Perhaps some religions harbour no extremists - tell me about it.
Perhaps Richard Dawson is an example of an extremist atheist - tell us about him.
2007-12-18 09:28:18 · 19 answers · asked by eclomaxkiwi 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
OK . OK. OK . DAWKINS. I must be tired. I mean the clockmakers blind bloke. Or is it God the Delusion! omg Please forgive me.
2007-12-18 09:41:45 · update #1
Richard Dawson?
The guy from Hogan's Heroes?
Host of "Family Feud"?
I've never really thought of him as an extremist, but if you say so...
2007-12-18 09:31:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Not as much. I'm a reasonably active atheist and I'm not aware of any people want to use physical violence to promote atheism.
If Richard Dawkins is considered an atheist extremist, that shows how peaceful atheists are. Dawkins is one of the nicest people on the planet. He has never suggested that someone should be injured or killed because of a difference in belief. He has never called for the assassination of a world leader or a sudden vacancy on the US Supreme Court.
He speaks his view with logic and reason. That's it. No calls for martyrdom, no atheist caliphate.
Atheists don't have holy scripture. I think this saves us from the problem of extremism. If you don't have a fundamental text, you can't become a fundamentalist.
2007-12-18 17:42:02 · answer #2 · answered by DogmaBites 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Nah, Dawkins is not an extremist. If you think he is, then tell me why.
I don't necessarily think even Mao or Stalin were extremist atheists. Technically they *were*, but broad-defined, atheism is not a doctrine, so it's impossible to say something is militant in atheism (or theism!) unless you narrow down the definition. Stalin and Mao would be better defined as extremist Marxists instead. Doesn't that make more sense?
The *only* legitimate case of people being "extremists" for science and reason (see, that's a narrower and more precise definition of atheism) was the case of the Belgium skeptics committing suicide to prove that homeopathy didn't work. Never understood why they thought death was necessary (even though they didn't kill anyone outside their own group).
2007-12-18 17:40:48 · answer #3 · answered by Logan 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure that's true that there are extremists on both sides some of us atheists...are just too fast with the rubber lips and have to show every emotion we have to try and show what we think. not unlike the religious that need to shove it down our throats. I'm not saying who is or is not an extremist here.
i consider myself...one with a bit more common sense in regards to how i come across. i prefer to show that i have thought deeply about my ideals. i prefer to show that i know quite a bit about the bible as well. i like to try and make a valid point.. that i hope...will only cause a mind to open a bit more than the reality we live in now
2007-12-18 17:40:57 · answer #4 · answered by pencilnbrush 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't say there are 'extremist' atheists. You either believe in God or you don't. There aren't degrees of non-belief as there is for religious belief (with bible literalists at one end of the spectrum and those who totally disregard the bible at the other end).
There are people who could be described as militant atheists, however, and I would count Dawkins amongst these because he is so anti-religion in every way and devotes so much to time to criticising it. Not all atheists think this way.
2007-12-18 17:37:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every group has it's extremists. But Richard Dawson was on Hogan's Heroes
2007-12-18 17:31:18 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are kooks of every stripe.
I just wish there weren't so many nerds and middle aged dudes in the atheist/agnostic world.
I don't think Richard Dawson is atheist. If he is I don't think he's public about it. I have no comments regarding his (lack of) spirituality, but he was kinda pervy when he insisted on kissing all of the women on Family Feud.
2007-12-18 17:36:57 · answer #7 · answered by Peter D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why is he considered an extremist? Because he doesn't tip toe behind religion and says how he truly feels? Or is it because he makes people question. Yes, I am sure that is it...
How can you extremely NOT believe in something? Just because you are rude, does not mean you are an extremist.
2007-12-18 17:31:56 · answer #8 · answered by alana 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are extremists on all sides, including atheists. As a matter of fact, I would say I see them often here on R&S, the ones so intolerant of anyone with a religious point of view.
2007-12-18 17:32:21 · answer #9 · answered by Tasha 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Dawkins is just a loud mouth. Mao is an extremist.
2007-12-18 17:31:19 · answer #10 · answered by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