Jon J

'Sorry, Runner, but experience shows that giving way to fanatics -- be they religious, Green, Nazis or Communists -- simply encourages them to press their claims further and further.'

drr you left out atheist and god haters. Maybe it never occured to you.

Sadly, the author comes across as a bigot and hater.

It is ironical that he teaches in the Department of Studies in Religion at the University of Sydney.

runner

Probably a wasted post but here goes. There is no such thing as a God-hater. Likening atheism to hatred is wholly dishonest and it is ironic that your own contributions are usually the most vitriolic, accusatory and least tempered by thoughtful and understanding analysis. I don't think you really undersand atheism as your comments bear out.

One cannot hate something that does not, in their worldview, exist. Your responses appear to be some form of emotional self-preservation and while understandable on one front, is hardly helpful or honest in these sorts of discussion.

You keep throwing up statements about denying God and denying the evidence but are yet to offer any evidence only statements filled with hatred against anyone with a different view including atheists, environmentalists or those who disagree with you about climate change.

There is much more evidence that man is polluting this planet than evidence for God, yet you continue to demean those who care about the wellbeing of humans and the environments they inhabit. Your tool of demonisation, ironically, is to use negative religious analogies as though this itself will pose a negative light on those opinions. An odd approach for a religionist.

pelican,
In your view of theists you hate the idea of accountability to the moral excellence - God. God is spirit expressed in the perfection and purity of human character. Does that exist? That is the aspiriation of a godly kingdom where the Godly spirit rules. However humans certainly are not perfect but those that accept the perfection of God ought to repent and aspire to live by it, because it is godlike to forgive the guilty.

Pelican, good luck to you with your lessons on atheism :)
I too fear you are wasting your time with people like Runner and Philo.

A few quotes that amused me when I looked up atheism (and no, I don't class myself as an atheist yet, merely a skeptic) are:

"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.- Susan B. Anthony"

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours. – Stephen Roberts"

"A belief which leaves no place for doubt is not a belief; it is a superstition.
José Bergamín"

And my personal favourite:

"It will yet be the proud boast of women that they never contributed a line to the Bible. – George W. Foote" :)

Hi Runner, you wrote,
"Why no mention of Islam's response to those practicing homosexuality? Usually because the gutless media won't go there. It seems universities won't either. What hypocrisy."

In his book 'Rethinking Islamism: The Ideology of the New Terror,' Meghnad Desai stated, "... While the attitude of many Western liberals towards Christian fundamentalism is one of horror and dismissive contempt, they find themselves helpless against Muslim fundamentalism. The possibility that they may face an accusation of racism cripples their critical facilities." (pg. 20)

QED