The new atheists in our society are getting to be just plain obnoxious. I understand atheism, I personally think there's probably more to the universe than just cold dead matter, but that's just me. You don't have to agree with me. The same is true of the crazy snake-handling Christians, I think that they just may be insane, but that's their thing not mine. However, the new secular humanist types are getting to be quite obnoxious.

Let's pretend for a moment that religion's original intent was to create a set of morality rules for people to follow who may be lacking in the area of general human empathy (that's not why religion was created, but let's go with it). These new atheists seem to think that all religious people are psychotic land apes bent on forcing all to their religious will, and that seems to be the starting point for all future discussion with the new atheists. Folks with religious or spiritual beliefs are trying to control any and all that they see, despite all evidence to the contrary. Cetainly, some churches and church leaders try to bend the world to their distorted view, but most do not. Since religion is a source for moral code, and the new atheists are not immoral people, they do not see a reason for religion to exist. They'll spout off at the mouth (or more likely the fingers, since they seem to live on the Internet mostly) about all of the atrocities done in the name of religion. That their complete lack of a dogmatic faith allows them to be above that nonsense, much like Mao Tse Tung and Joseph Stalin had such wonderful moral compasses. Let's face it the long torrid history of religious persecution and violence does exist, but to try to argue that only religion has caused wars is simply being stupid/naive/blind/denialist to the facts of world history.

Secondly, the new atheists are as obnoxious or more so than Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses combined. The appear to always be on the prowl to either judge another person for their beliefs or try to make a few conversions. Most Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, et al. do not actively try to convert me to their system of beliefs, nor do any of the non-Christian people that I interact with on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, I don't even know the religious affiliations, or lack of, of most of the people I associate with. If you know a new atheist, you know that they are an atheist. Whether it's a direct assault and argument against your beliefs, or the snide remarks about how stupid/ignorant/hateful anybody associated with a belief in God is. Quite often the favorite target of these good people's attacks is the Catholic Church (often times they will refer to themselves as recovering Catholics) because the church represents all that is evil in the world, with their One World Dictator. Give me a break.

A lot of the new atheists treat a certain man as if he is the Pope of Atheism. That man is Dr. (don't forget the Dr. he'll remind you) Richard Dawkins. A man so uncomfortable with his own beliefs that he's constantly trying to prove himself right in the public square, even when most people don't know who the flying frig he is, and rightly don't care. He's a great leader for the new atheists, because he really, truly believes that Science is a religion and a faith. Well, I think that Literature is. He's an idiot. You can write that down. He's a man who has a good understanding of Science, but has to philosophize on theories and throw in the controversial atheist bent on how evolution proves that God does not exist. Any good Scientist or Theologian will tell you that evolution and religion cannot be used to prove or disprove the each other. Furthermore, you cannot use Science to disprove Faith anymore than vice versa. Richard Dawkins is a mediocre scientist, pure and simple, but he's a hell of a PR guy, so he throws in the "controversy" to sell books. It works, but he's bought into the hype and sees himself as the "spiritual" leader of those without faith in God.

You'll notice that the bad atheists I have been talking about are the new atheists. There are great many more atheists in the world, who do not proselytize to the unwashed idiots of faith. They do not berate people of faith, they simply live and let live. Just as most people of faith do not attempt to foist their beliefs upon others. These new atheists are like teenagers who discover something for the first time and suddenly they think they've solved the mysteries of the universe and share it with everybody, even those who don't care or already know. The new atheists truly do believe that people of faith got there by force or tradition and have not taken the time to think and ponder the great unponderables. It's childish. And on top of everything else, it's just plain hypocritical.

Take a look at this article, an article about how we should be able to criticize religion (especially people who are not religious), which I agree with. But then tells us that criticism is not contempt, in the same article where the author refers to actions by the church as "homophobia and misogyny". Yes, using politically charged words that immediately pass judgment is not contempt.

P.S. Atheists are more than welcome at any time to stop acting persecuted, we live in America, if you don't like something find a group or something.


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