Godless grifters: How the New Atheists merged with the far right

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theist: Belief in a God or Gods.

Atheist: Lack of a belief in God or Gods.

Agnostic: Belief that it is impossible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Gnostic: Belief that it is possible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Anti-theist: Against a belief in God or Gods i.e. you think that believing in God is not good thing.

Anti-religious: Against the organised belief in God i.e. you think that churches and their followers negatively impact on society etc.

How about Deist? Wasn't Thomas Jefferson a Deist?

Deism: A religious belief that God created the universe and established rationally comprehensible moral and natural laws but does not intervene in human affairs through miracles or supernatural revelation.

[Anonymous]

Deist=theist. Just not Christian per se.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theist: Belief in a God or Gods.

Atheist: Lack of a belief in God or Gods.

Agnostic: Belief that it is impossible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Gnostic: Belief that it is possible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Anti-theist: Against a belief in God or Gods i.e. you think that believing in God is not good thing.

Anti-religious: Against the organised belief in God i.e. you think that churches and their followers negatively impact on society etc.

How about Deist? Wasn't Thomas Jefferson a Deist?

Henry S. Randall, the only biographer permitted to interview Jefferson's immediate family, recorded that Jefferson "attended church with as much regularity as most of the members of the congregation—sometimes going alone on horse-back, when his family remained at home", and that he also "contributed freely to the erection of Christian churches, gave money to Bible societies and other religious objects, and was a liberal and regular contributor to the support of the clergy. Letters of his are extant which show him urging, with respectful delicacy, the acceptance of extra and unsolicited contributions, on the pastor of his parish, on occasions of extra expense to the latter, such as the building of a house.

While many biographers, as well as some of his contemporaries, have characterized Jefferson as a Deist, historians and scholars have not found any such self-identification in Jefferson's surviving writings. Following the 1800 campaign, Jefferson became more reluctant to have his religious opinions discussed in public. He often added requests at the end of personal letters discussing religion that his correspondents be discreet regarding its contents. Jefferson stated in a letter in 1819, "You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know." He wrote to William Short on October 31, 1819, he was convinced that the fragmentary teachings of Jesus constituted the "outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man".

Jefferson once wrote to the minister of the First Parish Church (Unitarian) in Portland, Maine, asking for services for him and a small group of friends. The church responded that it did not have clergy to send to the South. In an 1825 letter to Waterhouse, Jefferson wrote,

I am anxious to see the doctrine of one god commenced in our state. But the population of my neighborhood is too slender, and is too much divided into other sects to maintain any one preacher well. I must therefore be contented to be an Unitarian by myself, altho I know there are many around me who would become so, if once they could hear the questions fairly stated.

Jefferson stated he was in a sect “by himself,” and clearly had his own unique ideas about faith. Nowhere did he name himself a deist in his written words, nor did he declare himself a deist in his lifetime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deist=theist. Just not Christian per se.

True. But Deist is a specific subset of theism. It is more limited and specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theist: Belief in a God or Gods.

Atheist: Lack of a belief in God or Gods.

Agnostic: Belief that it is impossible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Gnostic: Belief that it is possible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Anti-theist: Against a belief in God or Gods i.e. you think that believing in God is not good thing.

Anti-religious: Against the organised belief in God i.e. you think that churches and their followers negatively impact on society etc.

How about Deist? Wasn't Thomas Jefferson a Deist?

Henry S. Randall, the only biographer permitted to interview Jefferson's immediate family, recorded that Jefferson "attended church with as much regularity as most of the members of the congregation—sometimes going alone on horse-back, when his family remained at home", and that he also "contributed freely to the erection of Christian churches, gave money to Bible societies and other religious objects, and was a liberal and regular contributor to the support of the clergy. Letters of his are extant which show him urging, with respectful delicacy, the acceptance of extra and unsolicited contributions, on the pastor of his parish, on occasions of extra expense to the latter, such as the building of a house.

While many biographers, as well as some of his contemporaries, have characterized Jefferson as a Deist, historians and scholars have not found any such self-identification in Jefferson's surviving writings. Following the 1800 campaign, Jefferson became more reluctant to have his religious opinions discussed in public. He often added requests at the end of personal letters discussing religion that his correspondents be discreet regarding its contents. Jefferson stated in a letter in 1819, "You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know." He wrote to William Short on October 31, 1819, he was convinced that the fragmentary teachings of Jesus constituted the "outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man".

