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Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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ant

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Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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I read something that perfectly summarizes what atheism's political wing ( atheists that constantly and belligerently hound and persecute religious expression in the public square) holds as its credo.
It's from this article:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/a ... ume-review

Here it is:
“the reverse-Voltaires, whose slogan is, ‘I know I will detest what you say, and I will defend to the end of free speech my right to stop you saying it’
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Robert Tulip

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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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Breaking my rule, this title intrigued me.

I note the article says "insults are boomerangs; they whip back unerringly into the face of the insulter. This isn’t merely an uplifting fiction, it’s true without exception."

Too true.

As well, quoting the real originators of militant atheism, Spinoza and David Hume, it says "Spinoza is himself quoting a passage from Tacitus – “the rare happiness of times when you can think what you like and say what you think” – that David Hume used as the epigraph to his Treatise of Human Nature.)"

This is of course the complete opposite in terms of liberality and respect from some distorted dogmatic fantasies.
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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I'd like to read that book, Trigger Warning. It embodies one of those concepts that has unintended consequences. Where to draw the line on free speech.
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.” - Douglas Adams
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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The article linked also included a review of the second installment of Richard Dawkin's memoirs titled "My life in Science; Brief Candle in the Dark."
The title is a revealing self perception as a light in the dark,presumably science or Richard illuminating and dispelling the darkness of religion.
Interestingly it's a metaphor Christianity uses for Christ as a light in the darkness of this world.

Also it's taken from a speech in one of Shakespeare's plays. Richard has no illusions of an afterlife. Once the candle burns out it's finished.
Here's the review; http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/a ... nce-review
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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Flann 5 wrote:The article linked also included a review of the second installment of Richard Dawkin's memoirs titled "My life in Science; Brief Candle in the Dark."
The title is a revealing self perception as a light in the dark,presumably science or Richard illuminating and dispelling the darkness of religion.
Interestingly it's a metaphor Christianity uses for Christ as a light in the darkness of this world.

Also it's taken from a speech in one of Shakespeare's plays. Richard has no illusions of an afterlife. Once the candle burns out it's finished.
Here's the review; http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/a ... nce-review

Yeah., you know, those "Brights" are our new saviors.
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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ant wrote:Yeah., you know, those "Brights" are our new saviors.
I don't suppose he was ever tempted to title it;" My life is a tale told by a madman,full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

The autobiography is not very revealing apparently. To be fair he really does believe that he is a bringer of light and extinguisher of darkness.

It's a bit off your topic here ant. I just noticed the Dawkins review when reading the other review.
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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Image

Interestingly it's a metaphor :-D
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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We’re surrounded by outrage-junkies – a snarling festival of mutual intolerance.
:lol:
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Re: Militant political atheism's credo in a nutshell.

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ant wrote:I read something that perfectly summarizes what atheism's political wing (atheists that constantly and belligerently hound and persecute religious expression in the public square) holds as its credo. It's from this article:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/a ... ume-review
Here it is:
“the reverse-Voltaires, whose slogan is, ‘I know I will detest what you say, and I will defend to the end of free speech my right to stop you saying it’
If by "public square" you mean spaces or time supported by public tax dollars, then the 1st amendment does prohibit certain forms of religious expression. For example placing a stone monument of the 10 commandments in a court house would be tantamount to establishing a Government religion.

Although there is a lot of argument about free speech, two recent Supreme Court rulings indicate restrictions in the U.S. are actually quite minimal. SCOTUS supported the right of the Westboro Baptist Church to scream "anti-fag" propaganda at funerals of military veterans. Then there's the Citizen's United decision which is described in the Guardian article as follows.
... Citizens United, the 2010 US supreme court ruling that opened the way for corporations to contribute unlimited funds to political causes, and, in effect, buy the leaders they want, most notably by funding political “attacks ads” on television. Here free speech is free speech for the rich and, by the same token, the silencing of the poor. For while the poor can say and publish what they want, they will not be heard by the mass of the electorate.
Both of those decisions are very radical; considering them together, it's hard to imagine any limits other than a few technical legal restrictions. I expect free speech rights are less "radical" in the UK and Canada, where I've heard them say "We respect free speech, but we don't worship it."
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