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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think rebel rousers like Dawkins are helpful in getting any social movement off the ground.  Think about the "flaming" gays early on in the gay rights movement.   They aren't typical of gay people, but they sure attraced a lot of notice.  Same with Gloria steinem in the women's movement, and  the freedom riders for civil rights.

A lot of people now benefiting from those movements were against the early activists, calling them bra burners,  uppity, strident and worse.[/quote]

Fair point, and a good one. But having started the conversation, and gained public recognition for the concept that atheism is a valid (lack of) belief structure, we should still recognize that showing contempt to anyone simply because they believe in a deity is just rude and is exactly how we, as atheists, don't want to be treated.

We ask how believers can be so certain they are correct, and how they can claim a monopoly on "TRUTH!" and we ask them to respect our lack of belief. If we want that level of respect for our position, we should grant it for theirs.

(Then we can all get together, believers and atheists, and make fun of the Scientologists. ;-)  )
[/quote]

I'm sorry, I don't buy the claim that high-profile atheists "show contempt" for believers in general. If you have evidence (say a link to an article or youtube video, then I'm willing to reevaluate). I think that the claim that folks like Dawkins are somehow raving evangelicals and contemptuous of believers is an assumption for which there's little evidence. That is, unless you define "contempt" as "unwilling to agree with me." It's not as though Dawkins is grabbing people by the lapels on the subway and calling them idiots. "The God Delusion" is a respectful and well-reasoned book. Sorry, but saying someone is wrong is not contemptuous. In fact, engaging people in a debate as equals is quite respectful.

So...enough of this "Oh, the New Atheists are so contemptuous" as though this is something everyone agrees about. If you've got something to back it up, link it. Otherwise, we'll assume this is just poisoning the well.[/quote]

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