What do you make of the Sam Harris/Richard Dawkins goal of making Christianity embarrassing?

Question

Harris and Dawkins, two men I admire (especially the latter), have said that they want to make it embarrassing to admit religious faith. While right now it's embarrassing to admit you're an atheist, they want to turn the tables, so to speak.

Christian opinions are interesting too, but I'm mostly wondering if my fellow atheists/agnostics think that's a good strategy for reducing religion's role in public policy, and why?

or hec .. Islam, Pagan, Hindu, Buddhist, etc opinions would also be interesting.

Answer 1

An even better approach would be the teaching of critical thinking skills and logic at a younger age.

Answer 2

It's really doing nothing more than when Jerry Falwell and the likes start spouting off. A non-believer isnt going to listen to them regardless and a believer wont listen to Harris/Dawkins. In the same way Atheists can argue back with Jerry as to why they dont believe, so can Christians to Harris/Dawkins. Christians know the worth of a man doesnt lie in a PhD or a stuffy English accent. You can see here on this forum that there are idiots and highly educated on both sides of the fence and neither side will be changed without PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

I often hear Christianity would be better received if Christians lived their beliefs by loving eachother and taking care of the poor and hungry. Id like to see Dawkins and Harris do the same, if they think the world would be better without religion, show us how they, without religion, will be an unbelieving light unto the world. Show us that heart warming peace that comes with disbelief :D

Answer 3

many people stop at religion where they feel that is necessary or important in public policy. They fail to see the basic lessons they all attempt to teach - morals and ethics. Without religion, the world wont be in such bad shape, and if anything, it may be in better shape. However without any morals, values and ethics, it would be a world of complete ****. As long as people can follow similar ethics of coexistence, that's all that is needed. It is rather amazing how much "God" has taken presence in public policy yet few follow the most important lessons. What happened to acceptance and worrying about your own damn problems?

Answer 4

Just a suggestion from a Christian...your wasting your life, and you don't have that much worth wasting do you? I mean it's not like we will live forever of something is it? You have about 20,000 days left on this planet at absolute most...why not waste them attempting to make Christians stronger...yeah thats right stronger.

You agressive athiests never get it. Christians believe that their reward in Heaven is even greater under persecution or attack. The more you hate them, the more you curse them, the more you try to put them down, or the more you try to make them look like fools....the greater their reward. Good luck with this plan. By the way if the intelletuals you admire so could not think of a single way to embarass Christians, what makes you think that a bunch of sub-intellegent ahtiest that waste their brief lives on the internet late at night arguing with people who are obviously of lesser intellegence than them and ignorant of reason, could ever come up with anything that even remotely embarassed a single Christian? Ponder away...good luck!

If find it intersting that you think that being an athiest is embarassing. I guess you learn something new every day. What would you have to be embarassed about? I mean you guys are on a level of intellect and reason above all these stupid thiests right? Why should you be embarassed of you superior intellect?

P.S. You might also consider your motives. I mean really, stop and think a second. What would make you decide to argue Religion anyway? You are not religious. But, what was it though? You don't really doubt your decision do you? Do you? Maybe you could put all those doubts to rest and try it for yourself, just to prove it's a hoax. Then you could know without a doubt that you have the right answer.

Just saying...think about it.

Answer 5

i've got in straightforward terms study from Richard Dawkins however the only extremely hateful factor he stated replaced into the commencing sentence of financial ruin 2 of the God delusion and it replaced into genuine. i think of religious leaders additionally do what you're conversing of. can we no longer conform to the shown fact that each and one and all people are blood-thirsty hypocrites and actual might desire to sit down down, draw a somewhat photograph and drink some Cola?

Answer 6

I think that this will result in a (predictable) backlash, and that backlash won't be pretty. Fundamentalists have realized that they have political clout.

There's a very good book that ought to be read by anyone who is frustrated or bewildered by the growing fundamentalism in Christianity, Islam, or Judiasm.

It's called "The Battle for God" by Karen Armstrong.

http://www.amazon.com/Battle-God-Karen-Armstrong/dp/0006383483/sr=1-2/qid=1165766615/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-7900236-9684951?ie=UTF8&s=books

Answer 7

I think its nice to live in a free society. I think we need to focus on islam first. It is much more dangerous then Christianity. Christianity evolved it self out of violence. Islam is still in the dark ages. I do think it would be nice to have an Atheist president. If it means having some liberal who will stop support for Israel, let muslims spread like cancer then no thank you.

Answer 8

Good idea, but the right-wing media (Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, FOX News, and all the rest of talk radio) will never let them get away with it. The conservative media managed to make it Unamerican to not believe in Jesus (who was really a Republican, you know).

Answer 9

A social change is necessary in order to eliminate the world of the god delusion. Their goals are admirable, and it is a good strategy.

Answer 10

It's a lot safer these days that taking a public stand of mocking Islam.