<p>How times have changed…</p>
<p>
<a href=“http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110009482[/url]”>http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110009482</a></p>
<p>If you want to learn more, read the God Delusion by Dawkins…</p>
<p>To me its scary the peoople would rather higher an murderous excon who was born again than a professed atheist</p>
<p>Does professng to believe in ancient texts somehow makes the person a better person, and that atheists have no morals because they don’t need an exterior force to tell them how to act?</p>
<p>Bet if you went back in time to the writers discussed in the opinion piece, one would learn that in order to survive and be supported it was imperative they write about God</p>
<p>Can’t imagine that fear of jail, torture and death might not have had some effect on what was put into print- just look at the artists, in order to get any $$ religion was the subject de jour</p>
<p>Reading op-ed pieces should just be a stepping off point for knowledge, Read the source material if you want to see both sides</p>
<p>as well, I try and read other pieces by the writer…I did for dawkins and I did for Schulman…um, not my cup of tea…his political leanings are very far from mine, and his disdain for those that don’t support Isreal 110 or Bush for that matter, well, comes through loud and clear</p>
<p>so his hatred for Atheists is not suprising…too bad his piece was so blah</p>
<p>I’m not an atheist, but I wonder why some people find them so threatening?</p>
<p>There are white Protestants who don’t like white Catholics. If two groups who both believe in God and Jesus have problems, imagine their relationships with people who don’t believe in God. I guess one reason is that religion is a source of morals and values, and if someone does not believe in God or religion, one may think that that person has no values. I don’t believe all this, but many people do.</p>
<p>Allmusic - Gee, think much?</p>
<p>“When the very first population of atheists roamed the earth in the Victorian age…it was the personal dimension of atheism that others found distressing…”</p>
<p>Just plain ignorant. There were atheists all throughout the Italian Renaissance, beginning with Cavalcante among the well-known ones (there were plenty before), and continuing for more than 300 years through Monteverdi. Some of them (like Botticelli) even did religious paintings for their patrons. They were often called “Epicureans”, though they had virtually nothing to do with Epicurus, other than the belief that the soul dies with the body, and there is nothing beyond material reality. There were even atheist (“Epicurean”) popes (though not as many as there were openly gay ones).</p>
<p>Dante, who was close friends with Cavalcante, even has the latter’s father in the 6th ring of the Inferno.</p>
<p>When an author gets the facts of the very first line of an opinion piece so wrong, it is hard to take the rest seriously.</p>
<p>Care to explain that sarcastic remark, Leanid?</p>
<p>Allmusic - I would, but someone at CC has declared that I have “no voice”, thus I must be mute.</p>
<p>mini - Sure there were “atheists” during the Renaissance, there would have to be, by logical extension of being “humanists”.</p>
<p>It’s not just “logical extension” - they professed a lack of belief in the Deity, and for all things non-material.</p>
<p>So, they were atheists first? And, since there was no greater being then – of course – humans had to fill the void! Wow, what a bunch of snug snots!</p>
<p>It wasn’t “first” or “second” - they simply were. (But Cavalcante was before the great age of humanists.)</p>
<p>Alllmusic,</p>
<p>I have had the same question all my life - why are religious people threatened by Atheists? I’m pretty sure that none of Hitler, Saddam Hussein, the 911 terrorists nor Timothy McVeigh was an Atheist. In fact, I cannot remember when I have ever heard of any great (or small) crime being committed against another by an Atheist or in the name of Atheism.</p>
<p>It would be enlightening to me if someone on this board could elaborate with a reasoned answer.</p>
<p>Bay - </p>
<p>Take a look at communism. I think it and the Atheism it follows has taken a severe toll on many.</p>
<p>ucsd-</p>
<p>But does Atheism = Communisim? Does one naturally follow? Please elaborate.</p>
<p>I am not a parent; can I post here? One of the essays I sent to colleges was about how, as an atheist, I stopped believing myself “superior”, and started to respect creeds. I think that the text up there generalizes openly; it sounds more resentful and fallacious than critical and rational. </p>
<p>I am not a Communist myself; but I wonder, what do people have against this ideology to talk about it as if it were “evil”? Isn’t that a prejudice based on extremely simple concepts? Beyond some unpractical governments that were based on personal interpretations, Communism has been a key element in the development of modern democracies. But of course, some people can’t see beyond that.</p>
<p>Communism doesn’t follow Atheism but Atheism seems to follow Communism as it’s been manifested around the world. Religions are a threat to totalitarian control so religions other than the one in power (in this case Atheism) aren’t tolerated. This intolerance combined with a brutal regime has resulted in many deaths and brutal repression around the world.</p>
<p>I’m not implying all Atheists are behave this way but was just responding to the statement that Atheists haven’t commited crimes or harm against others in the name of their belief (Atheism).</p>
<p>If you look at Atheism for what it is and how many Atheists behave, there’s little difference between them and other religions (re the intolerance and the idea that they are unilaterally correct despite no ability to prove their case).</p>
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<p>The Gulag and the Cultural Revolution spring to mind.</p>
<p>I would appreciate if you read my further senteces too. Thank you.</p>
<p>
LOL! I guess Solzhenitsyn isn’t part of Kyo’s core curriculum. But even current college kids must have been alive for Tienneman Square, no?</p>