Pippy, there's no such thing as doing something "in the name of atheism", because all atheism is is not believing in God, nothing more, nothing less. How does not believing in God lead to anything? Religions are belief systems, atheism isn't. Atheism doesn't even have one positive belief, unless it's gnostic atheism. And then even gnostic atheism doesn't necessarily imply militant gnostic atheism....
And when agnostic atheists, for instance, are being "militant", whether they do this in a conversational and constructive way or a harmful way is a matter of their human nature as individuals...it's got nothing whatsoever to do with atheism.
A dogmatic atheist? How can you be dogmatic about the fact you don't believe?
If you are speaking about arrogant or intolerant atheists, then as I said - that's a matter of human nature, not atheism. There are arrogant and intolerant atheists, but this has got nothing to do with their atheism. There are also arrogant and intolerant theists, and this can, like with atheists - be part of their human nature...but also: They have beliefs to follow in their religion, because religions are belief systems. This does not apply with atheism because atheism is not a belief system.
There is nothing more to atheism than disbelieving God, the rest is optional, as I said. Theism on the other hand, has beliefs that drive it that are related to their theism.
I'm glad you felt welcomed by my Pippy, I consider myself a militant atheist because I am against religion and my opposition to religion is important to me. I would hope that my opposition is harmless though, and I support the conversational (non-violent) intolerance that Sam Harris advocates.
And I'm certainly not a dogmatic atheist...because as said above: There is no such thing. Atheism cannot be dogmatic because it carries no dogma. Not believing in God is not dogma, and that's all atheism is. If an atheist goes further than that and their attitude and behaviour is ostensibly dogmatic, it seems dogmatic on the outside - then that's to do with the individual. It's got nothing to do with atheism which is merely disbelieving God. Unless it's gnostic atheism, but even gnostic atheists who positively believe there is no God don't necessarily go shoving that down people's throats. Even I can vouch for that, I used to be a gnostic atheist and believe there definitely are no gods whatsoever, but I was very apathetic about the whole issue, I didn't really care much. I'm much more militant now and yet I'm an agnostic atheist now, not a gnostic one. And, like Adrian, I believe agnostic atheism is the only logical form of atheism. Gnostic atheism commits the logical fallacy of Negative Proof!
EvF
And when agnostic atheists, for instance, are being "militant", whether they do this in a conversational and constructive way or a harmful way is a matter of their human nature as individuals...it's got nothing whatsoever to do with atheism.
A dogmatic atheist? How can you be dogmatic about the fact you don't believe?
If you are speaking about arrogant or intolerant atheists, then as I said - that's a matter of human nature, not atheism. There are arrogant and intolerant atheists, but this has got nothing to do with their atheism. There are also arrogant and intolerant theists, and this can, like with atheists - be part of their human nature...but also: They have beliefs to follow in their religion, because religions are belief systems. This does not apply with atheism because atheism is not a belief system.
There is nothing more to atheism than disbelieving God, the rest is optional, as I said. Theism on the other hand, has beliefs that drive it that are related to their theism.
I'm glad you felt welcomed by my Pippy, I consider myself a militant atheist because I am against religion and my opposition to religion is important to me. I would hope that my opposition is harmless though, and I support the conversational (non-violent) intolerance that Sam Harris advocates.
And I'm certainly not a dogmatic atheist...because as said above: There is no such thing. Atheism cannot be dogmatic because it carries no dogma. Not believing in God is not dogma, and that's all atheism is. If an atheist goes further than that and their attitude and behaviour is ostensibly dogmatic, it seems dogmatic on the outside - then that's to do with the individual. It's got nothing to do with atheism which is merely disbelieving God. Unless it's gnostic atheism, but even gnostic atheists who positively believe there is no God don't necessarily go shoving that down people's throats. Even I can vouch for that, I used to be a gnostic atheist and believe there definitely are no gods whatsoever, but I was very apathetic about the whole issue, I didn't really care much. I'm much more militant now and yet I'm an agnostic atheist now, not a gnostic one. And, like Adrian, I believe agnostic atheism is the only logical form of atheism. Gnostic atheism commits the logical fallacy of Negative Proof!
EvF
