Speaking of the so called "New Atheists"

[Rumckle]

2) The more extreme religious views, ie the fundy Xians, Muslims, Buddhists, getting into the news, causing angry reactions from what will normally be more accepting people if they realise most theists aren't like that.

Buddhists? Really?
I've always thought of Buddhism as being pretty laid back in terms of extreme public expressions of religious views, or, for that matter, really extreme views in general. Most of the times when you hear about Buddhist sects doing something strange, its typically not something about trying to get others to believe what they believe, but rather to get China to stop harassing them.

Actually that was slightly tongue in cheek, really Buddhists have the opposite scenario regarding media, that any extreme veiw points (of which there are very very few anyway) don't make it into the news. Perhaps because, in western society, we don't have much contact with Buddhism. Either way, I think the method works for calming the fires, I mean, you rarely hear people bitching on about how Buddhists are so stupid and destroying the world.

[Kai]

I usually identify myself as "non-religious"
unless I'm in a situation where describing yourself as such is a liability then I say I'm a discordist
Provided they don't know what discordism is they will think, "well that's cool he has some sacred book he's taking his morals from"
that is, if they don't know what discordism is

I've taken to telling people exactly what I believe. Hell of a confusion device when used correctly.

[P3nT4gR4m]

2) The more extreme religious views, ie the fundy Xians, Muslims, Buddhists, getting into the news, causing angry reactions from what will normally be more accepting people if they realise most theists aren't like that.

Buddhists? Really?
I've always thought of Buddhism as being pretty laid back in terms of extreme public expressions of religious views, or, for that matter, really extreme views in general. Most of the times when you hear about Buddhist sects doing something strange, its typically not something about trying to get others to believe what they believe, but rather to get China to stop harassing them.

Actually that was slightly tongue in cheek, really Buddhists have the opposite scenario regarding media, that any extreme veiw points (of which there are very very few anyway) don't make it into the news. Perhaps because, in western society, we don't have much contact with Buddhism. Either way, I think the method works for calming the fires, I mean, you rarely hear people bitching on about how Buddhists are so stupid and destroying the world.

Aum Shinrikyo

Even Buddhism is subject to fuckheadamentalism   

[Rumckle]

Everything is subject to fuckheadamentalism (especially discordians)

Fixt

[Iason Ouabache]

My annoyance is typically two-fold, one practical and the other more logical.

The practical one is that there are roughly 5.5 billion religious people on this planet.  Going "ur wrong and stupid and Im going to rub your face in it lolololol" is neither clever, nor likely to convert them to my viewpoint, and in some areas will end up with me being put in a dangerous position.

The other is is summed up by "If Jesus, then Space Aliens."  Your rationality on a single topic does not assure either moral superiority, or even better application of rationality elsewhere (for example, a point I have made ITT, many Neocons are atheists, and this has not stopped them from believing in patently stupid shit).  Equally, people can believe in God, and still be smart, humane and otherwise rational.  Deists, for example. 

I generally tend towards atheistic agnosticism, with a touch of ignosticism, so this kind of annoys me.  The best way to convert people to your viewpoint is not to treat them as witless morons, nor to trumpet your own superiority to them at every chance.  I'm all up for atheists being more engaged on moral and ethical issues, but acting like a bunch of spoilt brats does nothing for the cause of atheism and is probably even harmful to those ends.

TITCM.  Everyone is irrational in some way or another. There is no way to get rid of stupid beliefs. They cannot be killed.

I think the main problem with the New Atheists is that they are still too reactionary.  It's like they are still angsty teenagers that never got over their hatred of the church. I like the positive atheism movement better. Stop fighting religion and go do something good in the world.

"I'm so Atheist, I shit Gods."

[Template]

FACT:  Gawd did not exist -- UNTIL CHUCK NORRIS PRAYED TO HIM

[OPTIMUS PINECONE]

2) The more extreme religious views, ie the fundy Xians, Muslims, Buddhists, getting into the news, causing angry reactions from what will normally be more accepting people if they realise most theists aren't like that.

Buddhists? Really?
I've always thought of Buddhism as being pretty laid back in terms of extreme public expressions of religious views, or, for that matter, really extreme views in general. Most of the times when you hear about Buddhist sects doing something strange, its typically not something about trying to get others to believe what they believe, but rather to get China to stop harassing them.

     
Actually that was slightly tongue in cheek, really Buddhists have the opposite scenario regarding media, that any extreme veiw points (of which there are very very few anyway) don't make it into the news. Perhaps because, in western society, we don't have much contact with Buddhism. Either way, I think the method works for calming the fires, I mean, you rarely hear people bitching on about how Buddhists are so stupid and destroying the world.

     RIGHT NOW, as you read this, here, in Portland, Oregon, Buddhists ARE not only being so stupid, but also destroying the world.