Religion Must Be Destroyed, Atheist Alliance Declares
BartSimpson @ Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:14 pm
From http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp? ... 1003a.html
$1:
Religion Must Be Destroyed, Atheist Alliance Declares
By Matt Purple
CNSNews.com Correspondent
October 03, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - Science must ultimately destroy organized religion, according to some of the leading atheist writers and intellectuals who spoke at a recent atheist conference in Northern Virginia. God is a myth, and children must not be schooled in any faith, they said, at the "Crystal Clear Atheism" event, sponsored by the Atheist Alliance International.
Some of the luminaries who spoke at the conference, held at the Crown Royal Hotel in Crystal City, Va., over the weekend, included Oxford professor Richard Dawkins, author Sam Harris and journalist Christopher Hitchens. The Atheist Alliance International describes itself as "the only democratic national atheist organization in the United States."
While most attendees on Friday night were adamant that God was a myth, the convention, attended by hundreds of people, brought into focus a divide among atheists as to their identity as a movement and the nature of the enemy they faced.
In his speech, Dawkins portrayed a black-and-white intellectual battle between atheism and religion. He denounced the "preposterous nonsense of religious customs" and compared religion to racism. He also gave no quarter to moderate or liberal believers, asserting that "so-called moderate Christianity is simply an evasion."
"If you've been taught to believe it by moderates, what's to stop you from taking the next step and blowing yourself up?" he said.
By contrast, Harris's speech was a more tempered critique of the atheist movement itself. While Harris said he believed science must ultimately destroy religion, he also discussed spirituality and mysticism and called for a greater understanding of allegedly spiritual phenomena. He also cautioned the audience against lumping all religions together.
"The refrain that all religions have their extremists is bull-t," Harris said. "All religions do not have their extremists. Some religions have never had their extremists."
Specifically, he noted that radical Islam was far more threatening than any radical Christian sect, adding that Christians had a right to be outraged when the media treated the two religions similarly.
Harris also criticized movement atheism and questioned the use of the word "atheist."
"Atheism is not a philosophy, just as non-racism is not," he said. "It is not a worldview, though it is frequently portrayed as one.
"Rather than declare ourselves atheists, I think we should emphasize reason," Harris added.
While the audience gave Dawkins a standing ovation, Harris received only polite applause. One questioner later declared herself "very disappointed" in Harris's talk.
But whatever differences the speakers had with each other, they were united in their contempt for religion and their belief that religious faith had to be challenged and ridiculed by secularism and reason.
"Religion is not the root of all evil, but it gets in the way of [determining] how we got here and where we find ourselves," Dawkins said. "And that is an evil in itself."
Dawkins was particularly critical of parents who raise their children as a "Catholic child" or "Protestant child." Children must not be labeled as subscribing to a particular religion, he said, and should be allowed to examine the evidence and determine their beliefs for themselves.
"If I said that's a post-modernist child, for example, you'd think I was mad," he quipped.
Other speakers at the convention included philosopher Daniel Dennett, evolutionary scientist Eugenie Scott, and Charles Darwin's great-great-grandson Matthew Chapman. There was also a performance by atheist rapper Greydon Square, who wore a shirt that read "The Black Carl Sagan."
Many of the attendees seemed to have developed an aversion to religion from conservative, Protestant Christians. Several of the atheists Cybercast News Service spoke to complained of living under fundamentalist parents who frowned upon any questioning of the Bible or any activity condemned in Scripture.
"It wasn't easy [telling my parents I was an atheist]," one said. "I still haven't entirely told them. I just say I'm a humanist, which they don't seem to mind."
Further emphasizing the attendees' distaste for conservative religion was the convention gift shop which, in addition to atheist materials, sold politically liberal-themed bumper stickers and pins, including "Impeach Bush" and "Stewart/Colbert '08."
A common decoration at the convention was the red letter "A," which was emblazoned on t-shirts and pins worn by several of the attendees. The "A," an allusion to Hester Prynne's punishment in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, is a symbol of the Out Campaign, a movement started by Dawkins to encourage Americans to proudly display their atheism.
Although Crystal Clear Atheism was well-attended, it received little publicity and media attention. The convention also experienced frequent technical difficulties, particularly during Dawkins' Powerpoint slideshow.
