News:

In case of downtime/other tech emergencies, you can relatively quickly get in touch with Asmodean Prime by email.

Main Menu

What is your definition of "Militant Atheist"

Started by Gawen, August 10, 2011, 06:24:17 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Gawen

Quote from: Awolf26 on August 10, 2011, 09:07:28 PM
As, I mentioned on a previous thread:
I THOUGHT I saw another thread, but couldn't find it.


Sorry y'all...

If it would be helpful to merge the two, it's fine by me.
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Crow

its just another buzzword to describe the outspoken atheists and paint a negative light on them. To me the phrase implies an aggressive forthright staunch atheist, they may exist but i have not witnessed one and those that do get labeled with the term are just outspoken.

I don't know if anybody else has noticed this but has anyone else noticed the rise of the term "bigot atheist" being thrown around the web? Especially when the "bigot atheist" in question hasn't stated there beliefs or lack thereof , I have had this term thrown at me twice in the last few months and seen it used frequently among right-wing Christians.
Retired member.

Gawen

I haven't seen that Crow. So, a bigot atheist is one who hasn't stated there beliefs or lack thereof? Makes no sense to me.
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Jabbles

I am not sure one could be militant about a lack of belief. Anti religious yes. I don't quite see myself taking any action against religion(violent or not), but I am not a fan. I just hope people realize the it's all pointless and just live their lives.

xSilverPhinx

Though some try and attach a negative connotation to the word 'militant', I really don't see it as such. I also don't see how 'militant atheism' can happen separately from politics and the influence religion plays in public lives of non adherents. ??? Without any theists, what would be the reason to become a militant atheist?

Militant atheism in the same sense as militant theism doesn't exist, IMO.  Atheism is not a positive philosophy, but even so it can be opposed to religion.

I'm mostly going by the usage described in the dictionary quote I added earlier:

2. Having a combative character; aggressive, especially in the service of a cause: a militant political activist.

and

1. aggressive or vigorous, esp in the support of a cause a militant protest
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Medusa

You know I'm not really sure how to define one either. But I can usually spot them. They tend to talk a lot and not really hear what you have to say. Most militants of any ilk are like that. Alot of blah blah blah chatter until it just wears the other side down.
She has the blood of reptile....just underneath her skin...

Crow

Quote from: Gawen on August 11, 2011, 01:10:38 AM
I haven't seen that Crow. So, a bigot atheist is one who hasn't stated there beliefs or lack thereof? Makes no sense to me.

Makes no sense to me either.
Retired member.

fester30

Quote from: AnimatedDirt on August 10, 2011, 07:03:20 PM
Quote from: Gawen on August 10, 2011, 06:24:17 PM
Well, in the strictest sense a militant atheist would most likely be an atheist that uses violence in the name of or for atheism. But I don't know an atheist that does this, nor have I heard of an atheist do such a thing.

Yet, some atheists have been labeled militant by theists. So I THINK the definition theists go by that call atheists militant is:
A label to describe "does not agree with me and refuses to take my BS as an answer"

What do you think?

Anyone who hates, dislikes, makes fun of, belittles, deems stupid because of...any of their fellow humans.  In a sense I am guilty of being a militant Christian as I too like the jokes and what not directed at the militant Atheist.

(btw...am I allowed in this section of the forum?)  ;)

I certainly think it says a lot that this is a common description for militant atheist, but for a Muslim to be a militant Muslim they have to blow up a building.

Sweetdeath

#23
Is that like an extremely angry atheist?  I don't know, because this is my first time hearing that term.

I'm not violent, honest. XD
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Medusa

Quote from: Sweetdeath on August 12, 2011, 03:48:17 AM
Is that like an extremely angry atheist?  I don't know, because this is my first time hearing that term.

I'm not violent, honest. XD
Yeah I would go with extremely angry as a definition too. Then again I can be that way depending on the time of the month it is.  :D
She has the blood of reptile....just underneath her skin...

DaemonWulf

I feel "militant atheist" is part of a new breed of slang the media has become fond of in recent years in the quest to divide people into ever-smaller groups and subgroups. Much like "conspiracy nut"... it's perfectly acceptable to be a "conspiracy theorist", so long as you keep your attitudes about the government and the system to yourself and concede that you may be wrong, but the moment you speak about those ideas, or present an unfashionable idea, or heaven forbid defend that idea, you're a "conspiracy nut". Just ask Ron Paul.  So to with atheism... you can be atheist all you like so long as you shut up about it, but if you speak about it, defend it, or refuse to be forced into renouncing it, you're "militant". The irony being, if people renounce their faith based on opposing evidence, there's no shortage of names some theists come up with for that. 
So I wonder this, as life billows smoke inside my head; this little game where nothing is sure... why would you play by the rules? - Dave Matthews

palebluedot

<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/klXUOM4wtT8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

history_geek

Well to me a militant athesit would be someone who is "agressivly outspoken" about atheism and activly trying to point the flaws of religion(s).

But on the other hand it would seem to me that as soon as you say your an atheist, you end up bearing the terms "evolutionist", "naturalist" and "militant". In the eyes of theists at least....
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Arthur C Clarke's Third Law
"Any sufficiently advanced alien is indistinguishable from a god."
Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace:
Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothése - I do not require that hypothesis[img]http://www.dakkadakka.com/s/i/a/4eef2cc3548cc9844a491b22ad384546.gif[/i