(August 27, 2015 at 12:47 pm)ScepticOrganism Wrote: Hello everyone, Hope you're all having a good day
I've often encountered individuals who parsimoniously claim that atheistic fundamentalism is an actual thing. But what does fundamentalism mean in the first place? According to dictionary.com, and several other lexicons, it is the strict adherence to any basic set of ideas or principles.
Just on that alone, you would get the impression that atheism is anything but fundamentalism. Atheists are intellectually flexible by nature.
Any atheist would tell you that if sufficient evidence/scientific consensus becomes present, they would change their beliefs in a heartbeat. But I think the key phrase here is " intellectually flexible by nature " With the emphasis being put on " Intellectually".
Sure, atheists might be willing to change their ideas based on reasoning and scientific/critical thinking, but what about those who harbor excessive hatred to not only religion itself, but to individuals who happen to follow it.
Does that in itself, constitute as fundamentalism?
When I first decided to look into atheism and what it was I went to a atheist group in usenet. I dislike fundamentalist Christians because of what I see as blind hate and it's effects on US politics. My surprise was that atheist there had this same blind hate for theist.
I posted article about murder of bloggers and seemed they cared less, but if you posted anything that they could ridicule or mock about a theist they jumped all over it. So there are what I have come to Call New/Militant atheist but from here and other forums I believe they are a minority.
The militant atheist do have some of the common posting tactics I see from fundamentalist Christians, though most atheist are not like that. IMO.