Jefferson once wrote to the minister of the First Parish Church (Unitarian) in Portland, Maine, asking for services for him and a small group of friends. The church responded that it did not have clergy to send to the South. In an 1825 letter to Waterhouse, Jefferson wrote,

I am anxious to see the doctrine of one god commenced in our state. But the population of my neighborhood is too slender, and is too much divided into other sects to maintain any one preacher well. I must therefore be contented to be an Unitarian by myself, altho I know there are many around me who would become so, if once they could hear the questions fairly stated.

Jefferson stated he was in a sect “by himself,” and clearly had his own unique ideas about faith. Nowhere did he name himself a deist in his written words, nor did he declare himself a deist in his lifetime.

Thank-you. I can't really be arsed to look up supporting cites, but I read he was a deist and I don't see anything there that you wrote to rebut the observation made by many that he was a deist - regardless of how he identified himself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theist: Belief in a God or Gods.

Atheist: Lack of a belief in God or Gods.

Agnostic: Belief that it is impossible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Gnostic: Belief that it is possible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Anti-theist: Against a belief in God or Gods i.e. you think that believing in God is not good thing.

Anti-religious: Against the organised belief in God i.e. you think that churches and their followers negatively impact on society etc.

How about Deist? Wasn't Thomas Jefferson a Deist?

Henry S. Randall, the only biographer permitted to interview Jefferson's immediate family, recorded that Jefferson "attended church with as much regularity as most of the members of the congregation—sometimes going alone on horse-back, when his family remained at home", and that he also "contributed freely to the erection of Christian churches, gave money to Bible societies and other religious objects, and was a liberal and regular contributor to the support of the clergy. Letters of his are extant which show him urging, with respectful delicacy, the acceptance of extra and unsolicited contributions, on the pastor of his parish, on occasions of extra expense to the latter, such as the building of a house.

While many biographers, as well as some of his contemporaries, have characterized Jefferson as a Deist, historians and scholars have not found any such self-identification in Jefferson's surviving writings. Following the 1800 campaign, Jefferson became more reluctant to have his religious opinions discussed in public. He often added requests at the end of personal letters discussing religion that his correspondents be discreet regarding its contents. Jefferson stated in a letter in 1819, "You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know." He wrote to William Short on October 31, 1819, he was convinced that the fragmentary teachings of Jesus constituted the "outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man".

Jefferson once wrote to the minister of the First Parish Church (Unitarian) in Portland, Maine, asking for services for him and a small group of friends. The church responded that it did not have clergy to send to the South. In an 1825 letter to Waterhouse, Jefferson wrote,

I am anxious to see the doctrine of one god commenced in our state. But the population of my neighborhood is too slender, and is too much divided into other sects to maintain any one preacher well. I must therefore be contented to be an Unitarian by myself, altho I know there are many around me who would become so, if once they could hear the questions fairly stated.

Jefferson stated he was in a sect “by himself,” and clearly had his own unique ideas about faith. Nowhere did he name himself a deist in his written words, nor did he declare himself a deist in his lifetime.

Thank-you. I can't really be arsed to look up supporting cites, but I read he was a deist and I don't see anything there that you wrote to rebut the observation made by many that he was a deist - regardless of how he identified himself.

The most definitive statement in his writings was that he was “in a sect by himself.” He was not defined by others in his life, and any attempts to define him now are never to be confirmed or clear guesses.

[Anonymous]

Jefferson did not believe in a personal interactive god and wrote his own bible which had every supernatural event removed.

Deist is the closest common term that is accurate for him.

Regardless, he was not a Christian by most definitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theist: Belief in a God or Gods.

Atheist: Lack of a belief in God or Gods.

Agnostic: Belief that it is impossible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Gnostic: Belief that it is possible to know, with an absolute degree of a certainty whether or not a God or Gods exist.

Anti-theist: Against a belief in God or Gods i.e. you think that believing in God is not good thing.

Anti-religious: Against the organised belief in God i.e. you think that churches and their followers negatively impact on society etc.

How about Deist? Wasn't Thomas Jefferson a Deist?

Henry S. Randall, the only biographer permitted to interview Jefferson's immediate family, recorded that Jefferson "attended church with as much regularity as most of the members of the congregation—sometimes going alone on horse-back, when his family remained at home", and that he also "contributed freely to the erection of Christian churches, gave money to Bible societies and other religious objects, and was a liberal and regular contributor to the support of the clergy. Letters of his are extant which show him urging, with respectful delicacy, the acceptance of extra and unsolicited contributions, on the pastor of his parish, on occasions of extra expense to the latter, such as the building of a house.

