Ophelia reports that CFI, at least, has the right idea.
ANY large group who feels like they have a particular beef with religion (or pseudoscience, or other wacky beliefs) has a legitimate interest in addressing that problem as a group.
At CFI-L.A., we’ve hosted Black Skeptics, Spanish-speaking atheists, gay and lesbian humanists, and others who’ve had specific troubles in our society based on who they fundamentally are. And I say, welcome to our tent.
Ideally, our whole movement is a coalition of individuals and groups who all have an interest in promoting a secular and reason-based society. And if some of those groups want to get together to fine-tune their methods for dealing with and changing this uber-religious society we live in, more power to them.
How can we help?
That’s the way any inclusive organization ought to be: welcome to our tent. Hey, can you help us make our tent bigger? Is there any particular patch of ground we ought to expand into? It also echoes our sentiments exactly when we set up Freethoughtblogs — we want to increase the range of voices speaking for this cause.
If you’re looking for friends, it’s really easy to choose between tent-makers and tent-nazis.
If our tent is strict, it does not need to be fun!
“welcome to our tent”. Just don’t piss in it.
And, at the same time, if someone chooses not to enter the tent, that is their choice. I’d rather have those who think that the toxins of the religious infiction are who we should aspire to be shitting on the outside of the tent than on the floor inside the tent.
If people don’t stop criticising bullshit, they’ll have to erect the asshole misogynist tent (I know, “fundamentally are”.. but then some people are just really, fundamentally, assholes =).
The asshole misogynist tent has already been erected — it’s called the slymepit. I’m happy for them, I really am, I hope they’re all happy together.
It’s all about reclaiming the word “slyme”.
What exactly is a “tent-nazi”?
OMG! All you did was cut and paste from someone else’s post! You call that blogging?
/Slyme-themed Ophelia-derangement syndrome
Oh no, you used the N-word.
Aren’t there people who still complain about the joining of CSICOP and CSH under CFI in the 90s? I can’t find anything on google, so maybe it was just my imagination.
Making the tent bigger necessarily involves raising the stakes…
Tent metaphors…
did someone remember to bring the patching kit?
A tent-nazi is someone who bellows at you if you dare try to move or expand his tent, no matter what the reason. It’s his tent, and it’s always been this size and shape and location, and don’t you dare try to make room in it for strange new people.
11 Randomfactor
+1
Well this could get
tentstense…In tents are not magic, nor are out of tents.
PZ, I think you’re two tents, atheism and cthulism, you might consider being one tent, which could possibly make you more content. I don’t mean con-tent as in anti-tent, but as in relaxed, the opposite of two tents.
I hear tell it smells of sulfur and desperation.
Can we put the pitters in the past tents?
Metaphor, people, metaphor.
≠ puns.
A message no reasonable person could disagree with
And they just invited* the Westboro Baptist Church into it.
*Ohbutnotreallyitwasajokehahahowdoeshumorworkagain?
Great, now I got the Turtles in my head.
I’m a first time commenter, here to congratulate and thank you, Ophelia and almost all the commenters, for making it possible for me to witness a mostly civil discussion on issues that support a variety of positions. It’s a change to see arguments being adressed instead of people being attacked.
My own personal resolution starting now is to try to really READ what is written and reflect on it while resisting the urge to jump at conclusions or fall prey to confirmation bias. I personally find it tempting to be drawn in by the echo in some forums. I’ll also pay attention to whether responses reflect a reasonable interpretation, in my humble opinion, of what I think i’ve read instead of a misunderstanding or distortion. Don’t worry: I realize i’m human too and very limited in my own ability to truly understand what others are trying to say :)
Keep up the good job.
Ha! ha! First post at 22, but wrong blog. Well, I still mean it…
Tent metaphor?
Makes me think of another: the camel’s nose.
@13: Also, they try to kill all the Jews, gypsies, gay people, physically and mentally disabled/disadvantaged people, and other ‘untermenschen’ in the tent. (Tent-fascists might have been a better choice…)
How many hippies does it take to screw in a light bulb?
…hippies don’t screw in light bulbs, they screw in tents.
Why does it amuse me that St. Paul is traditionally called a tentmaker?