You seem to be echoing the criticism being aimed at the "New Atheist" like Dawkins, Hitchens, and PZ. But the thing is their outspoken and occasionally antagonistic communications have produced results. Atheists groups are growing. Ads like this are being seen all around the world. Atheists are getting more media time and talking much more openly. Hitchens, who took his book tour deep into the Bible belt, had long lines of people at book signings. Many were heard saying that they previously thought they were the only atheists in town. Theses are great results!
That doesn't mean there isn't a place for curiosity. Carl Sagan is great. Dawkins' "Unweaving the Rainbow" is one of my favorite books. There is a place for curiosity but there is also a place for antagonism. Don't try to silence the atheists you think are too negative; instead organize your own free thinker's group with your own message of curiosity. We can have both; we don't all have to follow the same script.
Though one really ironic thing here is one of the early humanists to criticize the new atheist was Greg Epstein (http://atheism.about.com/b/2007/04/01/greg-epstein-vs-atheist-fundamentalism.htm). His new book is titled "Good without God (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/0061670111). We don't believe in god, we believe we can be good, we know we can be good without god. That is the truth. Speaking the truth is a good thing.
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Date: 2009-10-28 08:21 pm (UTC)That doesn't mean there isn't a place for curiosity. Carl Sagan is great. Dawkins' "Unweaving the Rainbow" is one of my favorite books. There is a place for curiosity but there is also a place for antagonism. Don't try to silence the atheists you think are too negative; instead organize your own free thinker's group with your own message of curiosity. We can have both; we don't all have to follow the same script.
Though one really ironic thing here is one of the early humanists to criticize the new atheist was Greg Epstein (http://atheism.about.com/b/2007/04/01/greg-epstein-vs-atheist-fundamentalism.htm). His new book is titled "Good without God (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/0061670111). We don't believe in god, we believe we can be good, we know we can be good without god. That is the truth. Speaking the truth is a good thing.