Quiet Atheist vs Militant Atheist

[Thumpalumpacus]

Versus quiet atheist that is respectful of religion, but firmly doesn't believe in it.

I'm a quiet atheist, who firmly rejects religion, and who has no respect at all for religion as a whole.

When the sky is falling, I need not browbeat people with that fact -- when the sky is falling, it's pretty goddamned obvious, and (will wonders never cease!) I don't need to say a word

[Homeless Nutter]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this but quiet/militant atheist is a false dichotomy. So I can either declare myself someone who doesn't confront religion at all, or someone who does it at every opportunity, ad nauseam. Not to mention, that "militant atheist" is basically used as a derogatory term, designed to shame non-believers out of taking part in public discussion about religion and its influence on our lives.

F*** that kind of choice...

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this but quiet/militant atheist is a false dichotomy. So I can either declare myself someone who doesn't confront religion at all, or someone who does it at every opportunity, ad nauseam. Not to mention, that "militant atheist" is basically used as a derogatory term, designed to shame non-believers out of taking part in public discussion about religion and its influence on our lives.

F*** that kind of choice...

Amen to that.

[bennyboy]

Hmmmm.

Quiet softball player, or militant softball player? Quiet afternoon or militant afternoon? Wait. . . this "put adjectives in front of words to which they are irrelevant game" is really fun!

[Ben Davis]

Are you a quiet, respectful atheist, or a militant atheist out to show people how wrong and harmful religion is?

False dichotomy, I'm afraid. I voted for neither. I disagree with the idea that atheism can be militant at all; how is it possible to 'militarise' the active promotion of the ideas of atheism when atheism contains no ideas?! That said, I sometimes find that my battles for social justice are at odds with religious propositions. When I speak against the religious position which supports injustice, I'm suddenly branded 'a militant atheist' when my atheism has nothing to do with the reason why I'm fighting the battle in the first place.

Consequently, I find that the label is a marketing exercise, propagated by those with vested interest in continuing the harms caused by religions, in order to demonise the views of a certain demographic of those promoting justice.

[Polaris]

I know this source isn't the best, but Urban Dictionary says the following:

"A militant atheist is one who is hostile towards religion. They differ from moderate atheists because they have the desire to propagate atheism and also hold religion to be harmful. Militant atheism was an integral part of the French Revolution, Soviet Union, Cultural Revolution, and is expresses itself today in the ideas of the New Atheist authors."

That's basically like comparing militant atheists to Nazis.

[abaris]

That's basically like comparing militant atheists to Nazis.

Depends on what your definition of militant atheism is. If it is remotely like mine, there's hardly any difference between religious radicals and atheist radicals. Maybe it's just the choice of words, but when hearing militant something, I'm thinking of radicals, fanatics, the whole pile of human shit making life miserable for anyone not conforming to the own ideas.

It's certainly not, as has been mentioned, taking a stance against religion being sneaked into schools or other public institutions. It's also not taking a stance in a healthy debate.

[Polaris]

That's basically like comparing militant atheists to Nazis.

Depends on what your definition of militant atheism is. If it is remotely like mine, there's hardly any difference between religious radicals and atheist radicals. Maybe it's just the choice of words, but when hearing militant something, I'm thinking of radicals, fanatics, the whole pile of human shit making life miserable for anyone not conforming to the own ideas.

It's certainly not, as has been mentioned, taking a stance against religion being sneaked into schools or other public institutions. It's also not taking a stance in a healthy debate.

I was comparing the societies under the French Revolution and 20th century Communism to Nazism. I find it an ultimately inaccurate definition of the militant atheists who self-identify. Sure those were militant atheists, but they weren't the same type as those who call themselves militant atheists.

[Jericho]

I don't think I would ever want to identify as 'militant' to begin with. I am not hostile towards religion, nor am I fanatical in my lack of belief. I just want to sit here, drink my beer, and let religion do its own thing without including me in it. Is that too much to ask?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Still not really sure what a militant atheist is, to be honest. A+?