They just keep popping up out of nowhere, all shrill and assertive and extreme. Take a look at this new guy getting all in-your-face about religion. And he’s a Scot, too; even worse.
Disreputable rascals, every one.
There is a site called Christopher Hitchens Watch which, I believe, began with a good cause: it’s been around for about 5 years, and initially focused on Hitchens’ support of the war in Iraq. That was a good idea: I disagree with him on that colossal waste of lives and money, and his views are fair game. But these kinds of sites that focus on single individuals can fall victim to obsession, too, and demonize everything about their target, and that’s unfortunate. It undermines the legitimate complaints when they fuss over the petty, and even worse, when even a little generosity gets characterized as a crime.
The watch site doesn’t like this comment from a Hitchens interview, but I think he’s actually responding in an entirely appropriate way. He’s got cancer; people are wasting their time praying for him. What does Hitchens think of that?
I think that prayer and holy water, and things like that are all fine. They don’t do any good, but they don’t necessarily do any harm. It’s touching to be thought of in that way. It makes up for those who tell me that I’ve got my just desserts … I wish it was more consoling. But I have to say there’s some extremely nice people, including people known to you, have said that I’m in their prayers, and I can only say that I’m touched by the thought.
Prayer does absolutely nothing, but most of the people doing it mean well and are seriously hoping for the best for him. Strangers who have no part in his treatment aren’t doing less because they’re on their knees babbling to the sky (although they are promoting such useless nonsense as acceptable), so it neither picks his pocket nor breaks his leg for someone else to believe. It’s when belief infiltrates professional practice or public policy that it becomes an evil to be uncompromisingly opposed.
It’s a tough line to draw. One doesn’t want to be an enabler of stupid expressions of faith, but at the same time, one shouldn’t discourage kind intent. Hitchens is in a situation where he’s going to have to walk that line a lot.
Rebecca Watson on honesty as the atheist virtue:
CFI wants your help: they’re looking for video public service announcements that make a point about freedom of expression. You can do it! Although they do set the bar high with this example.
I posted the Copenhagen Declaration here a while back. Atheist Ireland has done the right thing by taking it as a starting point and producing a simpler, and they hope clearer version. This is exactly what the motley hordes of the godless need to do: don’t expect one document to encompass everything exactly as everyone wants, because that will never happen. Tweak it so it fits your ideals.
We support this amended version of the Copenhagen Declaration on Religion in Public Life. We invite other people and groups to also support it.
Personal Freedoms
- Freedom of conscience, religion and belief are unlimited. Freedom to practice religion should be limited only by the need to respect the rights of others.
- All people should be free to participate equally in public life, and should be treated equally before the law and in the democratic process.
- Freedom of expression should be limited only as prescribed in international law. All blasphemy laws should be repealed.
Secular Democracy
- Society should be based on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Public policy should be formed by applying reason to evidence.
- Government should be secular. The state should be strictly neutral in matters of religion, favoring none and discriminating against none.
- Religions should have no special financial consideration in public life, such as tax-free status for religious activities, or grants to promote religion or run faith schools.
Secular Education
- State education should be secular. Children should be taught about the diversity of religious beliefs in an objective manner, with no faith formation in school hours.
- Children should be educated in critical thinking and the distinction between faith and reason as a guide to knowledge. Science should be taught free from religious interference.
One Law For All
- There should be one law for all, democratically decided and evenly enforced, with no jurisdiction for religious courts to settle civil matters or family disputes.
- The law should not criminalize private conduct that respects the rights of others because the doctrine of any religion deems such conduct to be immoral.
- Employers or social service providers with religious beliefs should not be allowed to discriminate on any grounds not essential to the job in question.
The most disturbing thing about this video is that, even though it’s made by The Thinking Atheist, I can imagine it being shown in a church to the approval of the congregation.
The idea that the Bible should be interpreted as a metaphor is a good one — because it melts the superstition away.
The Metro State Atheists are gearing up for a charity drive, one that couples feeding the poor with promoting freethought.
Food for Freethought is a food drive that also encourages freethought, freedom of expression, and free inquiry. We plan to accomplish this by giving “Banned” and Freethought books away in exchange for non-perishable food donations, that will be going to Food Bank of the Rockies, during “Banned Books Week”, September 27 – October 2 (specific dates below). Our goal is to raise an enormous amount of food for those in need. Most food drives are done during the holidays and tons of food is raised and distributed. That is all well and good, but when about the majority of the time that it isn’t the holiday season? The hungry don’t stop being hungry after the holidays, they are hungery now too! Given the existing goals of Metro State Atheists, it is only natural that we would attempt to help the hungry by promoting freethought, freedom of expression, and free inquiry. With the proper support, we can have an immeasurable positive community impact!
They’re collecting books now for the late September food drive — donate if you can!