While many biographers, as well as some of his contemporaries, have characterized Jefferson as a Deist, historians and scholars have not found any such self-identification in Jefferson's surviving writings. Following the 1800 campaign, Jefferson became more reluctant to have his religious opinions discussed in public. He often added requests at the end of personal letters discussing religion that his correspondents be discreet regarding its contents. Jefferson stated in a letter in 1819, "You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know." He wrote to William Short on October 31, 1819, he was convinced that the fragmentary teachings of Jesus constituted the "outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man".

Jefferson once wrote to the minister of the First Parish Church (Unitarian) in Portland, Maine, asking for services for him and a small group of friends. The church responded that it did not have clergy to send to the South. In an 1825 letter to Waterhouse, Jefferson wrote,

I am anxious to see the doctrine of one god commenced in our state. But the population of my neighborhood is too slender, and is too much divided into other sects to maintain any one preacher well. I must therefore be contented to be an Unitarian by myself, altho I know there are many around me who would become so, if once they could hear the questions fairly stated.

Jefferson stated he was in a sect “by himself,” and clearly had his own unique ideas about faith. Nowhere did he name himself a deist in his written words, nor did he declare himself a deist in his lifetime.

Source for the info above? Also -- don't forget the Jefferson Bible, in which Jefferson excised all the miracle stories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson did not believe in a personal interactive god and wrote his own bible which had every supernatural event removed.

Deist is the closest common term that is accurate for him.

Regardless, he was not a Christian by most definitions.

Correct, expect he did not "write his own bible" he just took out the miracle stories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible

[Anonymous]

This is a specious piece on many levels. Anyone who claims Bret Weinstein and Eric Weinstein are “pseudo intellectuals” (but provides zero evidence for the claim) has no credibility. Bret is an evolutionary biologist and Eric is a theoretical mathematician. They are two of the most nuanced, creative and articulate geniuses of our era.

I was a student of Pinker and I don’t understand the author’s point. I don’t follow the argument that Pinker is aligned with the far right. The video of him and his wife dancing on Election Day when Trump lost belies that claim. Pinker being photographed with Epstein proves nothing. Who wasn’t photographed with Epstein?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson did not believe in a personal interactive god and wrote his own bible which had every supernatural event removed.

Deist is the closest common term that is accurate for him.

Regardless, he was not a Christian by most definitions.

Correct, expect he did not "write his own bible" he just took out the miracle stories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible

Lol sorry please explain to me the difference. You’re splitting hairs at the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a specious piece on many levels. Anyone who claims Bret Weinstein and Eric Weinstein are “pseudo intellectuals” (but provides zero evidence for the claim) has no credibility. Bret is an evolutionary biologist and Eric is a theoretical mathematician. They are two of the most nuanced, creative and articulate geniuses of our era.

I was a student of Pinker and I don’t understand the author’s point. I don’t follow the argument that Pinker is aligned with the far right. The video of him and his wife dancing on Election Day when Trump lost belies that claim. Pinker being photographed with Epstein proves nothing. Who wasn’t photographed with Epstein?

In 2007, when Epstein was first indicted for procuring a minor for prostitution, Pinker "provided his expertise on language" for Epstein's defense, according to The New York Times. Pinker offered his services for free and, he told the Times, at the request of his friend, Havard law professor Alan Dershowitz—who has himself been accused of sexually assaulting minors trafficked by Epstein, which he denies.

There is the fact that, as far back as 2002, Pinker’s name appears in that jet’s flight logs for Epstein’s Lolita Express—that flight was to attend a TED conference in Monterrey, California after which one of Brockman and Epstein’s Billionaire Dinners happened. There is a photo of Pinker on the flight.

In an unsealed manuscript written by Virginia Giuffre—one of the main survivors of Epstein's trafficking ring to come forward—Giuffre says she was forced to sleep with a Harvard professor named “Stephen,” his last name redacted, and described him as "a quirky little man with white hair and a mad scientist look about him.” Pinker’s name is spelled “Steven” with a ‘v.’ Another Harvard professor, Stephen Kosslyn, who once taught Pinker, has been tied to Epstein; Kosslyn is bald, with white hair on the sides of his head. Kosslyn does not appear in any known Epstein flight logs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en/article/g5pn87/free-speech-crusader-steven-pinker-blocking-anyone-mentioning-his-epstein-ties

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson did not believe in a personal interactive god and wrote his own bible which had every supernatural event removed.

