tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post6267349973405869566..comments2023-10-31T05:03:38.910-07:00Comments on Letters from a broad...: Atheism and ruining it for everybody!!C. L. Hansonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-92070573916271313112014-09-15T07:07:59.582-07:002014-09-15T07:07:59.582-07:00Update:
In. Hole. Stop. Digging.Update:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2014/09/the-shermer-affair-erupts/" rel="nofollow">In. Hole.</a> <a href="http://freethoughtblogs.com/almostdiamonds/2014/09/13/dawkins-tries-again/" rel="nofollow">Stop. Digging.</a>C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-55511524586332981392014-09-14T22:07:04.723-07:002014-09-14T22:07:04.723-07:00Hey Andrew!!!
I'm glad if this is helpful to ...Hey Andrew!!!<br /><br />I'm glad if this is helpful to you, but the point isn't for men to do some sort of "mea culpa" ;)<br /><br />Statistics show that a surprisingly high proportion of men commit rape, even in modern societies. But the thing to keep in mind is that our modern definition of rape (centered around a woman's autonomy/consent) is a relatively novel invention in our culture. It's not that the male sex drive or men in general are evil. Humans generally would rather be the good guy than the villain, but you have to have the tools -- the tools, the information that is -- to know how.<br /><br />Religions often impede this flow of information (through abstinence education, etc.). The atheist movement should not be also impeding it. Atheists should not be standing in the way of harassment policies at conferences or shouting down Rebecca Watson for discussing that elevator incident. We should welcome a constructive discussion about what our cultural norms and expectations in such situations should be. That helps make living in a society work better for all of us.<br /><br />Hey Daniel!!!<br /><br />I know. He was apparently recently quoted as saying that he's for "equality feminism" but not "gender feminism" -- totally oblivious to the fact that this is a caricature of feminism spread by people who are not in favor of feminism (think: "I believe in micro-evolution but not macro-evolution").<br /><br />It's weirdly interesting to see someone like Dawkins falling into the trap of not being able to recognize the limits of his own expertise -- and blithely pronouncing on subjects that he should realize he knows nothing about. It's also sad to see him gratuitously trashing his own hard-earned respect and reputation in the process, not to mention creating unnecessary rifts in our movement.C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-30978301732495208092014-09-14T16:51:34.413-07:002014-09-14T16:51:34.413-07:00Love Dawkins' work, but ugh. He's also com...Love Dawkins' work, but ugh. He's also complaining about radical feminism now. And insisting that anyone who disagrees go away and learn how to think.<br /><br />A septuagenarian complaining about radical feminism? I never would have expected. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877346950463934048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-1299446946006712752014-09-14T07:27:50.009-07:002014-09-14T07:27:50.009-07:00Awesome, and thank you for this. I am a new Athei...Awesome, and thank you for this. I am a new Atheist... and that is also bringing me new insight into women's issues. I was never intentionally callous and doltish, but I am realizing I was, and am, on these topics.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494823779999456396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-19760800409079320382014-09-13T12:57:17.017-07:002014-09-13T12:57:17.017-07:00Thanks!!!
BTW, the specific tweet from Dawkins th...Thanks!!!<br /><br />BTW, the specific tweet from Dawkins that I'm referring to is the one where he said "Date rape is bad. Stranger rape at knifepoint is worse. If you think that's an endorsement of date rape, go away and learn how to think."<br /><br />Then, when people reacted badly to this tweet, he wrote "It is deplorable that there are many people who are literally afraid to think and speak freely, afraid to raise even hypothetical questions such as "which kind of rape is worse?". They are afraid - and I promise you I am not exaggerating - of witch-hunts: hunts for latter day blasphemers by latter day Inquisitions and latter day incarnations of Orwell's Thought Police."<br /><br />To me, this is a little like if someone had asked his opinion on the Ebola virus and he said "I think people who have only a mild case Ebola need to stop their whining because other people have it worse." (A bit like his "Dear Muslima" comment discussed in the linked article.)<br /><br />It doesn't even matter whether his point is accurate or logical -- it is completely pointless and unhelpful analysis. It makes me wonder why people are listening to this doofus at all.C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-4852371871016889222014-09-13T12:42:18.634-07:002014-09-13T12:42:18.634-07:00there is terrific. thanks.there is terrific. thanks.Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16506658008234465418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-28834969531620231262014-09-13T08:55:24.077-07:002014-09-13T08:55:24.077-07:00This is the first I've heard of this as I don&...This is the first I've heard of this as I don't participate in the atheist community. However it certainly seems oddly timed against the American media focus on violence against women right now. <br /><br />Have fun at Denkfest!Donna Bantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271377907141866718noreply@blogger.com