Atheists, do you blame moderate Christians (or X religion) for the actions of the more fundamentalists?

Question

I have a hard time believing that the majority of religious people are the most vocal ones: you know, the ones who don't want science taught in school, who bomb abortion clinics, blow up buildings, go to anti-gay rallies....etc.
The majority of religious people I meet ( in this case Christians) are actually nice, peaceful and somehow don't make religion a central part of their lives. In fact, they rarely want to talk about their religious habits.
However, Dawkins somehow had a bone to pick with those type of religious people, saying that they somehow allow the most fundamentalists ones to define what Christianity/Islam.. etc is.
What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I don't worry too much about the moderates -- the "C&E" Chrisitans, the ones who cherry-pick which rules to take literally and which they independently decide are "parable" and "metaphor" and so on. They practice such a watered-down version of their own faith that they would have been burned at the stake as heretics themselves just a few short centuries ago. They're so wishy-washy and indifferent that most of them are practically agnostic in all but name.

The problem is: the fundamentalists are aware of this fact as well -- they know that the church as they know it is nearly over, and so the sound and fury you hear coming from their side of the Internet are the death throes of their religion.

Answer 2

The media is the driving force behind it. When two sides are engaged in conflict, the extremists on each side are always trying to start a war and the regular people are trying to find common ground.

For instance prior to the Civil War, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and other Southern States were debating the emancipation of the slaves. However extremist abolitionists were encouraging the blacks to rise up in rebellion, and in one such instance called Nat Turner's rebellion many whites were killed. Naturally the South was pushed to the defensive, and no compromise could be made.

Same thing with religion. I for instance, as a Christian (and would describe myself as a fundamenatalist but not the religious-right type), I do not want religion taught in schools, do not want prayer in schools, don't really have a problem with Evolution taught in schools so long as it is either optional or just taught as an idea, not a fact.... Oh and I don't want to ban gay marriage either. However extreemists on the other side want to deceive people into thinking every (or most) Christians want to outlaw homosexuality, want the government to officially endorse Christianity, etc, and because of that fewer people are willing to listen to people like me; they think all Christians are these fanatical Republicans.

And Dawkins..... Oye don't get me started. I love reading books that dispute the Bible, Thomas Paine's "Age of Reason" is one of my favorite books, I have probably read it more times through than the Bible itself. But I still believe in respect and decency. I would never tell a Muslim that they are hypocrites or that their view of God is a delusion. I would never tell a Buddhist that their mediatations do not work. I wouldn't tell a Taoist that their Way is stupid. I do not agree with all those groups, well the Taoists I kind of do agree with, but I don't want to degrade their beliefs. Dawkins though shows the greatest disrespect toward religion.

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, said something like, "It would be better to be of no religion than to be disrespectful towards any". Dawkins fulfills both of those points though. He is both an Atheist and disrespectful toward religion.

Answer 3

Dawkins - and Dennet before him - have made the point that 'moderate' religious people set the stage in which fundamentalism flourishes. Without religious moderates defining an environment where it's OK to believe in a deluded fantasy, fundamentalism would have no way to thrive.

I'd add that a 'fundamentalist' is really just someone who takes his religion more seriously than others, and has the courage of his convictions. For the most part, the actions of fundamentalists are entirely in line with the teachings of their religion against apostates or heretics.

CD

Answer 4

If they claim to all live in the one big house under Jesus, then they need to put their house in order.

There should be clear and resounding statements from all church leaders that these actions are wrong. Catholics should be excommunicated, I don't know if there is an equivalent for the Protestants, but repeated clear disapproval should be given. Pat Robinson should be lambasted from every pulpit in the land for the hate that he spouts.


But, if you look at the bible, according to that the fundamentalists are probably 'right'. God really does hate gays, God is willing to smite thousands of innocents to get a couple of sinners. Could it be that what we are actually seeing is the liberal Christians not speaking out because they are embarrassed that the fundamentalists are actually 'better' (and I use that word in a very distorted sense) Christians than they are?

Answer 5

Of course I don't blame them for the actions of the radical fundamentalists. I do, however, blame them for not speaking out against those fundamentalists.

Someone above me said the same thing: if there were someone bashing gay people or blowing up buildings or lying to children in public schools, and they said they were affiliated with ME... well, everyone and their brother would know that I didn't agree with them. There are so many wonderful religious people out there, who aren't in the same league with the "fundies." They should do something about their name being dragged through the mud. Unfair though it may be, in my mind their silence is akin to agreement.

Answer 6

I think moderate Christians DO share some measure of blame for the actions of fundamentalists within their religion.
Even if they're not personally picketing women's clinics, protesting gay pride rallies, etc., they're facilitating that behavior by giving their money to religious organizations, by voting for fundamentalist candidates, and by simply turning a blind eye to the actions of the violent bigots within their religion. The same can be said for Muslims.

Answer 7

All religious people fundamentally believe the same thing. They all have a metaphysical ideal that is not compatible with this reality. It is the ones who are consistent who bomb abortion clinics and fly planes into buildings. The majority wouldn't necessarily commit these actions but won't denounce them either because they are afraid to get to the root of what inspires these murderous crimes.

Answer 8

i think of moderates are incredibly the greater suitable of the gang. i think of the ideals tyou defined above are greater liberal Christians. Moderates could be nevertheless believing interior the basics like the fundies yet, no longer being as dogmatic and legalistic, attempting to hold on the to the reality of the Bible devoid of blindly following the guy made traditions and rituals many times linked with it. additionally they do no longer try this liberal concept of a mix and journey have faith as you will and nevertheless call your self a Christian. yet, between the two varieties of Christianas you point out right here, sure, the fundies are greater suitable. i think of liberal Christians are lots greater strange than the funides. Liberals could desire to easily be yet another concept or atheist. they warfare to straddle the fence waaay too lots. % one facet or the different. no question what facet the fundies are on.

Answer 9

Generalizing and "painting all those people with the same brush" is usual polemical technique. Believers do the same when they blame all atheists and secularists for the horrors of atheistic Communism(Marxist-Leninisn) when there are wide varieties of atheists and behaviors and personalities among atheists just as among theists.
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Antitheists like to set up the straw man"Religion" by assembling all the atrocities done by people in the name of (and usually excuse of) a particular religion's practice or abuse which were done by done by individuals or groups who happen to be in a particular religion. Antitheist signore all the good things done by the inspiration of people by particular religions and then blame "Religion" for every possible evil. "Religion" as a universal is an abstraction just as "World Atheism" is a nonexistent abstraction.

Lenin,Stalin ,Mao and other Communist leaders did evil in the name of atheism and "human progress" and Tamerlane,Joshua,Los Conquistadores and Anglo -American and English Puritans did evil in the name of their particular religions even though murder and mistreatment were contray to the ethics of their religions.

Blaming "Religion" or "Atheism" for the world's evils is just incendiary. Any" sacred text ",whether the Bible,Mahabarata,Quran,Communist Manifesto or Catechism of A Revolutionary, can be quoted or misquoted to fuel hatred.

Answer 10

Much as 'moderate' Muslims who have only recently begun a too little too late campaign to protest their radical brethren, so too the 'moderate' Christians are responsible for sitting back and allowing the inmates to begin running the asylum. Their lack of action is totally at fault.