I frequently encounter criticism of the so-called New Atheist movement by ‘Fatheists’ who seem to take a tolerance position on backward thinking. These people describe us as intolerant intellectual bullies who feel that we are somehow elevating ourselves over adherents to Bronze-Age dogma. In a way I guess, they are right. When there is approximately 70% of the population of the U.S that claims to believe in something supernatural and all-knowing, but provides absolutely NO proof as to the existence of said entity, then there is a problem with backward delusional thinking.
The dating site Christian Mingle boasts around 16 million members who actually believe that they are destined to find a soul mate at the hands of a being that can neither be heard, seen or touched and that makes no real communication/contact overtures to the supplicants that it reigns over. This is a matter that concerns me as does the incredible percentage of idiots who watch reality TV, and who happen, coincidentally, to identify majority Christian. These are the same people who make broad statements concerning things such as the non existence of transitional fossils when there are thousands, the same complete fools who deny climate change, and when I hear people sound off against those crusading for rationality, I now have something to fight for even harder!
Yes! We do need the New Atheist Movement and the energy and opposition it brings to an unbalanced table! If the religious are left to their own devices, they erect monuments to delusion and bigotry on public lands and destroy the planet because their delusion does not include the logic and common sense of preservation! The Unholy Bible tells it’s followers that they were given dominion over the land and animals so there need not be conservation and prudence of actions! We have climate change deniers at the highest echelon of our Government as does Canada, and almost ALL of them quote from their silly book of fairy tales! George W. Bush and Dick Cheney started massive illegal wars in oil rich states and Georgie claimed that he spoke to The Lord every day! Osama Bin Laden orchestrated 9/11 because of his version of the fairy tales!
I, for one, am proud of the New Atheists because of their refusal to bow to pressure and for their great work in overturning some major religious based legislation, and as a member of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, I will continue to join the rallies and demonstrations against the throwback radicals who have caused enough damage in their domination of the political scene. It is OUR time now to bring the wonders of science to as many places as we can and work to eradicate bastions of idiocy such as the Creation Museum. Where there is common sense and a willingness to learn, the walls of ignorance fall. Sitting idly by and hoping that the radical religious ignorance will go away is NOT the answer and is the hallmark of today’s generation, the same generation that has done away with the two most important words in the dictionary: Personal Responsibility.
Milquetoast tolerance of blatant ignorance has produced a multitude of people who sit on their hands afraid of activism against many very important problems. Our greatest trading partner, China, continues to pollute on massive levels and export poisonous food to foolish buyers, India continues to be one of the most dangerous places to be female and female fetuses are aborted in record numbers, but you don’t see any embargoes against their goods. Muslims demonstrate against the governments of the very countries that they have taken refuge in as the laws of these countries support their seditious behavior. Tribes of Muslims slaughter each other every day and in Afghanistan we support the government of the largest heroin exporter in the world. The list goes on and yet the feel-good set opposes the very action that could help awaken people and change the world for the better.
Religions have inspired great artistic works and along side the creation of these works heretics were burned and placed on the rack for any trumped up reason that the church wished to level against them. The time for belief in something that can no longer do man any good and can only keep the veil of ignorance over his eyes is over. Atheists as a whole, are trying to open people’s eyes to the truth of science and save another generation from the ignorance of blind faith. We are trying to spare future children from the abuse of early indoctrination and lack of self esteem due to being told that they were born in sin and not worthy of the candy man in the sky. We want to save them the later disappointment of realizing that they have wasted their lives on a terrible lie based on the book of a deity who’s hands are drenched in the blood of millions of mostly innocent people who believed in the wrong sky fairy.
I, personally, will cast my lot with the rabble rousers and spread the words of truth inspired by evidence, common sense and reason. I will not persecute my fellow man in the name of an unprovable genie or murder in His name, I will stand up and actually make my voice heard so that eventually we can wipe the likes of Boko Haram and Al Qaeda from the Earth. Secular reasoning does this, not wars waged by religious people. Stand tall New Atheists and let the cowards sit and do nothing.
In conclusion, I would like to thank my inspiration, Dawkins/Dennettt/Hitchens/Harris, Seth Andrews, Matt Dillahunty, Jen Peeples, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dan Barker, A.C Grayling, Lawrence Krauss, Greta Christina and a host of other atheists that have made me the atheist activist that I am today. If the movement is good enough for the likes of these geniuses, than I’d rather be on their side, the EVIDENCE is just too compelling!
hitchens67 Atheism WOW!! Logic and reason campaign 