Clipmarks | Antara's 'atheism' clips

If God is Dead, Who get His house?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:57:31 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: By Sean McManus via Sam Harris.org

It seems unlikely that many of the 850 or so people at the Society for Ethical Culture on a recent Saturday night believed that God was still extant. But evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion and possibly the most famous atheist in the world, was not taking any chances. He gave a PowerPoint presentation driving home that religion does not meet any of the standards of basic scientific inquiry, before casually flicking away a few of His last crutches. Doesn’t God provide people some solace? asked an audience member. “Isn’t that a little childish?” Dawkins replied. “Just because something is comforting doesn’t mean it’s true.” Then someone asked about death, and Dawkins quoted Mark Twain: “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born.”

The room erupted in loud applause. God had definitely left the building—if he were ever here at all.

Tags: atheism, richard dawkins, faith, religion, samharris.org

The Atheists wrong turn

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:03:04 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: http://www.samharris.org/site/full_text/atheisms-wrong-turn/

Clip Source: www.samharris.org

In the penultimate chapter of his best-selling book The God Delusion, biologist and world-renowned atheist Richard Dawkins presents his view of religious education, which he explains by way of an anecdote. Following a lecture in Dublin, he recalls, “I was asked what I thought about the widely publicized cases of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland. I replied that, horrible as sexual abuse no doubt was, the damage was arguably less than the long-term psychological damage inflicted by bringing the child up Catholic in the first place.” Lest his readers misunderstand him, or dismiss this rather shocking statement as mere off-the-cuff hyperbole, Dawkins goes on to clarify his position. “I am persuaded,” he explains, “that the phrase ‘child abuse’ is no exaggeration when used to describe what teachers and priests are doing to children whom they encourage to believe in something like the punishment of unshriven mortal sins in an eternal hell.”

Tags: sam harris, richard dawkins, damon linker, atheism, religion

The Atheist's Dilemma

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:25:58 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: Rest of article at :

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071203/pollitt

Clip Source: www.samharris.org

How likely is it that the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims will wake up one morning and abandon their ancestral faith? Even if you are a ferocious Sam Harris-style atheist who thinks religion is completely stupid--the province of shysters and fools--you have to admit it would be quite astonishing if that view persuaded the devout anytime soon: This Koran, which I thought was dictated to the Prophet by an angel, is totally ridiculous and poorly written to boot! Muhammad, that child molester, most definitely did not fly to heaven and back on a winged horse! What an idiot I was to give these notions a moment’s credibility! There’s no question in my mind that horror at militant Islam and fear of Muslim immigration lie behind at least some of the current vogue for atheism--you don’t make the bestseller list by excoriating the evils of Lutheranism or Buddhism.

Tags: atheism, islam, koran, religion

Philosophers without Gods

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:30:32 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: From book blurb on site:

Atheists are frequently demonized as arrogant intellectuals, antagonistic to religion, devoid of moral sentiments, advocates of an "anything goes" lifestyle. Now, in this revealing volume, nineteen leading philosophers open a window on the inner life of atheism, shattering these commonstereotypes as they reveal how they came to turn away from religious belief. These highly engaging personal essays capture the marvelous diversity to be found among atheists, providing a portrait that will surprise most readers. Many of the authors, for example, express great affection for particular religious traditions, even as they explain why they cannot, in goodconscience, embrace them. None of the contributors dismiss religious belief as stupid or primitive, and several even express regret that they cannot, or can no longer, believe. Perhaps more important, in these reflective pieces, they offer fresh insight into some of the oldest and most difficultproblems facing the h

Clip Source: books.google.com

Tags: google books, louise antony, atheism, female philosophers

Dan Dennet speaks at AAI 07

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 02:40:13 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: This just might be one of the best talks of the conference.....this dude is so smart !! I couldn't help not clip it

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: dan dennet, atheism, aai 07, visionary

Stalin was an atheist—so am I

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:36:11 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: The supposed Flew "flip flop "commentary continues.........

Clip Source: www.samharris.org

Flew isn’t your garden-variety non-Christian, however, which helps explain his recent celebrity among evangelicals. Before 2004, Flew was a world-renowned atheist whose 1950 essay “Theology and Falsification” predated by decades the anti-religion musings of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and other skeptics prominent today. I stumbled upon his writings and comments on the improvability of God when my own agnosticism started giving way to outright nonbelief. To an atheist, Flew’s conversion to any belief in the supernatural would have been just as likely as Iranian President Mahmoud “Israel should be wiped off the map” Ahmadinejad celebrating Hanukkah.

And that’s exactly what happened—Flew’s conversion, not Ahmadinejad’s. In late 2004, Flew admitted that he had changed his mind and believed, based on scientific evidence, in some sort of God. Flew wasn’t a Christian, but a deist—as he made abundantly clear

Tags: atheism, anthony flew, sneaky arguments, false imagery

Sam Harris : The Problem with Atheism (part 1)

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:33:58 GMT

clipped by: Antara
clipper's remarks: Brave and very comprehensive talk by the brilliant Sam Harris.

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: sam harris, atheism, religion, politics