Honestly I'm as annoyed by aspects of the atheist movement (Dawkins and Harris particularly) as I ever have been by fundamentalists.
It's mainly because both sides spend a lot of time telling the other side that they're stupid in some way. They might use different words and techniques, but the sentiment is there - I know better than you.
Regardless of which side is "more right" I find that the approach itself is destructive.
So I would say I tend to identify more with anyone who is in the middle - people who go to church but don't spend their time worrying about whether others do and people who don't believe in god but don't worry about whether others do.
I think that there are legitimate gripes to be made about organized religion interfering in the government and schools, but as long as the separation of church and state is provided for, I have no problem with people expressing their religion.
I almost feel like the more "militant", shall we say, atheist movement fuels religious fundamentalism and vice versa.
I think it ended for me in particular when Sam Harris told The Sun he would rather see all religions end forever than end rape forever.
So while I know that it's unwise to paint all those who share a belief with one brush (all vegans are like PETA, i.e.), Harris and Dawkins piss me off and turn me off of many of these type things.
I just don't see the point. Most of this stuff provokes without achieving any end I can see other than making other people who share the same ideas smile. If you think there is another useful purpose to such t-shirts, bus ads, I am willing to listen, however.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-02-10 02:51 am (UTC)It's mainly because both sides spend a lot of time telling the other side that they're stupid in some way. They might use different words and techniques, but the sentiment is there - I know better than you.
Regardless of which side is "more right" I find that the approach itself is destructive.
So I would say I tend to identify more with anyone who is in the middle - people who go to church but don't spend their time worrying about whether others do and people who don't believe in god but don't worry about whether others do.
I think that there are legitimate gripes to be made about organized religion interfering in the government and schools, but as long as the separation of church and state is provided for, I have no problem with people expressing their religion.
I almost feel like the more "militant", shall we say, atheist movement fuels religious fundamentalism and vice versa.
I think it ended for me in particular when Sam Harris told The Sun he would rather see all religions end forever than end rape forever.
So while I know that it's unwise to paint all those who share a belief with one brush (all vegans are like PETA, i.e.), Harris and Dawkins piss me off and turn me off of many of these type things.
I just don't see the point. Most of this stuff provokes without achieving any end I can see other than making other people who share the same ideas smile. If you think there is another useful purpose to such t-shirts, bus ads, I am willing to listen, however.