The Atheist Movement.

[thesummerqueen]

None of the three I named really step outside of their purview. That might be why I like them. I deliberately left Harris off because he's a douchebag.

[Jehanne]

Who's 'sifu'?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sifu

Thanks!  I should have Googled it.

[Jehanne]

As to prominent atheists and their adoration.  I'm a bad atheist, I guess, lol.  With the exception of hitchens, I've never read any of their work.  I think he was a good orator and author, but not a leader of any kind.  I don't think we'd have been buddies, nor would I have expected him to return my phone calls.

This is how I feel about it, although I think he and I could have sourly cut up over some scotch.

The only "atheist" leaders I give a fuck about are the kind who are more closely aligned with science and skepticism. Sagan. Tyson. Novella. Shermer. Etc.

It's not enough to be an atheist, and how many times can you sit there and jack off to the idea that "god is not real"? You have to find something positive (and by positive, I mean the opposite of 'null', not happy feelings necessarily) to fill the void. People are always proud of themselves for not believing in god, but lack basic abilities to think critically, have little to no basic understanding of human psychology or history, and often trade god-belief for other woo.

I'd lost respect for Shermer long ago.  Don't get me wrong, he is a GREAT thinker!  About 10 years ago he made a public solicitation that he would have dinner with anyone for a mere $2500.00  Now, I am not sure if the patron was supposed to pay for the meal in addition to the $2.5K or not!  Ironically, I recently got a canned email from the Democratic Party saying that one could enter a FREE lottery to have dinner with President Obama.  Bit of a contrast with Dr. Shermer, a Libertarian and President Obama, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat.

P.S. Have no idea what the hourly rate for a good prostitute is!

[abaris]

Bit of a contrast with Dr. Shermer, a Libertarian and President Obama, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat.

There are many kinds of libertarians, and dyed in the wool democrat just means being part of the money grabbing establishment these days.

[Cyberman]

Error 404: Fuck Not Found

I should have that on a t-shirt. Story of my life these days.

[GrandizerII]

Here's what I think about some of these prominent atheist speakers:

Dawkins: I dislike him less now than I did in the past. He used to be intolerable back before becoming just a cranky old man.  Now I kind of feel bad for him ... a little.

Krauss: I don't like him. At all. He's not only a jerk, he lacks the charm needed to compensate for that. He thinks he's the greatest man on earth, and when he says the word "science" with such pride, it irritates me because he makes it sound like he's superior to most other people because he's into science and those others apparently are not. Plus, he always has to try to stand out in a group interview among atheists, when the last person I want to listen to is him.

Hitchens: Pure ego. But likeable. Hilarious. Entertaining. Opponents loved him. Anyone who compares Krauss to Hitchens should reconsider. Krauss is nothing like Hitchens was.

Harris: Likeable guy, but has views that someone like him shouldn't have.

Shermer: He's fun and all, but I like him less now than before because of his sexual harrassing behaviour towards women (in the past, at least).

James Randi: Likeable guy. Can't say anything negative about him.

PZ Myers: He's a douchebag, and he knows it. I agree with him in general on his sociopolitical views, but he's not a nice guy.

Richard Carrier: Aside from his atheistic views and sociopolitical ones, it's hard to find much I agree with him on. And for some reason, I just don't like him.

Rebecca Watson (skepchick): I like her. I think certain people are overly harsh and critical with her because of some of her views (and that has led to a feedback loop of sorts where she gets nasty in return and then people get nasty back at her and so on), but she makes a lot of good points that should not be dismissed just because she's a feminist.

Matt Dillahunty: Cool guy, and makes a lot of good points. Often knows what the fuck he's talking about, but he has difficulty with proper assertiveness. Too aggressive at times.

[Jehanne]

Here's what I think about some of these prominent atheist speakers:

Dawkins: I dislike him less now than I did in the past. He used to be intolerable back before becoming just a cranky old man.  Now I kind of feel bad for him ... a little.

