Comments on: The Humanist http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/ Atheism with Positivity Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:24:22 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Friendly Atheist » Atheist Tactics: A Panel Discussion http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-173420 Friendly Atheist » Atheist Tactics: A Panel Discussion Wed, 28 May 2008 22:00:35 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-173420 [...] Jeff Nall, community activist and freelance writer [...] [...] Jeff Nall, community activist and freelance writer [...]

]]> By: Friendly Atheist » Newsweek Reports on Atheist “Controversy” http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-39871 Friendly Atheist » Newsweek Reports on Atheist “Controversy” Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:07:22 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-39871 [...] Jeff Nall, whom I respect greatly, gets some space in the Newsweek article as well. He agrees wholeheartedly with Epstein: “The polemicists are interested in nothing more than selling,” says Jeff Nall, a peace activist and grad student in Brevard County, Fla., who wrote a piece on this issue for The Humanist magazine. “The danger is in this ridiculous star status—they’re seen as representative of the broader atheist community.” [...] [...] Jeff Nall, whom I respect greatly, gets some space in the Newsweek article as well. He agrees wholeheartedly with Epstein: “The polemicists are interested in nothing more than selling,” says Jeff Nall, a peace activist and grad student in Brevard County, Fla., who wrote a piece on this issue for The Humanist magazine. “The danger is in this ridiculous star status—they’re seen as representative of the broader atheist community.” [...]

]]> By: Dave http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-6084 Dave Sat, 17 Feb 2007 09:35:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-6084 Politics makes strange bedfellows might be the operative thought here. Of course, there is no way science, for example, is going to co-share warm and fuzzy feelings with Christianity. Parthenogenesis, the refutation of the laws of thermodynamics, the complete lack of objective proof, verification and replications ensures this. Scientists and certain progressive (as opposed to fundamentalist) religious, might band together to promote, for example the use of condoms in general and Africa in particular. But make no mistake- the reason we even know the very reason why this would be a good thing to do owes its debt in totality to science. And the largest, single, most visible impediment to this course of action is directly related to a religion. The article warns against fanaticism. I'll close with this pithy bumper-sticker moment which sheds a little light on the subject: science asks questions which may not be answered, religion gives answers which may not be questioned. Which promotes the greatest probability of fanaticism? Warm greetings to the doctrinally infallible Benedict and the absolute holiness of Hamza Yusuf. Politics makes strange bedfellows might be the operative thought here. Of course, there is no way science, for example, is going to co-share warm and fuzzy feelings with Christianity. Parthenogenesis, the refutation of the laws of thermodynamics, the complete lack of objective proof, verification and replications ensures this. Scientists and certain progressive (as opposed to fundamentalist) religious, might band together to promote, for example the use of condoms in general and Africa in particular. But make no mistake- the reason we even know the very reason why this would be a good thing to do owes its debt in totality to science. And the largest, single, most visible impediment to this course of action is directly related to a religion.

The article warns against fanaticism. I’ll close with this pithy bumper-sticker moment which sheds a little light on the subject: science asks questions which may not be answered, religion gives answers which may not be questioned. Which promotes the greatest probability of fanaticism? Warm greetings to the doctrinally infallible Benedict and the absolute holiness of Hamza Yusuf.

]]> By: Friendly Atheist » Jeff Nall’s Interview http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-5926 Friendly Atheist » Jeff Nall’s Interview Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:56:43 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-5926 [...] Jeff’s the person who wrote a great article about “overcoming antagonistic atheism” in an issue of The Humanist last year. Technorati Tags: atheist, atheism, Jeff Nall, Humanist Network News, Christian, The Humanist Share This Popularity: unranked [?] [...] [...] Jeff’s the person who wrote a great article about “overcoming antagonistic atheism” in an issue of The Humanist last year. Technorati Tags: atheist, atheism, Jeff Nall, Humanist Network News, Christian, The Humanist Share This Popularity: unranked [?] [...]

]]> By: Hamish http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-839 Hamish Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:45:45 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-839 I think it is great that this kind of perspective is getting a voice at a time when atheist fundamentalists seem to be receiving all the attention. I've just started something similar in the UK: an online project to (1) champion the contributions that humanists and other non believers make to wider society in the fields of social justice, equality and human rights; and (2) to promote good relations and cooperation between believers and non believers. It's called the <a href="http://www.oproject.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">O Project</a> I think it is great that this kind of perspective is getting a voice at a time when atheist fundamentalists seem to be receiving all the attention.

I’ve just started something similar in the UK: an online project
to (1) champion the contributions that humanists and other non believers make to wider society in the fields of social justice, equality and human rights; and (2) to promote good relations and cooperation between believers and non believers. It’s called the O Project

]]> By: Siamang http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-418 Siamang Wed, 09 Aug 2006 17:24:18 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-418 Dawkins is an interesting duality. Love him and hate him. He's stellar at science. He's abysmal at speaking within the sphere of faith. But he's a very entertaining curmudgeon, and has a singular ability to dress down those with inferior arguments. He's a very entertaining writer because of that. I imagine he's be a WITHERING professor if you were a classroom slacker. But then, some of my favorite professors were exactly the same way. I find Sam Harris much harder to take than Dawkins. I perhaps haven't given him enough attention to figure him out, but I'll take 1000 dawkins (if only!) over Harris any day. Dawkins is an interesting duality.

Love him and hate him. He’s stellar at science. He’s abysmal at speaking within the sphere of faith. But he’s a very entertaining curmudgeon, and has a singular ability to dress down those with inferior arguments.

He’s a very entertaining writer because of that. I imagine he’s be a WITHERING professor if you were a classroom slacker. But then, some of my favorite professors were exactly the same way.

I find Sam Harris much harder to take than Dawkins. I perhaps haven’t given him enough attention to figure him out, but I’ll take 1000 dawkins (if only!) over Harris any day.

]]> By: becky http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-416 becky Wed, 09 Aug 2006 17:04:31 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-416 Thanks for linking this article -- we need more of this perspective, for sure. Thanks for linking this article — we need more of this perspective, for sure.

]]> By: Helen aka Ir http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/comment-page-1/#comment-414 Helen aka Ir Wed, 09 Aug 2006 10:05:58 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/08/09/the-humanist/#comment-414 That's a great article, Hemant! Thanks for sharing it. I mentioned it <a href="http://off-the-map.org/atheist/2006/08/09/hemant-praised-in-the-humanist/" rel="nofollow">on the eBay atheist blog</a> today. <em>Jeff rips on Richard Dawkins… kinda. (Still blasphemy, I say!)</em> Hemant, you and Jeff largely agree on rejecting gods. Evidently Jeff just has one less god than you! ;-) That’s a great article, Hemant! Thanks for sharing it. I mentioned it on the eBay atheist blog today.

Jeff rips on Richard Dawkins… kinda. (Still blasphemy, I say!)

Hemant, you and Jeff largely agree on rejecting gods. Evidently Jeff just has one less god than you!

;-)

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