TFA:Dr Morgan said: "All of this is what I would call the new "fundamentalism" of our age. It allows no room for disagreement, for doubt, for debate, for discussion.

Apart from in churches, private residences, schools, everywhere really, including this article.

Another 'Waaaah, We're being oppressed!' moron.

Simply viewing religion as superstitious nonsense does not beget atheistic fundamentalism. The drive to destroy all traces of religion does.

However, most of us aren't like that. I'm certainly not. Live and let live, I say.

However, most of the examples the Bishop cites are just examples of Britain becoming a more culturally diverse nation, leading to a larger division of church and state, something that I don't feel is a bad thing.

But he said "virulent, almost irrational" attacks on it were "dangerous" because they refused to allow any contrary viewpoint and also affected the public perception of religion.

How can something be "almost irrational?"

And the irony of a high-ranking official in an established religion complaining about people not being allowed contrary viewpoints is quite delicious.

I'm still not sure who these atheists who "don't allow contrary viewpoints" are - all the well-known atheists of recent years are constantly engaging in debates with theists. They are usually quite eager to engage in open debate.

On the other hand, I'm afraid of compassionate conservatism, and that doesn't exist either.

I could have told the church that becoming militant would cause a backlash, but did they ask me first? Noooooooooo. Fine. You get what you deserve.

/ɹǝʇʇǝq ǝɯ pǝʇɐǝɹʇ pɐɥ noʎ ɥsıʍ ll,noʎ 'ǝuoƃ puɐ pɐǝp ɯ,ı uǝɥʍ

.

SphericalTime: Simply viewing religion as superstitious nonsense does not beget atheistic fundamentalism. The drive to destroy all traces of religion does.

My version of Atheistic Fundamentalism is to destroy religion by giving it every bit of power it asks for until it collapses under it's own weight. Religion has no enemy more dangerous than it's own followers.

Dralenan: On the other hand, I'm afraid of compassionate conservatism, and that doesn't exist either.

The headline is drawing an ironic parallel between the fear of atheistic fundamentalism and "God-fearing" as both being afraid of non-existent entities. I don't think subby is trying to criticize your fear of compassionate conservatism.

Mordant: My version of Atheistic Fundamentalism is to destroy religion by giving it every bit of power it asks for until it collapses under it's own weight. Religion has no enemy more dangerous than it's own followers.

While that's certainly an interesting point of view, I disagree with you on the premise that I find that religious followers are not just dangerous to religions but to the rest of us as well. Yeah, they might destroy their own religion, but they might destroy all of the rest of us at the same time.

the problem with atheists being all "live and let live" about the others we share the planet with is, the others are going to kill US in their efforts to wipe each other out. It's time to to stop letting theists push non believers around. Atheists are going to get more and more unruly as our liberties and freedoms are taken from us due to some problem religion created.

Where's my "TotalAtheist" badge? I know it's around here somewhere...

Oh, that's right: I don't go around inflicting my belief system on people who already have their own, no matter how much more sensible I think mine is.

Laws against christian bashing in 3..2....

Just a matter of time
/New Inquisition?

co-conspirator: Where's my "TotalAtheist" badge? I know it's around here somewhere...

Oh, that's right: I don't go around inflicting my belief system on people who already have their own, no matter how much more sensible I think mine is.

You're missing the point expressed in the article. There is an increasing intolerance in our modern 'society' towards overt expressions of faith. Specifically Christian faith. Just hang out on fark for a while and watch the religious discussion threads. You'll see example after example after example of not just rude behavior towards people of faith, but death wishes and hatred expressed in the crudest of terms.

Godscrack: Laws against christian bashing in 3..2....

Just a matter of time
/New Inquisition?

um....we already HAVE those laws. Ever spend time reading the hate crime legislation currently on the books?

ftfa:

The archbishop said "atheistic fundamentalism" was a new phenomenon.

He said it advocated that religion in general and Christianity in particular have no substance, and that some view the faith as "superstitious nonsense".

where's that 'i feel persecuted' image? prove to me that atheists think catholicism is any more screwed up than any other religion, and maybe you'd have a point

Weaver95: um....we already HAVE those laws. Ever spend time reading the hate crime legislation currently on the books?

I don't think you have if you think that current hate crimes legislation prohibits cricisms of any group, religious or not....

Of COURSE it's not a real thing, and soon about 50 atheists are going to show up in this thread and explain it in very fine detail and heap scorn on anyone who disagrees.

(movie announcer voice) Every year, around this time, Christians declare that I have declared war on them.

Well, this year, they're gonna get it.

One man, One Dream, One Leg, One Mission:

His mission?

Revenge.(//movie announcer voice)

Doggie McNugget: Of COURSE it's not a real thing, and soon about 50 atheists are going to show up in this thread and explain it in very fine detail and heap scorn on anyone who disagrees.

Name a topic on Fark in which this does not occur.

why would anybody think religion was "superstitious nonsense"?

oh yeah ... i remember ... because it is

Weaver95: You're missing the point expressed in the article. There is an increasing intolerance in our modern 'society' towards overt expressions of faith.

I'm sorry, but quoting Ayn Rand and demanding that everyone worship the free market isn't "Christianity." What people dress up nowadays as "Christianity" is secular libertarianism with a few token religious symbols.

Doggie McNugget: Of COURSE it's not a real thing, and soon about 50 atheists are going to show up in this thread and explain it in very fine detail and heap scorn on anyone who disagrees.