Atheists are still a small minority in America. A Newsweek poll earlier this year found that 91 percent of Americans believe in God. A more recent Pew Research Center poll found that atheists were among the most distrusted people in the nation, with 53 percent of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of them.
But they are a proudly elitist and self-certain minority. When asked what the main difference between believers and atheists was, Dawkins had a quick answer: "Well, we're bright."
By Matt Purple
CNSNews.com Correspondent
October 03, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - Science must ultimately destroy organized religion, according to some of the leading atheist writers and intellectuals who spoke at a recent atheist conference in Northern Virginia. God is a myth, and children must not be schooled in any faith, they said, at the "Crystal Clear Atheism" event, sponsored by the Atheist Alliance International.
Some of the luminaries who spoke at the conference, held at the Crown Royal Hotel in Crystal City, Va., over the weekend, included Oxford professor Richard Dawkins, author Sam Harris and journalist Christopher Hitchens. The Atheist Alliance International describes itself as "the only democratic national atheist organization in the United States."
While most attendees on Friday night were adamant that God was a myth, the convention, attended by hundreds of people, brought into focus a divide among atheists as to their identity as a movement and the nature of the enemy they faced.
In his speech, Dawkins portrayed a black-and-white intellectual battle between atheism and religion. He denounced the "preposterous nonsense of religious customs" and compared religion to racism. He also gave no quarter to moderate or liberal believers, asserting that "so-called moderate Christianity is simply an evasion."
"If you've been taught to believe it by moderates, what's to stop you from taking the next step and blowing yourself up?" he said.
By contrast, Harris's speech was a more tempered critique of the atheist movement itself. While Harris said he believed science must ultimately destroy religion, he also discussed spirituality and mysticism and called for a greater understanding of allegedly spiritual phenomena. He also cautioned the audience against lumping all religions together.
"The refrain that all religions have their extremists is bull-t," Harris said. "All religions do not have their extremists. Some religions have never had their extremists."
Specifically, he noted that radical Islam was far more threatening than any radical Christian sect, adding that Christians had a right to be outraged when the media treated the two religions similarly.
Harris also criticized movement atheism and questioned the use of the word "atheist."
"Atheism is not a philosophy, just as non-racism is not," he said. "It is not a worldview, though it is frequently portrayed as one.
"Rather than declare ourselves atheists, I think we should emphasize reason," Harris added.
While the audience gave Dawkins a standing ovation, Harris received only polite applause. One questioner later declared herself "very disappointed" in Harris's talk.
But whatever differences the speakers had with each other, they were united in their contempt for religion and their belief that religious faith had to be challenged and ridiculed by secularism and reason.
"Religion is not the root of all evil, but it gets in the way of [determining] how we got here and where we find ourselves," Dawkins said. "And that is an evil in itself."
Dawkins was particularly critical of parents who raise their children as a "Catholic child" or "Protestant child." Children must not be labeled as subscribing to a particular religion, he said, and should be allowed to examine the evidence and determine their beliefs for themselves.
"If I said that's a post-modernist child, for example, you'd think I was mad," he quipped.
Other speakers at the convention included philosopher Daniel Dennett, evolutionary scientist Eugenie Scott, and Charles Darwin's great-great-grandson Matthew Chapman. There was also a performance by atheist rapper Greydon Square, who wore a shirt that read "The Black Carl Sagan."
Many of the attendees seemed to have developed an aversion to religion from conservative, Protestant Christians. Several of the atheists Cybercast News Service spoke to complained of living under fundamentalist parents who frowned upon any questioning of the Bible or any activity condemned in Scripture.
"It wasn't easy [telling my parents I was an atheist]," one said. "I still haven't entirely told them. I just say I'm a humanist, which they don't seem to mind."
Further emphasizing the attendees' distaste for conservative religion was the convention gift shop which, in addition to atheist materials, sold politically liberal-themed bumper stickers and pins, including "Impeach Bush" and "Stewart/Colbert '08."
A common decoration at the convention was the red letter "A," which was emblazoned on t-shirts and pins worn by several of the attendees. The "A," an allusion to Hester Prynne's punishment in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, is a symbol of the Out Campaign, a movement started by Dawkins to encourage Americans to proudly display their atheism.
Although Crystal Clear Atheism was well-attended, it received little publicity and media attention. The convention also experienced frequent technical difficulties, particularly during Dawkins' Powerpoint slideshow.
