Changes

[[Vox Day]] noted that the Richard Dawkins cult has some similarity to the cult of [[Scientology]].<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-cult-of-dicky-dawk.html The Cult of Dicky Dawkins]</ref> Dawkins is a leading figure in the [[New Atheism]] movement. The [[New Atheism]] movement, which has waned in recent years, was called a cult by the [[agnosticism|agnostic]], journalist Bryan Appleyard in a 2012 article in the ''New Statesman'' in which he describes the abusive behavior of New Atheists.<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2012/02/neo-atheism-atheists-dawkins ''The God wars'' by Bryan Appleyard], ''New Statesman''</ref>  Although the New Atheism movement does not perfectly fit the various characteristics of a cult, it does fit some of the characteristics.<ref>[http://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/how-cultish-is-new-atheism/ How cultish is the New Atheism?]</ref>

[[Vox Day]] noted that the Richard Dawkins cult has some similarity to the cult of [[Scientology]].<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-cult-of-dicky-dawk.html The Cult of Dicky Dawkins]</ref> Dawkins is a leading figure in the [[New Atheism]] movement. The [[New Atheism]] movement, which has waned in recent years, was called a cult by the [[agnosticism|agnostic]], journalist Bryan Appleyard in a 2012 article in the ''New Statesman'' in which he describes the abusive behavior of New Atheists.<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2012/02/neo-atheism-atheists-dawkins ''The God wars'' by Bryan Appleyard], ''New Statesman''</ref>  Although the New Atheism movement does not perfectly fit the various characteristics of a cult, it does fit some of the characteristics.<ref>[http://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/how-cultish-is-new-atheism/ How cultish is the New Atheism?]</ref>

The number of Dawkian atheists has significantly diminished post [[Elevatorgate]] and due to his generally [[Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins|abrasive manner]].  Dawkins does retain a small cult following though (See: [[Richard Dawkins' loss of influence]]).  The Dawkian atheists have been able to to retain Richard Dawkins being labeled as an atheist in his [[Wikipedia]] article despite Dawkins repeatedly and adamantly declaring that he is an agnostic and/or flip-flopping his public persona between atheism and [[agnosticism]] (See: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]).  

The number of Dawkian atheists has significantly diminished post [[Elevatorgate]] and due to his generally [[Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins|abrasive manner]].  Dawkins does retain a small cult following though (See: [[Richard Dawkins' loss of influence]]).  The Dawkian atheists have been able to retain Richard Dawkins being labeled as an atheist in his [[Wikipedia]] article despite Dawkins repeatedly and adamantly declaring that he is an agnostic and/or flip-flopping his public persona between atheism and [[agnosticism]] (See: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]).  

Richard Dawkins wrote a book entitled ''The Selfish Gene'' and Dawkins' fans tend to be arrogant, socially challenged, naive men (see: [[Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience]] and [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|Richard Dawkins and historical revisionism]] and [[Richard Dawkins and women]]).<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7322177/Richard-Dawkins-in-bitter-web-censorship-row-with-fellow-atheists.html Richard Dawkins is in a bitter censorship row with fellow atheist - The Telegraph]</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/01/mailvox-distribution-of-atheist.html MailVox: The distribution of atheist intelligence]</ref><ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> In February of 2010, the news organization ''The Telegraph'' reported Richard Dawkins was "embroiled in a bitter online battle over plans to rid his popular internet forum for atheists of foul language, insults and 'frivolous gossip'."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7322177/Richard-Dawkins-in-bitter-web-censorship-row-with-fellow-atheists.html  Richard Dawkins is in a bitter censorship row with fellow atheist - The Telegraph]</ref>  In 2013, [[Rebecca Watson]] said  she still receives harassment from male fans of Richard Dawkins.<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref>

Richard Dawkins wrote a book entitled ''The Selfish Gene'' and Dawkins' fans tend to be arrogant, socially challenged, naive men (see: [[Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience]] and [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|Richard Dawkins and historical revisionism]] and [[Richard Dawkins and women]]).<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7322177/Richard-Dawkins-in-bitter-web-censorship-row-with-fellow-atheists.html Richard Dawkins is in a bitter censorship row with fellow atheist - The Telegraph]</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/01/mailvox-distribution-of-atheist.html MailVox: The distribution of atheist intelligence]</ref><ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> In February of 2010, the news organization ''The Telegraph'' reported Richard Dawkins was "embroiled in a bitter online battle over plans to rid his popular internet forum for atheists of foul language, insults and 'frivolous gossip'."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7322177/Richard-Dawkins-in-bitter-web-censorship-row-with-fellow-atheists.html  Richard Dawkins is in a bitter censorship row with fellow atheist - The Telegraph]</ref>  In 2013, [[Rebecca Watson]] said  she still receives harassment from male fans of Richard Dawkins.<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref>

Despite the repeated claim that atheism is "not a religion", most New Atheists and anti-theists subscribe to some form of Scientism - the belief that physical science is the sole or most authoritative source of human knowledge. This belief ties in with philosophical views such as the Positivism of [[Auguste Comte]] as well as naturalism, materialism, physicalism, etc. and is a de facto religious or philosophical belief, not merely a "lack of belief". Ironically this view is actually a minority view of actual scientists historically and currently, most of whom do not belief that "nothing exists" beyond what has been observed in physical sciences (ex. mathematics is a formal science and mathematical proofs can be said to exist despite not being physical evidence which is testable in a laboratory experiment). Philosophers historically also did not state that deductive reasoning is the only valid form of reasoning for individuals to use when forming conclusions about the world around them.

