Seems the Atheist creed wants joiners. The Big Apple Coalition of Reason will be proselytizing on the subway via a volley of posters, as if they don't get their views are just another creed/dogma/faith/reaction. Perhaps the deification of human reason would be better served if they spent the ad dollars on relieving people's suffering in some way. Instead they are just another movement arrogantly trying to push their beliefs down people's throats, what a shame. The poster reads "A million New Yorkers are good without God. Are you?" Yes, good because of conscience and heart, organically good, without the dictates of creed breathing down their necks. But now what creed will be breathing down people's necks on the subway and from the sides of buses? As if the MTA's own condescending signs weren't enough. It's clear from the tone of those signs that the MTA assumes we're an idiot populace, and so justifies its mismanagement. And the Coaltion for Reason arrogantly assumes that anyone who practices a religion is brainwashed or suffering from the God Delusion, and on those grounds seeks to suppress what is liminal or "irrational" in themselves and others.
An atheist I know rants "Agnosticism's for pussies!" As if it doesn't take more courage to admit that you don't know ANYTHING about the ultimate nature of things. I hoped for more sophistication, but whatever, let them have their day in the sun, and I hope it's a good one, and there are a few who could stand to hear the message that just going to church doesn't make you better than anyone else.
At any rate, the morning light speaks for itself, but its language is so hard to understand.
3 comments:
"Perhaps the deification of human reason would be better served if they spent the ad dollars on relieving people's suffering in some way. Instead they are just another movement arrogantly trying to push their beliefs down people's throats, what a shame."
Could not be said any better...what a waste of money,
I have a friend, actually sort of an ex friend that shoves her atheism down everyones throat. She has basically taken it to the religious levels she despises. She rolls her eyes when anyone brings up God or even the possible existence of god.
Like you summarized in your excellent blog post her "holier than
thou" energy is not doing anything to relieve anybody's suffering. I have had to suffer many times by just listening to her!
I'm learning to be careful to not let such shriekers as your friend (and mine!) define all atheists for me. I believe there are respectful and tolerant Atheists out there, they just chose to keep their opinions to themselves or don't seek to force their views on anyone. That leaves us only hearing from the hot-headed so we come to identify the word Atheist with the caustically outspoken.
My response to the variously entrenched -isms is to say, "Very well, you've told me what you believe. Now I'd like you to tell me what you hope."
valatot: medeival jester's agent
Post a Comment