Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Wired magazine: Battle of the New Atheism

Care to take a peek at what the leaders of the atheist fundamentalist movement have to say about religion?

I find it fascinating that atheism is making such a strong push to get people to stand up against religion at the same time that there is such a strong debate regarding evolution and intelligent design in this country.

Supporters of evolution keep trying to reassure me that evolution is not the basis for atheist beliefs, yet everywhere I turn, major players in the atheist movement are using science and evolution to try to negate all religious belief.

If we have atheist apologetics being played out in the science class, shouldn't we give equal time to religious apologetics?

In the article, Dawkins is quoted as suggesting that:
"Highly intelligent people are mostly atheists," he says. "Not a single member of either house of Congress admits to being an atheist. It just doesn't add up. Either they're stupid, or they're lying. And have they got a motive for lying? Of course they've got a motive! Everybody knows that an atheist can't get elected."
Is this guy for real??!

He also says:
"How much do we regard children as being the property of their parents?" Dawkins asks. "It's one thing to say people should be free to believe whatever they like, but should they be free to impose their beliefs on their children? Is there something to be said for society stepping in? What about bringing up children to believe manifest falsehoods?"
????? Is he suggesting that the government should get involved when it is confirmed that parents are instructing their children in various religious beliefs? Should one notify the Gestapo, or what? I’m sorry, but this guy is downright scary.

The author of the article (who is also an atheist/strong agnostic) comments that:
While frontline warriors against creationism are busy reassuring parents and legislators that teaching Darwin's theory does not undermine the possibility of religious devotion, Dawkins is openly agreeing with the most stubborn fundamentalists that evolution must lead to atheism. I tell Dawkins what he already knows: He is making life harder for his friends.
No kidding. Though some of us already know that “secular” schools don’t always mean secular. They mean agnostic or even atheistic. It's fine to mention religion as long as it's taught as myth. Our kids come out of the universities brainwashed that religion has no meaning and random chance evolutionary explanations account for our existence.