Difference between revisions of "Irreligious Britain and low social mobility"

Revision as of 15:20, October 13, 2015

The Guardian reported in 2012, "Britain has some of the lowest social mobility in the developed world - the OECD figures show our earnings in the UK are more likely to reflect our fathers' than any other country."^[1]

A Eurobarometer poll in 2010 reported that 37% of UK citizens "believed there is a God", 33% believe there is "some sort of spirit or life force" and 25% answered "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".^[2] See also: British atheism

In recent years, various members of Britain's atheists/agnostics, most notably Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens, have engaged in aggressive atheism evangelism efforts. See: New Atheism

The Daily Mail reported about Britain's influential broadcaster the BBC:

The Guardian reported in 2012, "Britain has some of the lowest social mobility in the developed world - the OECD figures show our earnings in the UK are more likely to reflect our fathers' than any other country."^[4]

Richard Dawkins' family fortune and the slave trade

On February 20, 2012, the British newspaper the Daily Mail reported that Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade".^[5]

See also: Richard Dawkins' family fortune and the slave trade

Richard Dawkins is one of the founders of the New Atheism movement. He is a UK citizen.

On February 20, 2012, the British newspaper the Daily Mail reported that Richard Dawkins' "family fortune came from the slave trade".^[6] On February 19, 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that Dawkins is being called to make reparations for his family's past.^[7]

The atheist philosopher John Gray says of Dawkins' time spent in Kenya: "Unlike the best of the colonial administrators, some of whom were deeply versed in the languages and histories of the peoples they ruled, Dawkins displays no interest in the cultures of the African countries where he lived as a boy. It is the obedient devotion of those who served his family that has remained in his memory."^[8]

Two recent atheist nonprofit scandals which received some publicity were the organizations Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science and the We Are Atheism organization.^{[9][10][11][12]} See: Atheist nonprofit scandals

Atheism, leftism, social justice/progressive values and hypocrisy

See also: Atheism and social justice and Atheist hypocrisy

Historically, the secular left has been dominant within the atheist community (see: Atheism and politics).

Progressive values according to leading progressive websites

According to leading progressive/leftists websites, progressive values include: freedom; opportunity; responsibility; cooperation/community; caring and responsibility, carried out with strength; protection/fairness; honesty and open communication.^[13][14] These practices are often seen as being conducive to social justice.

Atheism and lack of cooperation/community

The atheist population lacks cooperation/community, is known for engaging in bitter quarrels and is deeply divided (see: Atheist factions and Atheist movement). It also has significant racial/gender issues (see: Western atheism and race and Atheism and women).

Furthermore, atheistic countries often have significant problems with loneliness (See: Atheism and loneliness).

Atheism and lack of empathy

African children who received Manna Packs of rice from the Christian relief organization Feed My Starving Children.

The Barna Group found that even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did atheists and agnostics.^[15]

As far as the progressive values of caring/protection, in 2007 the Baptist Press reported:

See also: Atheism and uncharitableness

From a metaphysical, moral and spiritual perspective, atheists have an inability to satisfactorily explain the existence of love.^[17][18] See also: Atheism and love and Atheism and social justice

Britain and the history of social Darwinism

See also: Britain and the history of social Darwinism

Charles Darwin

Social Darwinism is a belief, popular in the late Victorian era in England, America, and elsewhere, which states that the strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. The theory was chiefly expounded by Herbert Spencer, whose ethical philosophies always held an elitist view and received a boost from the application of Darwinian ideas such as adaptation and natural selection.^[19] Its leading proponents have opined atheism/agnosticism.^[20][21][22]

Beginning in 1887, social scientists were using the term "social Darwinism" to apply the survival of the fittest theory to social situations. Under this theory, the wealthiest or most powerful in society must be biologically superior, and less "fit" persons should die.

Proponents of a particular form of social Darwinism, such as Herbert Spencer, taught that the powerful and wealthy were this way because they were genetically, biologically and evolutionally superior to the struggling inferior masses. They believed that society should do nothing to help improve the lot of working and living conditions of the lesser evolved masses. In the view of these social darwinists, charity is evil because it helps sustain the lives of those who otherwise would and should die via the natural selection process. In short, the weak were to do their duty and die while the fittest survived, which would one day lead to an evolutionarily super society and race.^[23]

Soon many began to view racial struggles, and war itself, as a perfectly natural example of survival-of-the-fittest in the human race. The horrific wars of the 20th century, employing shockingly brutal tactics, were encouraged by a belief in survival-of-the-fittest among humans. While social Darwinism itself was applied to social and economic situations rather than military ones, it is easy how extreme versions of social Darwinism could justify physical struggles among races.

Social Darwinism has been linked with racism, nationalism and imperialism.

Notes