Reply to Reza Aslan: Sam Harris and "New Atheists" aren't new, aren't even atheists

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Reply to "Reza Aslan: Sam Harris and "New Atheists" aren't new, aren't even atheists"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Celebrity atheists such as Richard Dawkins appear to claim the moral high ground when it comes to violence. Dawkins, along with Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens, insist that because religion is intrinsically violent, then atheism is inherently more pacific. After all, if all the evils in the world can be blamed on religion, then arguably eliminating religion is not only desirable but a moral obligation for atheists who believe in peace.

Yet our research shows that in the War on Terror, these atheists have been surprisingly willing to align themselves with policies which are at least as violent – and in some cases more so – than many of those perpetrated in the name of religion.

Our study (jointly conducted by a Christian, an agnostic and an atheist) involved analysing the writing of Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens – the so-called “New Atheists”. We sought to establish their positions on US and UK foreign policy since the September 2001 attacks. We critically examined their bestselling books, along with their op-eds, social media posts and videos, to ascertain their positions – not on science or morality – but on politics, especially foreign policy.

They each argue that religion inherently incites violence, whereas atheism is more peaceful.

This modern European atheism promised emancipation from superstition – but quickly morphed into extreme violence. At the apex of the French Revolution, the Jacobin government implemented the original “reign of terror” in its murderous effort to impose state atheism. The early USSR’s campaign against religion, spearheaded by “The League of Militant Atheists”, involved the violent persecution of religious believers and institutions.

Our research demonstrates the paradox that although New Atheists claim that their ideology is more enlightened and peaceful than religion, they often end up advocating violence. This is because they exhibit a simplistic view of the world as being divided between two civilisations – secular and religious – which cannot coexist. In this, ironically, they arguably mirror the hardline religious leaders whom they so vociferously denounce.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/why-the-arguments-of-the-new-atheists-are-often-just-as-violent-as-religion-95185

It’s incredibly disingenuous to claim atheism is peaceful with research like this, coupled with the facts and evidence of what happens to people who live in state mandated atheist countries. [/quote]

Not impressed with this "research" being indicative of atheist viewpoints.  It looks at some of the views of a few prominent atheist authors, who unlike heads of state or clergy, have no organized government or organized beliefs behind them.  There are just people who read their books, and/or like their point of view.

Sam Harris is a neuroscientist who is into eastern spirituality, Dawkins is a zoologist and esteemed retired Oxford professor and Hitchens was a well-known author.

They have killed no one, nor have they espoused mass killing, so they can't be accused of being violent.  This is unlike the God of the Bible, who killed whole populations.[/quote]

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