not nice.

So, shut the fuck up, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens, you arrogant zealots.

Edited to add link to article referred to above: Source

[CP]

How is vocal atheism "new"? There have been assertive atheists before.

[Chinaski]

How is vocal atheism "new"? There have been assertive atheists before.

Bertrand Russell never had forums and foundations dedicated to atheism. Oh, for that wholesome area where someone could be discredited for doubting God.

[Hermit]

How is vocal atheism "new"? There have been assertive atheists before.

Bertrand Russell never had forums and foundations dedicated to atheism. Oh, for that wholesome area where someone could be discredited for doubting God.

Perhaps Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC – AD 65) should be classed as a "New Atheist". He is famous, among other things, for saying: "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."

[BrettA]

How is vocal atheism "new"? There have been assertive atheists before.

I thonk it's a matter of degree - and I don't recall this level of prominmence before... The 3rd Google hit for < "New Atheism" Wiki > was... http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php? ... ew_atheism

"The New Atheism is an informal social movement in which atheists have become more vocal in recent years than they have been in the past, gaining prominence as a result."

[Red Katie]

I thonk it's a matter of degree

I thonk so too. (He he.)

[Trolldor]

How is vocal atheism "new"? There have been assertive atheists before.

I thonk it's a matter of degree - and I don't recall this level of prominmence before... The 3rd Google hit for < "New Atheism" Wiki > was... http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php? ... ew_atheism

"The New Atheism is an informal social movement in which atheists have become more vocal in recent years than they have been in the past, gaining prominence as a result."

There was a guy running around the US in the early years doing public talks on the bullshit of the lawd.