What is Militant Atheism?

[bernee51]

In another thread a poster wrote: "Militant atheists are stealing people's hope, ..."

I have never been able to find out precisely what militant atheism is. I only know that people are described as a militant atheists if they dare to express sentiments that fail to show the deferential submissiveness traditionally accorded to religion, religious beliefs, and religious believers. Whenever a minority (which is often despised by members of a majority) tries to stand up and assert its equal dignity and rights, some members of the privileged majority will react with horror at the rudeness and intolerance. They are so accustomed to be treated as special that any attempt to deny this is perceived as a terrible insult.

Perhaps this attitude is what leads to so much of the arrogant and condescending accusations which many theists keep repeating about non-believers - all of which have been leveled, at one time or another, at atheists on this forum: we can't be moral, we can't having meaning in life, we can't appreciate love or beauty, we have empty holes in our lives, etc. It would seem such accusations are born out of fear. It allows the one making the accusation feel better about themselves because at least they don't have such a horrible existence like those poor atheists.

So is an atheist militant purely because they dare to question the belief systems that have long felt they hold a position of privilege?

[MikeH]

The only thing I can think of as a militant Atheist would be somebody who believes in some sort of Atheist theocracy........

Interseting oxymoron...

That's why I said "some sort of..." Likening it to something we can picture in our heads while recognizing that it is not the same.

...round up all the religious and throw them in prisons, etc. I have heard that sentiment from a few on this board.

Really? That is a serious accusation. Can you back it up?

Sure. The "A call to criminalize Christianity" thread suggests using government force of power to quench a religious belief system. That seems quite militant, don't ya think?

[MikeH]

It would seem that a 'militant' atheist is anyone who actively questions a theistic point of view - particularly if that theism is of the christian kind.

A militant atheist is anyone who questions the equity of the privilege accorded particular religions in particular countries.

A militant atheist is anyone who reacts against the unfounded and illogical attacks of believers.

Not true. For an atheist (or anybody) to be militant, they have to do something militant. Somebody who argues for atheism is not militant. An atheist who burns down a church is a militant atheist. It's easy to see the distinction.

[McCulloch]

Not true. For an atheist (or anybody) to be militant, they have to do something militant. Somebody who argues for atheism is not militant. An atheist who burns down a church is a militant atheist. It's easy to see the distinction.

I would extend that definition to anyone who either does something militant or advocates that others do something militant. In that sense, an atheist who advocates church burning is militant as is the atheist who actually torches the church.

[MikeH]

I would extend that definition to anyone who either does something militant or advocates that others do something militant. In that sense, an atheist who advocates church burning is militant as is the atheist who actually torches the church.

This is true.

[bernee51]

It would seem that a 'militant' atheist is anyone who actively questions a theistic point of view - particularly if that theism is of the christian kind.

A militant atheist is anyone who questions the equity of the privilege accorded particular religions in particular countries.

A militant atheist is anyone who reacts against the unfounded and illogical attacks of believers.

Not true.

Sorry Mike - forgot the [sarcasm] tags. The scenarios I was describing are those I have seen offered by many believers when they come across atheists who are not afraid to voice their lack of belief.

An atheist who burns down a church is a militant atheist. It's easy to see the distinction.

I would describe them as a terrorist who happens to be an atheist and is using terror to make their point.

[MikeH]

I would describe them as a terrorist who happens to be an atheist and is using terror to make their point.

Oooook, or you could also say Militant Atheist. Or are you saying there must have been some other objective besides just hating churches and wanting to burn them down.

[bernee51]

I would describe them as a terrorist who happens to be an atheist and is using terror to make their point.

Oooook, or you could also say Militant Atheist. Or are you saying there must have been some other objective besides just hating churches and wanting to burn them down.

Someone who saw religions as a controlling feature of society which they wanted to destroy in order that their ideology could dominate. Certain totalitarian regimes of the 20th century come to mind.

[MikeH]

Someone who saw religions as a controlling feature of society which they wanted to destroy in order that their ideology could dominate. Certain totalitarian regimes of the 20th century come to mind.

So..........militant atheist

[Goat]

Someone who saw religions as a controlling feature of society which they wanted to destroy in order that their ideology could dominate. Certain totalitarian regimes of the 20th century come to mind.

So..........militant atheist

More like totalitarian egotist. The purpose was self promotion, and had really nothing to do with atheism at all. It was an atheist that happened to be militant. But not militant because of atheism,or using atheism as a goal or justification.

[MikeH]

More like totalitarian egotist. The purpose was self promotion, and had really nothing to do with atheism at all. It was an atheist that happened to be militant. But not militant because of atheism,or using atheism as a goal or justification.

You're using the same sort of double talk that religious moderates use to justify religious extremists. They "just happened to be atheist" and "just so happened" to destroy churches and execute the religious, while banning any mention of a god in public, punishable by imprisonment or death.

They might not be militant because of atheism, but most definitely as a goal or justification. One of the goals of communism is to erase any religion because religion is seen as a hindrance to their workers paradise. This is justification. The proof is also in the pudding, as China has one of, if not the, lowest percentage of religious in the world. They pretty much attained their goal of replacing theism with atheism throughout the country.

It is intellectually dishonest to say that there can be no militant atheism. Just because troops are not marching to the flag of the flying spaghetti monster does not mean that people cannot, by force, attempt to spread atheism.