The biggest insult in a debate is when nobody even cares enough to debate you. In years past, you almost never heard any theist seriously attack the atheist position; it just wasn't necessary. Religious people were confident in their position, and atheists were mostly dismissed as unimportant. So I guess it's good news that atheists are raising the hackles of religious columnists and commentators everywhere. At least atheism isn't being completely ignored.
But the theists, rather than address atheist's position in an honest debate, are resorting to rhetoric and innuendo. Go to Google, click on "News" at the top, and search for "atheist" and you'll see what I mean. Here is a small sampling of the sort of name calling that's being used to avoid the real debate:
- The tedious 'new' atheism
- Atheism has become a religion of its own
- A plague of atheists has descended, and Catholics are the target
Every dishonest trick and maneuver known to politics and marketing is being used. You'll find personal attacks, name calling, and phrases like "tiresome" and "nothing new." Atheists are being called by disparaging titles such as "militant" or "brigade," in an attempt to paint the entire group as radicals out to demolish the poor, honest theists who are just minding their own business.
What's missing from most of these responses is any rational, thoughtful answers to the questions atheists are posing.
It doesn't speak well for the theist position that they can't address the debate honestly. Are their beliefs so weak that they can't stand scrutiny? Are their arguments so flawed that they're embarrassed to present them? Is their position so tenuous that they dare not even show it?
del.icio.us
reddit
StumbleUpon
Posts
I find it hard to respond to accusations about how atheists are smug, for example. In the case of smugness, maybe we are a little smug... but it's a well-deserved smugness.
ReplyDeleteAs to atheism being a religion, that's something a lot of atheists parody when we say things like "Praise Darwin!"
My point is, in some case, there might be some truth in those accusations. I think the accusations religiosi deserve, however, are much worse than things like smugness or "nothing new."
of course religion is afraid of debate, honest or otherwise, cos they are nothing but laughable fairytales, so what can they really say anyway?
ReplyDeletei no longer debate either, i just mock religion and laugh in their stupid faces
Sarah, it's not smugness when you're right.
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of what Ghandi said, "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
We seem to be somewhere between the ridicule and fighting stage at the moment...
Ugh. That "nothing new" bit always bugs the crap out of me. Get a new position and I'll get a new answer. Two thousand years ago, two plus two was four. Today, it's still four. Two thousand years in the future, it's still going to be four, no matter how many times some idiot insists it's three.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I haven't forgotten my promise, you'll be hearing from me soon. Life is hectic!
ReplyDeleteHeidi - you crack me up! Short but to the point.
ReplyDeleteWow, I was gonna write this same thing - I just never got around to it. Great job.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Sadly, I talk to these people a lot. It goes like this:
ReplyDeleteMe: No, it's really still four.
Them: You're only saying that because the New Mathematicians said that! You're practically quoting them!
Me: Because it's four.
Them: LALALALALALA! THREE!
One of the branches of the Roman Curia is the “Secretariat for the dialogue with not believers”.
ReplyDeleteIf the Catholic Church were afraid about debating with atheists, this Secretariat would be a nonsense.
Anyway I don’t want interpose myself in the dispute between theists and atheists. I only want to emphasize the importance of the spiritual research, which involves everybody. In fact both believers and not believers have to die. Death is a topic of paramount importance! Personally I search and search in order to try to understand if after we die everything ends or something survives to the annihilation of our body.
The book I have recently written may help in this direction and I want to draw it to your attention, as you may be interested in it. The title is “Travels of the Mind” and it is available at http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/TravelsOfTheMind.html
If you have any questions, I am most willing to offer my views on this topic.
Ettore Grillo
Thanks Billy. You have a nice blog too.
ReplyDeleteYou said:
ReplyDeleteYou'll find personal attacks, name calling, and phrases like "tiresome" and "nothing new." Atheists are being called by disparaging titles such as "militant" or "brigade," in an attempt to paint the entire group as radicals out to demolish the poor, honest theists who are just minding their own business.
There's a lot of that going around. With a blog titled, "The Religion Virus," it's hard to have an honest conversation when it doesn't occur to you that you're guilty of that which you deride.
I came upon your blog searching for places where theists and atheists can have an honest conversation, unhindered by conversational terrorism. But it appears that inherent biases may make this untenable.
>Instead of debating atheism on its merits, it seems far too many religious writers prefer to use smear tactics and character assassination.
ReplyDelete- That's funny. I've found the opposite to be true. I haven't been able to find one atheist interested in an honest debate at my blog Templestream. Frustrated atheists with no answers always end up slinging unsubstantiated slander.
Honest debate? You should look up the term yourself. I considered taking up your challenge until I read some of your blogs. You seem to fall into the same camp as WL Craig. Anyone who idolizes William Lane Craig doesn't understand the meaning of honest debate. Here's what I think of William Lane Craig.
Delete