RE: Jeff Sparrow on the need to save ourselves from the sickishness of the New Atheists
March 18, 2016 at 1:44 pm
(March 18, 2016 at 1:30 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: Why does the author of the article imply that theists don't currently hold 'considerable institutional power'? Has he not paid attention to US politics for the last, oh, 40 years or so? The current, frothing evangelical wing of the GOP? Outside of a few exceptions, you can't hold public office as an atheist. Not just at the national level, but local as well.
I've been making exactly that case at Craig's site. You'd be surprised how not satisfied they are with that. Instead they bemoan the lack of respect they get in academia. Perhaps they're just finding it hard to keep the next generation down on the farm in the face of the prevalence of secular values in the media and among the more respectable markets for ideas. Their brand seems to only sell to the closed market of the home schooled and even then they lose, I've heard, as many as half to the wider culture.
Makes me wonder how soon it will be before an open atheist could be elected to public office with an equal chance. Seems like perhaps they're suffering from post inflation depression.
(March 18, 2016 at 1:30 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: So, no, the fight isn't over just because academics are predominantly atheist. Academics aren't the ones trying to put religion in public schools, or trying to remove a woman's right to choose, or be allowed to not pay for certain kinds of medical coverage, or a myriad of other things that ultimately harm us all.
No, it certainly isn't. It is the theist fighting to keep their market share .. especially where their own kids are concerned. Can't blame them but I'm not sure what more I can do for them except not to gloat.