Atheists are still a small minority in America. A Newsweek poll earlier this year found that 91 percent of Americans believe in God. A more recent Pew Research Center poll found that atheists were among the most distrusted people in the nation, with 53 percent of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of them.
But they are a proudly elitist and self-certain minority. When asked what the main difference between believers and atheists was, Dawkins had a quick answer: "Well, we're bright."
Zipperfish @ Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:34 pm
Science does not say God is a myth, nor does science say whether or not God exists. Science is concerned with the natural world. God is a supernatural being, therefore not within the realm of science.
However, science is under attack by the religious conservatives world-wide. I suppose it's only natural in such circumstances that you'd see the rise of "fundamentalist" atheists like Hitchens and Dawkins.
$1:
"No, I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."
-George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States
-George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States
$1:
Man cannot live without worshipping something.
-Dostoyevsky
-Dostoyevsky
Blue_Nose @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:45 am
One of the perks of being an atheist is we're not united in our belief (or disbelief) - there's no standard set of atheist beliefs that is necessarily associated with the label, as is the case with religion.
Quite evident from this point:
"Atheism is not a philosophy, just as non-racism is not. It is not a worldview, though it is frequently portrayed as one. Rather than declare ourselves atheists, I think we should emphasize reason,"
- Sam Harris
ShepherdsDog @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:51 am
however there are some atheists that are taking an extremely militant and unified approach. These people are just as intolerant as the religious nutballs. Romans 3:3 is the best approach. it's your choice to believe or not to believe.
camerontech @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:12 am
I find it sad when atheist, who are often angry at how religion is pushed onto them. Are now trying to do the same thing to religious groups. The hypocrisy is overwhelming.
as a non-believer myself, these people embarrass me. they are the reason I don't tell people I'm atheist
ShepherdsDog @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:17 am
Here's an interesting program on missionaries of atheism.
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/i ... heism.html
kal @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:27 am
I'm not sure I would 100% consider myself an athiest, I'm more of an agnostic. I still think one of the best things my parents ever did for while I was growing up me was allow me to believe what I want and not force religion on me.
Brenda @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:36 am
Extremism in any form is not good. Not from religious group, nor from non-religious groups.
These kind of people, who are forcing their non-beliefs to others, are not good people.
Blue_Nose @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:30 am
Pushing secularism isn't the same as pushing atheism at all.
Brenda @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:46 am
I think my view on things is different... Obviously European thinking is different from American thinking. Atheists are not a minority here, at least not labeled as such, and we don't have "Catholic States" or "Protestant States" or something. People don't judge people for their beliefs or non-beliefs. People judge eachother for their actions.
sasquatch2 @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:54 am
Brenda
$1:
Extremism in any form is not good. Not from religious group, nor from non-religious groups.
These kind of people, who are forcing their non-beliefs to others, are not good people.
These kind of people, who are forcing their non-beliefs to others, are not good people.
Yeah! I sadly recall the total intolerance of "missionarys" in the 3rd world. The lions wouldn't generally stand a chance against those christians.....sort of a big turn off.
Although I would analyse myself as agnostic, I hesitate to declare atheism. Perhaps that's because I have never encountered an atheist in a foxhole.....at least as long as the sky is falling.
novachick @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:27 pm
While I don't follow/ believe in any organized religion. I don't consider myself atheist or agnostic. I see god in my own way, I believe christianity is something you live. I have issues with people that attend church on sundays, pat them selves on the back, declare themselves good christians, then act like assholes to their fellow man the rest of the week. I believe in the religion of Beth 
A scientist, an extremist can't touch that and never will.
In answer to the poll, no I don't see it as bigotry. I don't think that not believing or having issues with a particular form of religion makes you a bigot.
fatbasturd @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:33 pm
Thier opinions don't matter to me.......I don't believe in them 
sasquatch2 @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:24 pm
Bigotry is not the sole preserve of the religious.
Having the notion of denying anyfolk their religious beliefs or lack of them is bigotry.
In principle, these extremists are really no different than the Spanish Inquisition.
$1:
Man cannot live without worshipping something.
-Dostoyevsky
-Dostoyevsky
Despite everything, I still have a faith in the basic goodness of man.
ridenrain @ Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:45 pm
As an atheist, the actions and opinions of these people is an embarrassment. I might not believe in god but I do believe in the power of people united to a cause. To deny the good that the church has done for western society is to deny obvious history.