Despite the repeated claim that atheism is "not a religion", most New Atheists and anti-theists subscribe to some form of Scientism - the belief that physical science is the sole or most authoritative source of human knowledge. This belief ties in with philosophical views such as the Positivism of [[Auguste Comte]] as well as naturalism, materialism, physicalism, etc. and is a de facto religious or philosophical belief, not merely a "lack of belief". Ironically this view is actually a minority view of actual scientists historically and currently, most of whom do not belief that "nothing exists" beyond what has been observed in physical sciences (ex. mathematics is a formal science and mathematical proofs can be said to exist despite not being physical evidence which is testable in a laboratory experiment). Philosophers historically also did not state that deductive reasoning is the only valid form of reasoning for individuals to use when forming conclusions about the world around them.

After the French Revolution Auguste Comte founded a "secular religion" based on the positivist philosophy that himself called the [https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Religion_of_Humanity Religion of Humanity], with positivist "churches" still existing in France (and more "atheist and secular humanist churches" popping up in the present day). This religion was one of Karl Marx's inspirations, and is the precursor to modern secular humanism which atheists such as Dawkins follow - however today it has simply been rebranded as "atheism" to avoid admitting it's religious origins. Therefore in reality New Atheists aren't even "atheists", they're members of a cult allegedly based on "science" founded by a "prophet" named Auguste Comte who's ideas are considered infallible to its members based on faith alone (meaning they essentially "worship" Auguste Comte as a replacement for "God")  not much unlike Scientology.

After the French Revolution Auguste Comte founded a "secular religion" based on the positivist philosophy that himself called the [https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Religion_of_Humanity Religion of Humanity], with positivist "churches" still existing in France (and more "atheist and secular humanist churches" popping up in the present day). This religion was one of Karl Marx's inspirations, and is the precursor to modern secular humanism which atheists such as Dawkins follow - however today it has simply been rebranded as "atheism" to avoid admitting it's religious origins. Therefore, in reality New Atheists aren't even "atheists", they're members of a cult allegedly based on "science" founded by a "prophet" named Auguste Comte who's ideas are considered infallible to its members based on faith alone (meaning they essentially "worship" Auguste Comte as a replacement for "God")  not much unlike Scientology.

==Nihilism==

==Nihilism==

[[Cryonics]] is a [[pseudoscience]] that tries to extend life or achieve immortality in a non-theistic way after a person is legally declared dead.<ref>[http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cold-reality-versus-the-wishful-thinking-of-cryonics/ Cold reality versus the wishful thinking of cryonics] by David Gorski, August 2, 2014</ref><ref>[http://thehumanist.com/july-august-2011/heaven-for-atheists/ Heaven for atheists - TheHumanist.com]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and cryonics]] and [[Atheism and death]]

[[Cryonics]] is a [[pseudoscience]] that tries to extend life or achieve immortality in a non-theistic way after a person is legally declared dead.<ref>[http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cold-reality-versus-the-wishful-thinking-of-cryonics/ Cold reality versus the wishful thinking of cryonics] by David Gorski, August 2, 2014</ref><ref>[http://thehumanist.com/july-august-2011/heaven-for-atheists/ Heaven for atheists - TheHumanist.com]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and cryonics]] and [[Atheism and death]]

[[Robert Ettinger]] was an atheist and American academic who some consider to be "the father of cryonics" because of the impact of his 1962 book ''The Prospect of Immortality''.<ref>"[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/8658435/Robert-Ettinger.html Robert Ettinger]". The Telegraph. July 24, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2013. "Despite his Jewish roots, he grew up a determined atheist."</ref><ref>Klein, Bruce (August 13, 2004). "[http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/4112-the-father-of-cryonics-robert-c-w-ettinger/ The Father of Cryonics], Robert C. W. Ettinger, Interview with Bruce Klein". Immortality Institute. Retrieved May 24, 2009.</ref> Evan Cooper was also a founding father of cryonics movement.<ref>[http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=23124 Evan Cooper and the cryonics movement]</ref>  Cooper was a very private man and and there may be no record of his [[worldview]] as far as it whether he was an atheist, [[agnosticism|agnostic]] or [[theism|theist]].<ref>[http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=23124 Evan Cooper and the cryonics movement]</ref>  Evan Cooper abandoned the cryonics movement after he felt that the extension of life through cryonics would not be achievable in his lifetime.<ref>[http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=23124 Evan Cooper and the cryonics movement]</ref>  

[[Robert Ettinger]] was an atheist and American academic who some consider to be "the father of cryonics" because of the impact of his 1962 book ''The Prospect of Immortality''.<ref>"[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/8658435/Robert-Ettinger.html Robert Ettinger]". The Telegraph. July 24, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2013. "Despite his Jewish roots, he grew up a determined atheist."</ref><ref>Klein, Bruce (August 13, 2004). "[http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/4112-the-father-of-cryonics-robert-c-w-ettinger/ The Father of Cryonics], Robert C. W. Ettinger, Interview with Bruce Klein". Immortality Institute. Retrieved May 24, 2009.</ref> Evan Cooper was also a founding father of cryonics movement.<ref>[http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=23124 Evan Cooper and the cryonics movement]</ref>  Cooper was a very private man and there may be no record of his [[worldview]] as far as it whether he was an atheist, agnostic or [[theism|theist]].<ref>[http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=23124 Evan Cooper and the cryonics movement]</ref>  Evan Cooper abandoned the cryonics movement after he felt that the extension of life through cryonics would not be achievable in his lifetime.<ref>[http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=23124 Evan Cooper and the cryonics movement]</ref>  

According to The Cryonics Society:

According to The Cryonics Society:

==References==

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{reflist|2}}

[[Category: Atheism]]

[[Category:Atheism]]