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Author Topic:   Athiest Manifesto
Taq
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Posts: 9944
Joined: 03-06-2009
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Message 9 of 54 (657159)
03-26-2012 11:52 AM


Organizing a group that only shares a lack of belief is a bit like herding kittens. I think the mistake is burdening the movement with the term Atheism. You need to find some positive common belief that people can rally around, be it well reasoned and evidence based policies or secularism. It seems to be a waste of time to rally everyone one around a non-belief, one that is not necessarily tied to how we would like to see society change.
For example, I personally do not know of any atheist who believes that people should be prevented from holding religious beliefs. In fact, personal freedom is something we atheists hold very dear. This is not a war against the freedom of religious belief. Therefore, making atheism the center of the manifesto is a big mistake, IMHO. Secularism is the central tenet of the movement, and this is something that even some theists can agree with.

  
Taq
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Posts: 9944
Joined: 03-06-2009
Member Rating: 4.8


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Message 25 of 54 (657288)
03-27-2012 11:35 AM
Reply to: Message 14 by Heathen
03-27-2012 2:37 AM


I think it's more about being recognised as a section of society. A section who do not wish to give undue deference to religion, a section who does not wish to see crimes that would otherwise be considered hateful or bigoted being accepted as part of a persons faith. A section of society who do not wish to be absorbed into a default position of Christian, or CofE or whatever.
There are christians who accept these ideals as well. There are christians who see the benefit of a secular society where religion is private but protected. These are not solely atheist ideals, as if there are any.
Think of it this way. You start a not-golfer club where the commonality between all the members is that you don't like playing golf. As you can guess, there is a very wide range of beliefs and ideals amongst these members. Even more, not playing golf really isn't a cause or something that is pursued. You then write a manifesto telling these members what they believe and don't believe, and it really has nothing to do with not playing golf. I think you would cause people to scratch their heads wondering why such a manifesto is needed.
I don't think this article represents dogma, but rather an attempt to write down a series of principles which, the author thinks, represent a common thread in atheists/heathens or what ever you choose to be called.
Getting atheists to agree to anything is pretty hard. I think the only thing we do agree on is our love of bbq kitten.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 14 by Heathen, posted 03-27-2012 2:37 AM Heathen has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 35 by Heathen, posted 03-28-2012 9:00 AM Taq has not replied

  
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