Deist is the closest common term that is accurate for him.

Regardless, he was not a Christian by most definitions.

Correct, expect he did not "write his own bible" he just took out the miracle stories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible

Lol sorry please explain to me the difference. You’re splitting hairs at the best.

Jefferson did not write anything. He cut out parts of the Bible. The difference is between doing something and subtracting from something that's already been done. Hope you get it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a specious piece on many levels. Anyone who claims Bret Weinstein and Eric Weinstein are “pseudo intellectuals” (but provides zero evidence for the claim) has no credibility. Bret is an evolutionary biologist and Eric is a theoretical mathematician. They are two of the most nuanced, creative and articulate geniuses of our era.

I was a student of Pinker and I don’t understand the author’s point. I don’t follow the argument that Pinker is aligned with the far right. The video of him and his wife dancing on Election Day when Trump lost belies that claim. Pinker being photographed with Epstein proves nothing. Who wasn’t photographed with Epstein?

In 2007, when Epstein was first indicted for procuring a minor for prostitution, Pinker "provided his expertise on language" for Epstein's defense, according to The New York Times. Pinker offered his services for free and, he told the Times, at the request of his friend, Havard law professor Alan Dershowitz—who has himself been accused of sexually assaulting minors trafficked by Epstein, which he denies.

There is the fact that, as far back as 2002, Pinker’s name appears in that jet’s flight logs for Epstein’s Lolita Express—that flight was to attend a TED conference in Monterrey, California after which one of Brockman and Epstein’s Billionaire Dinners happened. There is a photo of Pinker on the flight.

In an unsealed manuscript written by Virginia Giuffre—one of the main survivors of Epstein's trafficking ring to come forward—Giuffre says she was forced to sleep with a Harvard professor named “Stephen,” his last name redacted, and described him as "a quirky little man with white hair and a mad scientist look about him.” Pinker’s name is spelled “Steven” with a ‘v.’ Another Harvard professor, Stephen Kosslyn, who once taught Pinker, has been tied to Epstein; Kosslyn is bald, with white hair on the sides of his head. Kosslyn does not appear in any known Epstein flight logs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en/article/g5pn87/free-speech-crusader-steven-pinker-blocking-anyone-mentioning-his-epstein-ties

PP is certainly desperate to show that atheists can be bad. Of course they can be -- they are people and people can be bad -- and good -- and somewhere in between.

The story above is circumstantial. Not that it matters, unless, you're desperate to show that atheists can be bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a specious piece on many levels. Anyone who claims Bret Weinstein and Eric Weinstein are “pseudo intellectuals” (but provides zero evidence for the claim) has no credibility. Bret is an evolutionary biologist and Eric is a theoretical mathematician. They are two of the most nuanced, creative and articulate geniuses of our era.

I was a student of Pinker and I don’t understand the author’s point. I don’t follow the argument that Pinker is aligned with the far right. The video of him and his wife dancing on Election Day when Trump lost belies that claim. Pinker being photographed with Epstein proves nothing. Who wasn’t photographed with Epstein?

In 2007, when Epstein was first indicted for procuring a minor for prostitution, Pinker "provided his expertise on language" for Epstein's defense, according to The New York Times. Pinker offered his services for free and, he told the Times, at the request of his friend, Havard law professor Alan Dershowitz—who has himself been accused of sexually assaulting minors trafficked by Epstein, which he denies.

There is the fact that, as far back as 2002, Pinker’s name appears in that jet’s flight logs for Epstein’s Lolita Express—that flight was to attend a TED conference in Monterrey, California after which one of Brockman and Epstein’s Billionaire Dinners happened. There is a photo of Pinker on the flight.

In an unsealed manuscript written by Virginia Giuffre—one of the main survivors of Epstein's trafficking ring to come forward—Giuffre says she was forced to sleep with a Harvard professor named “Stephen,” his last name redacted, and described him as "a quirky little man with white hair and a mad scientist look about him.” Pinker’s name is spelled “Steven” with a ‘v.’ Another Harvard professor, Stephen Kosslyn, who once taught Pinker, has been tied to Epstein; Kosslyn is bald, with white hair on the sides of his head. Kosslyn does not appear in any known Epstein flight logs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en/article/g5pn87/free-speech-crusader-steven-pinker-blocking-anyone-mentioning-his-epstein-ties

Again, none of that circumstantial evidence proves anything and, to my original point, has absolutely nothing to do with the author’s premise that the new atheists have joined the far right.