Atheists turning to cult behaviour?

[thesummerqueen]

Neither do a lot of late teen, early 20 theists I've met. Are you sure you're not just getting old and having trouble adjusting to the ways of the young whippersnappers? Because you're describing Millenials, not atheists.

No, he's describing an age contingent - doesn't matter which generation they come from. -Respectfully, a Millennial.

...and rely heavily on youtube

Ever seen Star Wars? Mos Eisley is a great place to find a smuggler, a cheap drink, and get your head blown off. It's not where the Senate held their legislative proceedings. Youtube is the Mos Eisley of the internet, and 4chan is the Sarlacc pit.

I think Myers is a twat of the first order, as well as Dawkins. Greta Christina and others were bang-on when they pointed out that having these assholes as the public face of atheism keeps a lot of atheists quiet about their lack of belief.

Too right.

We tend to be careful and precise in our language around here, partly because we know there are fundamentalist members who will seize on any slip of the tongue or mis-statement.

A cult, in the modern sense/connotation as a group with novel, socially deviant beliefs and practices, tends to have a charismatic leader or founder to whom the members are zealously devoted and obedient. Doubt is discourage. How members are to live is ordered in great detail. Mind-altering practices are used. The group is elitist and tribal (us vs. them), and feel the group's ends justify the means.

The behavior you describe isn't at all how cults form. It's just people making asses of themselves and attracting an audience.

I have missed you.