but heh..
lets redefine athism again..lol

david..[quote]""Atheism
is basically saying..that all people
should have the opportunity..to do the same."""[as was done to them?[eye for eye?]

do the same[what ignore selective fact
be an athiest buddist?..why join athist..just be budda

lol
oops you are]

lol
a/thiest..by any other name


""This requires..*the cessation .""{OR WHAT?}

oh yeah..re-education camps[seizure of assets/fines fees

CEASE/desist..""of any particular religious indoctrination
being forced onto the young especially by the state.""

yeah let the godless
inpinge..theitr indoctrination

THERE IS NO GOD...be-cause..for the godless
life needs no 'cause..needs no science proof..just no god

david..can you even reason
i thank god i wasnt educated
but i kep forgetting you into RE-education

""Sure,..teach children about religions
and how they have played..an important role in history.""

yep the cause of all EVIL
its like reading a thriller...
when we allready KNOW..yep religion done it
[religions..DUN..all the bad things..the rest is just evolution..
acccident...[thats why there is no god...lol]

its all religion
and pay to know..

""But using adult authority''

IN LUE OF PROOF/inlue of fact
lol

""that a particular religion..
has to be believed with the threat of eternal torture""

oh good
I THOUGHT..you hated them all
name names ol sun...where did jesus say
know god..OR ELSE..we tortyure you into eetrnity

MATE...update..as religion updates
note recently..ALL can get to heaven
[by loving other..not lying to their kids]

but wait

more...lol..THREAT..""and promise of everlasting bliss""
so..here we go again..there aint no everlasting bliss
his [davidian]..proof of no god...lol

torture/bliss..""as a way of gathering compliance
is ethically unsupportable to anyone..who is outside that method.""

unless we cloak it
say no god..then attack the messengers..
[athiest ethic's 101,..;compliance

re wording their mess-age
$t-hiest/@thiest

Dear David , in my original post here I mentioned there are millions of Atheists out there in the world, these people do not care one iota about New Atheism , Old Atheism, or any other sort of Atheism, I myself am not interested In New Atheism like the other millions, who are not interested either, perhaps I have misinterpreted your original post to this new phenomenon which is taking place.
Perhaps the four thousand or so which attended the conference are possibly overjoyed they have found something new " New Atheism" I am still just a good old Atheist.

Ojnab,

There are as you say millions of atheists on the planet and there are still many more millions of people who do not describe themselves that way even though technically they are atheists. These all come under the umbrella of the non-religious or Freethinkers.

Some people use the term new atheists although I can’t remember having ever used it myself but I could have. To me it is just a variation in the fluidity of the English language. I have no objection to the term if others wish to use it.

It tends to be used by those who would wish to denigrate atheism that is against the bad parts of religion but not only by them. I think that possibly the term refers to not just having no god in one’s life but also being active against or at least consciously aware of the problems with religion.

The new phenomena taking place is that there is a shift away from just being godless to wanting to be a part of making society more fair for everyone. People who before did not class themselves as atheists are now more willing to do so in ever growing numbers. It is not just the four thousand at he 2012 GAC who think this way.

I’m not sure why you have a problem with the term. My advice is to get used to it as it is firmly ensconced in the popular lexicon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Atheism

David

Pericles,

Perhaps you are right - more's the pity, in what is supposed to be a modern, civilised world. However, I still think the Loyalist vs Republican divide (and the associated age-old history involved) has had more than a little to do with the Belfast/Eire situation.

As for Sunni v Shia I am yet to be convinced that struggle for power and economic superiority is not a prime motivating factor. Also, in so many arenas it is difficult to differentiate religious difference from racial/ethnic difference as the prime motivator, or divine a relevant ratio.

As in Rwanda for example, or Bosnia (Czechoslovakia), how is one to know what is/was foremost in people's minds?

One thing appears certain - world and localised overpopulation is creating unacceptable pressures on a huge number of ordinary people, and current worries are only destined to increase as population increases and as desire for a better lifestyle attracts ever increasing numbers to the dog-eat-dog rat-race. As the dollar increasingly reigns supreme, ethics and care for others (other than immediate kin or power-group) descend increasingly down the drain.

Western powers have set the example through widespread colonialisation and/or pilfering of resources (and I doubt religious belief had much to do with the motivation), and the undeveloped and developing world is trying to catch up - by fighting amongst themselves. Blood diamonds, gold mines, ivory, rhino horn, bear bile, tiger penis - who are the real 'criminals' here?

Is there truly no limit to mankind's avarice and self-indulgence? And, any excuse will suffice? What chance atheism - the balm, or the cure?

"Perhaps religious teaching of respect for neighbours and for all life has an opportunity and the means to resolve differences and so make a better world, but I fail to see what atheism has to offer in this interest in our current world context."

Don't think me being simplistic, Saltpetre… but what atheism could offer is to suggest that your sentence only needs to read: "Teaching of respect for neighbours and for all life has an opportunity and (is) the means to resolve differences and so make a better world."

Where a religion proffers moral absolutism or authority and is so claimed by its acolytes (just keep thinking of the 'no true Scotsman fallacy') they demand at worst, or presume at least, the 'moral high ground' and require everyone else's adherence.

Good ideas for people and communities are good ideas – whether religiously or rationally motivated.

The hard part comes in convincing everyone else that mine (or yours) are the good ideas.

Saltpetre,
>>Bosnia (Czechoslovakia), how is one to know what is/was foremost in people's minds?<<
Probably nobody. However, I can tell you what most probably was NOT foremost in their minds: A country (Czechoslovakia) that used to exist a few hundred miles to the north of Bosnia. :-)))

Please do not take this as a criticism of your posts here. Au contraire, I enjoy reading them.