Bromby is an atheist, yet I just can't hang around other atheists. I think that the pseudo sense of superiority that most atheists feel they have over Christians is laughable. The arrogance, militance and ignorance these so called rationalists exude far exceeds those very qualities that they claim is the sole domain of the religious right.
Don't get me wrong, I've met my share fundamentalist religious twits. I strongly disagree with evangelical Christians on many issues like gay marriage, abortion rights and especially the teaching of creationism as science. However given the choice between living in a neighbourhood filled with honest, hard working church-going folk or the militant, uber-pretentious new atheists that's a no brainer.
Many of the atheists out there are philosophically lazy. I can congratulate them on the fact that I feel they've come to one correct conclusion in that reason is superior to faith. However atheists seem to stop the rational thought process there. They reason that because the religious are wrong about that critical premise of faith, the rest of their convictions: moral, political and other must also be wrong. Capitalism and conservatism are guilty by association, because these along with Judeo-Christian morals are fundamental values of the religious right. Quite often, atheists are simply amoral people who reject religion strictly because it clashes with their complete lack of values. I for one feel it is possible to be atheist and completely moral, but very few manage to strike that balance.
Richard Dawkins is the new messiah of the atheists, as people are gobbling up his new militant view condemning Christianity & religion in general. I wish I could say that I read his book, but I don't need a 500 page volume to convince me that God doesn't exist. All this book serves to do for atheists is put them in a self induced trance reinforcing their feeling of superiority and depicting the religious and unreasoning subhuman creatures and giving them permission to despise them. Scapegoat anyone? The level of indignance towards the faithful is quite unsettling. I'm asking atheists out there to chill out a little and come down from that high horse. We all have memories of some religious figure in our lives who was less than saintly, whether its some mean psychotic nun we remember from school days or an authoritarian parent of a friend. That's no reason to generalize all religious people as (ahem) devils. From my experience Christians can be really terrific, and surprisingly laid back people, while atheists can be pretty wound up and smug. To contrast with the demonic image many atheists have Bromby will also point out: Christians flirt, Christians get drunk, Christians can tell a mean dirty joke, Christians can party, Christians rock & roll (although sadly sometimes that means Christian rock), Christians definitely work hard, Christians love life and their families.
If that somehow clashes with the one dimensional portrait of a gun-toting, bible thumping, authoritarian, kool-aid drinking persona you have in your mind perhaps you need to expand your universe a little.
I may have an ulterior motive in writing this. I vote conservative - because the principles of capitalism, liberty and the free market are too valuable and rational to discard simply because it is also prized by the religious right. If you atheists are advocates of reason and objectivity as you claim to be, you should also come to the conclusion that Bromby did and become secular conservatives. If you have any questions, just drop me a line in the comments section.
-Bromby
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4 comments:
I think you're spot on about what I like to call "evangelical atheists." If religion was the only issue I cared about, I would be a Democrat but there are so many issues that are important to this country -- and only two parties to choose from. I do disagree with my party on religion, but I disagree with the Democrats on welfare, and foreign policy, and taxes, and energy policy, and trade, and the economy, and ...
There's more to a vote than two issues. Priorities and compromises have their places in deciding who to support in an election.
I've added you to my blogroll over on http://www.secularconservative.net I look forward to reading your posts in the future.
I agree that atheists, like anyone, can be arrogant and morally superior. However, I understand their perspective. Atheists are the most hated (and feared)group in America - more so than homosexuals or any racial/ethnic group.
The things that people believe on faith are a choice - people believe what they WANT to believe. The problem is that many religions claim to be the only true religion, and their followers live in fear that they will suffer eternal torment for selecting the "wrong" religion. I believe that this fear is to blame for the struggle between religions and between the religious and the secular.
Perhaps some atheists are not really sure and act out of fear over their eternal fate, but I think their primary fear is a rational one. Atheists fear for the state of our world, and they have good reasons to be afraid. They fear religious wars, and they fear that their freedoms will be restricted by the religious right (in the U.S.) gaining control within the government.
I have not read The God Delusion, but I have read The Selfish Gene. Dawkins is first and foremost a scientist. He explains evolution beautifully, so that almost anyone could understand it. I think that this book should be required reading for all high school students because it is shocking how poorly people understand evolution. It is so important for people to understand this theory because it is the basis of everything in science. When I hear someone say that they do not "believe in evolution", I can barely maintain my composure. This is not a choice! You do not believe in scientific theories the way you believe in ghosts or believe in love at first sight.
My point is that you should give Dawkins another chance. I have heard that he is rather mean in interviews, but I know what it's like to try to respond to completely ridiculous questions and debate with someone using only biblical references to defend their opinions. It would be one thing if these were highschool dropouts serving your french fries, but these individuals are gaining control of the U.S. government. This is not just about their religious viewpoints and social policies; they lack the ability to make rational decisions. If they cannot grasp even simple scientific principles, there is no hope that they will be able to understand the complexity of foreign policy, energy policy, economic policy, etc. The world has good reason to be afraid.
By the way, I completely agree that Christians tend to be great people. Most of them are also rational individuals with a basic understanding and acceptance of science. The only group I fear is the evangelical religious right.
Faith and science are not incompatible, but they should be kept separate (i.e. religion should not masquerade as science and one's religious beliefs should not prevent the acceptance of science and rationality).
Don't get me wrong - I do have a healthy rational fear of religion. The world is full of people who vigorously believe that that this life is meanlingless - and that it is all preparation for a true 'real' live beyond the grave.
I often say about the more fervent - it's like these people are already dead. If their life in this world is meaningless - how much value would they place on my life.
By what I've mentioned above you may gather that the religious wackos I fear most are not Christian.
However, I find among the lazy atheists I described in my article - that they despise Christians more than any other.
As for Dawkins I think emily is right that I should give him a chance. Simply saying that I haven't read him - yet condemning him makes me far from "objective" in that matter.
As for the power of the religious right in US government - I feel that is a trend that will once again wane. I have serious doubts that Roe v. Wade will ever be overturned, I think gay marriage is here to stay.
I do however have concerns about the whole creationism thing in schools.
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