Krauss: I don't like him. At all. He's not only a jerk, he lacks the charm needed to compensate for that. He thinks he's the greatest man on earth, and when he says the word "science" with such pride, it irritates me because he makes it sound like he's superior to most other people because he's into science and those others apparently are not. Plus, he always has to try to stand out in a group interview among atheists, when the last person I want to listen to is him.

Hitchens: Pure ego. But likeable. Hilarious. Entertaining. Opponents loved him. Anyone who compares Krauss to Hitchens should reconsider. Krauss is nothing like Hitchens was.

Harris: Likeable guy, but has views that someone like him shouldn't have.

Shermer: He's fun and all, but I like him less now than before because of his sexual harrassing behaviour towards women (in the past, at least).

James Randi: Likeable guy. Can't say anything negative about him.

PZ Myers: He's a douchebag, and he knows it. I agree with him in general on his sociopolitical views, but he's not a nice guy.

Richard Carrier: Aside from his atheistic views and sociopolitical ones, it's hard to find much I agree with him on. And for some reason, I just don't like him.

Rebecca Watson (skepchick): I like her. I think certain people are overly harsh and critical with her because of some of her views (and that has led to a feedback loop of sorts where she gets nasty in return and then people get nasty back at her and so on), but she makes a lot of good points that should not be dismissed just because she's a feminist.

Matt Dillahunty: Cool guy, and makes a lot of good points. Often knows what the fuck he's talking about, but he has difficulty with proper assertiveness. Too aggressive at times.

Well stated.  Perhaps telepathy is real?!  Randi, by the way, is very likeable and loves to respond to email messages from just about anyone (me, included), although, he is getting along in his years, probably slowing down a bit.

[The Grand Nudger]

That man is Bay Area Royalty.  For some reason I never thought of him as a prominent atheist.  Just the best santa impersonator/skeptic on the planet!

[Pat Mustard]

Here's what I think about some of these prominent atheist speakers:

Dawkins: I dislike him less now than I did in the past. He used to be intolerable back before becoming just a cranky old man.  Now I kind of feel bad for him ... a little.

Krauss: I don't like him. At all. He's not only a jerk, he lacks the charm needed to compensate for that. He thinks he's the greatest man on earth, and when he says the word "science" with such pride, it irritates me because he makes it sound like he's superior to most other people because he's into science and those others apparently are not. Plus, he always has to try to stand out in a group interview among atheists, when the last person I want to listen to is him.

Hitchens: Pure ego. But likeable. Hilarious. Entertaining. Opponents loved him. Anyone who compares Krauss to Hitchens should reconsider. Krauss is nothing like Hitchens was.

Harris: Likeable guy, but has views that someone like him shouldn't have.

Shermer: He's fun and all, but I like him less now than before because of his sexual harrassing behaviour towards women (in the past, at least).

James Randi: Likeable guy. Can't say anything negative about him.

PZ Myers: He's a douchebag, and he knows it. I agree with him in general on his sociopolitical views, but he's not a nice guy.

Richard Carrier: Aside from his atheistic views and sociopolitical ones, it's hard to find much I agree with him on. And for some reason, I just don't like him.

Rebecca Watson (skepchick): I like her. I think certain people are overly harsh and critical with her because of some of her views (and that has led to a feedback loop of sorts where she gets nasty in return and then people get nasty back at her and so on), but she makes a lot of good points that should not be dismissed just because she's a feminist.

Matt Dillahunty: Cool guy, and makes a lot of good points. Often knows what the fuck he's talking about, but he has difficulty with proper assertiveness. Too aggressive at times.

I don't get that about Dawkins at all. About 99% of his difficult reputation is down to his religious detractors blackening his name. For example in his interviews he remains calm and polite for a period far longer than I do with the kind of provocation and willful ignorance often used by his opposite. His biggest problem, as far as I can see is he displays misogynist tendencies.

[Edwardo Piet]

A religious atheist?

What, like a Buddhist?

Please consider that line from my OP to have been withdrawn.

I'm sorry I didn't see that. I'm pretty sure when I had replied it hadn't been withdrawnn, or if it had been withdrawn elsewhere I missed it.

Sorry about that.