Noam Chomsky said that both aethist and theist organisations are doing the same sales.. the only difference is they sell different things (one sell 'God' and the other 'No God '
. What do you fellow guys think of this.. should aethism be publicized?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Atheist organisation? what would that be? I am laughing inside because I was remembering going to a rally in Trafalgar Square and we were looking for that red and black flag, to get behind and it was going round and round as hte flag bearers couldn't get it together to move forwards.
This is a kindly post I am anarchist and atheist.
jacpod
Level 8
Mar 3, 2018
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I guess t shirts now equal massive land grabs . Shocking stuff
markdevenish
Level 7
Mar 2, 2018
0
Atneists need desperately to cohere in an organized effort to fight theism. History proves what happens in any society where any religion obtains political power. Persecution, torture and murder are the tools of religion's "evangelism" whenever and wherever religion has sufficient influence to employ them. Nothing short of an organized effort, supported by all atheist individuals and groups, will suffice to keep the religious hounds at bay, and, hoipefully, even to so diminish the power and influence of religion, that the world will never again be faced with the spectre of a politically powerful "crusading" church. We are living in a day when that "hope" can conceivably become reality.
DarwinChandler
Level 4
Mar 2, 2018
0
The problem with your position is there is no real significant group of ATHEISTS to do anything at all. ATHEISM is only a description of a world view or philosophy.
A particular group of Atheists may ban together and do something, or not. But “atheism” is just a reply to one question. Atheists can be religious or not. Many don’t want anything to do with joining a group. I know as a Buddhist, I was an atheist for a good 30 years without even considering myself to be one or realizing that there were “atheists”, really!
Now, as a non-religionist, finding ATHEISM online, I am finding out that there are even Jewwws and Xians who are atheist! PASTORS, no less!
“Atheists” are probably the very LAST types of people who would join the type of “organized effort” you are describing! You are also neglecting that many “atheists” do indeed belong to a religion or other exclusive system of philosophy, and have their own agenda - often in SUPPORT of religion...
Religions are united in differing groups by their different belief sets. This gives them individual identities and a concept to group around. You don't get that in atheism. Not having anything is not something to to really group around. You have no actual traits or ideas to bond you together. The lack of an idea is itself not an idea. So religion provides identity while atheism provides nothing more than an asterisk.
JeffMesser
Level 8
Mar 2, 2018
1
I haven't heard him speak on this but, going off what is presented in the original post, Chomsky seems to be promoting a false equivalency, which we see a lot from people in this regard. He's painting all of atheism with a single brushstroke of "strong atheism" (or "positive atheism" or "hard "atheism" which claims there is no God, as opposed to "weak/negative/soft atheism" which doesn't claim there's no God, only no belief in such). But, even if that were the comparison he intended to make, it's still not equal on each side. We don't see people committing atrocities in the name of godlessness, for instance; although statism is often a system without a supernatural deity, I'd argue it's still a religion where the government is the godhead. We don't see wars between the hard atheists and the pure agnostics, for instance, though we have seen in-fighting within Christianity (e.g., Irish Catholics and Protestants) and Islam (e.g., Sunnis and Shiites). The idea that atheists are selling something (or promoting something) also doesn't ring true to me, because even though there are some outspoken atheists about nonbelief, there's no doctrine, no dogma, no threats of eternal torment, no promise of eternal reward, no set ethical requirements, and on and on. I just don't see the two perspectives as being remotely equivalent.
resserts
Level 8
Mar 2, 2018
1
There are indeed atheists who are selling religion...
Can I get a reference. I've seen him say that some members of the atheist community are like fundamentalist, but I've never seen him go after the very concept of atheism.
JeffB
Level 6
Mar 2, 2018
0
What is this “very concept of atheism”?
I’d call that the LACK of a concept, but OK!
Sounding like the lack of belief is a belief, or the lack of religion is a religion...
@Ungod Please, for the love of Darwin, tell me there is a point to this other than you don't like the words I stung together!
I would say a better analogy would be like "thinking" something is not true is still "thinking". Concept is an idea, the idea is that "there is no God."
I'm not sure what the point of this is. I'm struggling to understand you. How would you have liked me to express the idea?
Atheism is NOT only “the idea that there is no God”! You can be an atheist if you simply have no belief in god. There are concepts of god that have nothing to do with supernatural beings...
There is also the issue of just what concept of god is being considered. You’re looking for a simple definition/concept. But when discussing theological issues, it’s never very simple.
There are numerous “concepts” within atheism...
@Ungod I'm not looking for anything other than asking for a source that Chomsky attacked the concept of atheism. You seem to be trying to say that is not how one would ask that question? I've been desperately trying to understand you point or at least get a suggestion as to what you think I should have typed instead. I must admit I'm losing hope.
There is no “very concept of atheism”. How hard is that for you to understand?
Thats why I chose to be agnostic. Loosely paraphrased in the realm of "Tonys world" means I choose to not believe either, and that my perspective is that it is unknowable either way.
Tony80223
Level 7
Mar 2, 2018
2
Well said sir!
me too thank you!
i think that is very true, almost religiosly unreligious.
LeighShelton
Level 8
Mar 2, 2018
1
Atheists aren't selling anything. I've never heard of any atheists asking anyone for money.
Jameson
Level 7
Mar 2, 2018
3
Mind is a type of currency... so I will pay you no mind on that one. He, he, he, ha, he.
Well... Don’t think some atheists don’t also promote religion!!
Atheists talk a lot about it to each other, mostly in groups like this. I've never had an atheist knock on my door, call me, or approach me on the street.. I've never seen an atheist standing on the corner screaming at traffic. I personally got my atheism for free. I was an atheist before it was cool. I don't give a damn what anyone else believes until you start thinking you know what I need to believe. So like I said I don't see atheists selling anything
For som 30 years I was an ATHEIST Buddhist, before I even realized I was an atheist. And I most definitely “sold” Buddhism! We were all, in my sect, “required” to sell Buddhism, beyond a shadow of any doubt whatsoever. It was an article of faith to sell Buddhism! We didn’t have a choice - if we wanted to consider ourselves practicing Buddhists, of that particular sect... This is a point I am trying to make in many of these discussions. Atheism and religion are not necessarily mutually exclusive... And we were also unsolicited, approaching people on the street, matching the Xian fervor in the USA during that religiously turbulent decade - the 1980s!
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