/SCORN

Boohoo. My religious views are no longer as dominant in society as they once were. I'm so oppressed.

Weaver95: You'll see example after example after example of not just rude behavior towards people of faith, but death wishes and hatred expressed in the crudest of terms.

Yeah you never see those kind of crazy comments by religious folk. I'm pretty sure asshats are equal opportunity, they come in every race, gender, creed, etc.

Wow, a bishop defending Christians from 'wicked atheism', no bias there. It's not like it's his job or anything.

Glad I'm a SubGenius.

It's the best of all the ONE TRUE RELIGIONS.



/Dobbs approved

SphericalTime: Simply viewing religion as superstitious nonsense does not beget atheistic fundamentalism. The drive to destroy all traces of religion does.

There's only like 100 people like that anywhere though. They do make a lot of noise.

But, pretty much everybody from all camps think they are morons.

If there's one thing the religious folk would do, which is take a step out of pushing for laws, expectations, etc. on others. ALL the issues would go away overnight.

Most people dont actually like fighting about religion all the time, but they get PROVOKED all the time and thus the problems.

scalpod: Glad I'm a SubGenius.

It's the best of all the ONE TRUE RELIGIONS.



/Dobbs approved

Cut us some slack(tm).

/scorn-free

i'm a fundamentalist. that is farking cool. i thought i'd have to grow a stupid beard, stop eating certain foods, learn a bunch of 2,000 year old books, take those books literally, go to some place of worship twice on sundays, give my kids up to some abuser, sing a bunch of stupid songs, believe out-of-marriage sex would see me burn in hell, take a pre-enlightenment view of homosexuality, renounce evolution and possibly blow myself up ... but all i have to do is pronounce that christianity superstitious nonsense

woohoo! i'm a real fundie. thanks bish

Mr Bishop: You said "fundamentalism", I think you meant "activism".

lake_huron: scalpod: Glad I'm a SubGenius.

It's the best of all the ONE TRUE RELIGIONS.



/Dobbs approved

Cut us some slack(tm).

/scorn-free

Send $30 and you too can learn to think for yourself and get back the slack THEY stole away. Only J.R. "Bob" Dobbs can show you how!

/I need to print xmas holiday cards with this on it.

Lionel Mandrake: How can something be "almost irrational?"

It can't. That's just the bishop's crazy talk coming through.

And the irony of a high-ranking official in an established religion complaining about people not being allowed contrary viewpoints is quite delicious.

How so? There's nothing that says a high-ranking official in an established religion necessarily persecutes other, contrary viewpoints. There are atheists out there who admit that totally ignoring the possibility of theism is idiotic -- and it is. Neither theism nor atheism has an upper hand in who is "right" (granted one of them must be wrong) -- we simply don't know which one.

I'm still not sure who these atheists who "don't allow contrary viewpoints" are - all the well-known atheists of recent years are constantly engaging in debates with theists. They are usually quite eager to engage in open debate.

Being willing to engage in debate and being willing to accept the possibility that contrary viewpoints are correct is two separate things. Some people explicitly engage in debate because they're unwilling to accept a contrary viewpoint, and want to pummel it, rather than simply explore the possibilities.

Well that's just a bunch of stupid right there. The only thing he said that was any good is fundamentalism = bad. Then he just went off into nut-job land.

Given that he worships things that don't exist, it makes sense that he's frightened of things that don't exist too.

I would almost think he was talking about me, but this "Bishop" is probably just a figment of someone's imagination.

Give me that old time atheism,
Give me that old time atheism,
Give me that old time atheism,
And it's good enough for me.

Uh... okay. When mainstream atheists start suicide bombing churches, you might just have a case. Until then, STFU and GBTW extorting grownups and scaring children with hell.

What the hell is an atheist fundamentalist? Atheists do not believe in the existence of god(s)? Does that make every Christian who believes in the divinity of Jesus a fundamentalist?

Tab 1, thread about religion
Tab 2, thread about porn
Now this is what I call multitasking.

FTA In his Christmas message, he said: "Any kind of fundamentalism, be it Biblical, atheistic or Islamic, is dangerous."

He hit the nail on the head with this one.

Lionel Mandrake: How can something be "almost irrational?"

when it's almost, but not quite, pi?

He said it led to situations such as councils calling Christmas "Winterval"

This never happened.

Birmingham City Council used 'Winterval' as a catch all term for its celebrations of Halloween, Bonfire Night, Diwali, Eid ul Adha, Christmas, and other celebrations held during winter.

Every year it has this symbol of rampant secularisation hanging from its offices:



Describe a threat, often where little exists, and use it to retain the fear of persecution in your followers. Oldest trick in the book.

/somewhat scornful

Atillathepun: Lionel Mandrake: How can something be "almost irrational?"

when it's almost, but not quite, pi?

The biblical value of pi? 3

kidsizedcoffin: /I need to print xmas holiday cards with this on it.

I see your picture, and raise you mine.



And I have to say I completely agree with the Archbishop. Flame on.

Well, it IS scary having people running loose telling people that life is pointless, meaningless, and we're all just momentary ripples in a sea of time in an uncaring and cold, uncaring universe...

God-fearing bishop adds "atheistic fundamentalism" to list of non-existent things to be scared of

Fear itself curiously absent from list.

Mongo cut wood: He hit the nail on the head with this one.

Except that fundamentalist atheist is about as real as Santa Claus.

So..

No.

He failed.
And so did you for believing his BS.