Comments on: FAQ with Alain de Botton on ‘religion for atheists’

By: Keith Pinster

Keith Pinster — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 04:37:06 +0000

I understand the “non-confrontational” attitude that some people like Alaine take, but have to say that they do not see the bigger picture. Most atheists that I have ever talked to (including me) do not give a rip about what others believe. The reason that atheists have spoken up more and more over the last several years is because theists continue to be more and more aggressive with trying to shove their religion down everyone’s throats through legislation. I believe that each form of rebellion has it’s purpose. There is value in simply pointing out that you don’t buy into their delusion, but there is also value in pointing out exactly what that delusion is. However, I think it’s more important to stick with the facts and avoid name-calling or emotional lashing or allow theists to redirect the conversation. Usually this infuriates the religious. Remember, it is HIGHLY unlikely we’ll show the theist how to “see the light”, but we are trying to show the viewers of the conversation how we are rational compared to theists that always end up with emotional pleas and irrational suppositions and speculations.

By: Stephanie Juste

Stephanie Juste — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 08:40:19 +0000

No one disagrees that the most excessive hehavior associated with all religions should be condemned. With that said, there’s no way to extricate our human history from religion.At one point rule, religion, farming, science, everthing developed INTO religion.it got rotten later because of man’s tendency to corrupt.Just think, if you reject everything about religion you can never truly learn about your history.you can never enjoy the beauty of church music, you can never understand the work of Michelangelo.You can never enjoy the tribal dances of Africa.Your type of atheist can take no nourishment from life.

By: americansecularist

americansecularist — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:46:36 +0000

Reblogged this on american secularist.

By: Earl Newton

Earl Newton — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:18:37 +0000

@ Matthew Simko – Respectfully, I appreciate your position. However, don’t you feel that, by taking that stance, you aren’t improving the situation, you’re just hardening the lines between atheism / theism?

I think you’d agree that the reverse situation would be unthinkable: “I am a religious person and I’m not going to listen to atheism’s nonsense another moment, and I will ridicule it in total.”

And of course, we’ve all seen that position in theists before, but it doesn’t make it right. :)

By: Eric G.

Eric G. — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 03:46:08 +0000

Reblogged this on My Life / Eric Gray and commented: I am an Atheist 2.0

By: Friday Link Love « The Blue Room

Friday Link Love « The Blue Room — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:49:39 +0000

[...] Religion for Atheists — Alain de Botton We are far more desperate than secular modernity recognises. All of us are on the edge of panic and terror pretty much all the time – and religions recognise this. We need to build a similar awareness into secular structures. Religions are fascinating because they are giant machines for making ideas vivid and real in people’s lives: ideas about goodness, about death, family, community etc. Nowadays, we tend to believe that the people who make ideas vivid are artists and cultural figures, but this is such a small, individual response to a massive set of problems. So I am deeply interested in the way that religions are in the end institutions, giant machines, organisations, directed to managing our inner life. There is nothing like this in the secular world, and this seems a huge pity. [...]

By: F Name

F Name — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:35:08 +0000

Tagged: http://rustbeltphilosophy.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-no-no-no-or-sleep-trance-dream-dance.html

By: What can atheists learn from religion? | Bensonian

What can atheists learn from religion? | Bensonian — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:51:08 +0000

[...] summarizes his view: The starting point of religion is that we are children, and we need guidance. The secular [...]

By: Matthew Simko

Matthew Simko — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:11:31 +0000

Santa Claus. :-)

By: Matthew Simko

Matthew Simko — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:10:03 +0000

Look, if you feel it is better relating to believers in a gentle form, kudos to you. But for just about ever, religion has had its boot on the throat of humans. I will not suffer their fairy tales anymore and I will ridicule it in total. Time to start dealing with facts. Facts will set us all free and the scared children you believe we are will be forced to grow up. Life did not end when we learned that Santa Clase was not real.