Is Sam Harris becoming a pariah for the anti-religious cause?

[Lemonvariable72]

[Thumpalumpacus]

Once again, Sam Harris opens his mouth on politics, and once again I'm left shaking my head. This time he wrote a lengthy blog in defense of the utter brutality that Israel has been exercising on her enemies the last few weeks. You can read it here: http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/why-d...ize-israel I know he speaks for no one but himself but perception is everything, and he has in many people's minds earned a place as one the fiercest and most well-versed proponents for the modern age's shift towards atheism. He's revered by many atheists, including those here, and in multiple respects this is well-deserved; that's also why I fear he is doing a heck of a job misleading the impressionable and creating a caricature of atheists that many, such as myself, find despicable. I have quoted his work before in arguing certain positions, and I can only imagine how his continual display of ignorance on vastly complex topics will be all too easily thrown back in my face.

My two biggest problems with his article:
The defense that Israel could cause a lot more damage, but doesn't, hence her intentions must be noble.
Second, that Hamas is to blame for the devastation Israel has caused for the millions who live in Gaza, when in fact Israel has made those people suffer for decades; Hamas is a predictable reaction. "Give me liberty or give me death" is a human ideal, not an American one. So, I was going to place this in the "Politics" section but I also think it deserves a spot here, as atheism, as a movement, which it can be called in some respects ("New Atheism")--and/or as it is perceived by believers--will be damaged by neo-con crap like this.

Also, Steven Pinker retweeted his link (another American Imperialist). I look forward to Murtaza Hussain's response (which he has promised in the future--and which I will post here).

All that aside, I'm still looking forward to Harris' new book Waking Up, which is coming out this September.

It struck me much as Chris Htichens's support for and defense of the American invasion of Iraq ... but at the end of the day, the stereotype of liberal atheist didn't get punctured.

You and I know who these guys are, and there's plenty of hardcore fundies who do, but the broad mass of American believers would probably think that Harris is a golfer or something. Following current events and reading op-eds isn't their big interest, I don't think.

[Autumnlicious]

The Gazan civilians are the ultimate victims in this.

They're the only ones who can point out the Hamas loyalists from the innocents.
They're also the ones Hamas militants will try to hide among.

Hamas steals aid and resells it for weapons, where their acts starve innocent Palestinians in the name of Hamas' "Jihad".

If Palestine is to survive, Hamas must be destroyed (Or it must swear and deliver upon the oath of peace with Israel and it's neighbors -- but I'm not holding my breath)

Peace will come when anyone can give money towards Gaza and not have it purchase military materials.

The Israelis are understandably sick of the "give them an inch, they try to take a mile" mentality in Gaza.

If you pull that shit long enough, do not be surprised when your enemy decides it is time to become as merciless and heartless as you are.

[Napoléon]

I can wholeheartedly agree with that.

[Autumnlicious]

I can wholeheartedly agree with that.

I... think I just saw a unicorn.

I apologize for my intense vitriol -- we both hate the situation in Gaza.

Too many innocents are paying for the few and their violent suicidal crusade against a large, angry neighbour.

I wish they'd just surrender instead of trying to fight to the last man. More families would be saved from death and destruction that way.

[Mudhammam]

Genocide: "The deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation." That is not melodrama, Moros--unlike your pathetic excuses for Israel's indiscriminate destruction and murder of entire Palestinian neighborhoods--which is. Please tell me why this senseless massacre is necessary or even conducive to their stated aims. We both know Israel, the most fortified country on the planet, was not in any imminent danger by Hamas' rockets (unlike the Palestinians, who do live in constant terror of their Jewish neighbor), which the Israelis themselves acknowledge.

[Minimalist]

Judging by the respective body count the demilitarization of Israel might achieve more.

Sound strategy if your goal is the extermination of Jews.

If Hamas had any appreciable military capability the Israelis would be a lot slower to attack them. What is going on there right now is simply murder.

[Lemonvariable72]

Sound strategy if your goal is the extermination of Jews.

If Hamas had any appreciable military capability the Israelis would be a lot slower to attack them. What is going on there right now is simply murder.

I cannot help but think of the question as old as war itself. "It is okay to kill someone that is trying to kill you?"

[Jaysyn]

I know it's the "Holy Land" & all, but it's a damn shame they didn't just carve a chunk of Germany off to make a Jewish nation, instead of kicking them out the door right in the center of more enemies.

[Autumnlicious]