Atheism and social justice

A child in Thailand where the nontheistic form of Buddhism called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. In 2010, the Pew Research Forum indicated that 93.2% of the people of Thailand were Buddhists.

Per capita atheists and agnostics in America give significantly less to charity than theists even when church giving is not counted for theists (See: Atheism and uncharitableness).

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

Progressive values according to leading progressive/leftist 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. These practices are often seen as being conducive to social justice.

The atheist population has not lived up to these standards (see: Atheist hypocrisy).

Since 2010, the last time the survey was carried out, one million more French people are leading solitary lives, with an estimated five million or 12 percent of the nation’s population aged over 18 now living without any social relations through family, friends, work or their community. See also: Atheism and loneliness

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).

The atheist population 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

As far as the progressive values of caring/protection, the American atheist population gives less to charity per capita than Christians even when church giving is not counted (see: Atheism and uncharitableness).

In June of 2014, the African-American atheist woman Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson wrote in the Washington Post that white atheists organizations generally focus on church/state separation and creationism issues and not the concerns the less affluent African American population faces. Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations do focus on helping poor African Americans.

In addition, the historical record shows that atheists have often been uncaring and atheists have engaged in barbarous/uncivilized behavior (see: Atheism and mass murder and Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army and Atheism and cannibalism and Atheism and bestiality).

Also, atheists rarely focuses on the issue of social Darwinism in their communities past and often takes offense when biblical creationists bring this matter up.

Atheists falling short of the progressive value of freedom

As far as the values of freedom, militant atheists continue to deny basic freedoms to people (See: Militant atheism and Atheism and intolerance and Atheism and forced labor).

Atheists and the issue of honesty

As far as honesty, atheists have a poor record in this area as well (see: Atheism and deception and Atheist indoctrination).

Rebuke of PZ Myers by the atheist Michael Nugent relative to the area of social justice

Michael Nugent

See also: PZ Myers and social justice

The Irish atheist Michael Nugent wrote to PZ Myers in September of 2014:

“

Some of the content of your blog is hurtful and unjust in itself, it also undermines the effectiveness of attempts to promote compassion and empathy and social justice, and it is additionally harmful because of your prominence as a perceived spokesperson for organised atheism... PZ, is this really how you want to be remembered? Having defended you against unjust attacks from others, I am now asking you to take a long hard look at what you are doing, consider apologising to people who you have unjustly hurt and defamed, and start focusing on actually promoting compassion and empathy and social justice if those ideas are important to you.

”

On April 2015, Atheist Ireland announced, "Atheist Ireland is publicly dissociating itself from the hurtful and dehumanising, hateful and violent, unjust and defamatory rhetoric of the atheist blogger PZ Myers." The atheist biologist Massimo Pigliucci said of Myers, "one cannot conclude this parade without mentioning P.Z. Myers, who has risen to fame because of a blog where the level of nastiness (both by the host and by his readers) is rarely matched anywhere else on the Internet...".

Due to its notability requirements, the website Wikipedia (which was founded by an atheist and agnostic), does not make mention of any specific accomplishments PZ Myers may have achieved in the area of social justice. Wikipedia does mention the social justice accomplishments of Christians such as William Wilberforce, Harriet Beecher Stowe and others.

Hypocrisy of secular humanists

See also: Atheist hypocrisy and Secular humanism

In response to the question, "Why is incest wrong?", the atheist Lawrence Krauss said, "It's not clear to me that it is wrong." See: Atheism and incest

Secular humanism is humanism that is atheistic in nature. It is a philosophy which holds that human beings are the most important figures, and that social problems are best solved without the involvement of religious doctrine. People who are secular humanists purport to focus on ways to better themselves and human beings as a whole. The American Humanist Association's motto on the the main page of their website is "good without a God".

Lawrence Krauss Humanist of the Year in 2015 and his statement on incest

In 2015, Arizona State University professor Lawrence Krauss was named the 2015 Humanist of the Year by the American Humanists Association.

In response to the question, "Why is incest wrong?", Krauss said, "It's not clear to me that it is wrong." See also: Atheism and incest

PZ Myers: Humanist of the Year in 2011 and his inappropriate previous behavior

The American Humanist Association defines humanism thusly: "Humanism is a progressive lifestance that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead meaningful, ethical lives capable of adding to the greater good of humanity." The American Humanist Association's slogan is "Good without God".

In 2011, the atheist PZ Myers won the International Humanist Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Prior to that in 2009, Myers won the Humanist of the Year award from the American Humanist Association.

In 2008, Myers rejoiced at the death of a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest who died a premature accidental death and then Myers fantasized about personally killing other priests. See also: PZ Myers and social justice)

Bitter infighting within the secular humanism faction of atheism

See also: Atheist factions and Atheism and bitterness

Paul Kurtz is an atheist philosopher who formerly taught at the State University of NY at Buffalo. Dr. Paul Kurtz founded the modern secular humanism movement which is a form of philosophical skepticism. In addition, he also founded the organization the Center for Inquiry which focuses on promoting secular humanism. In 2009, Dr. Kurtz lost his leadership position at the Center for Inquiry.

Paul Kurtz

Currently, there is an ideological struggle within the modern secular humanism faction of atheism concerning how militant the movement should be which primarily arose post New Atheism movement which is a more militant form of atheism. (see also: Militant atheism). Paul Kurtz is against the secular humanism movement becoming more militant but some newer followers of secular humanism disagree with Kurtz.

Kurtz's ouster from the Center of Inquiry leadership position

On October 10, 2010, a contentious exchange between members of the Secular Humanism faction of atheism founded by Paul Kurtz and the atheist Ron Lindsay was caught on tape.Video - Part one and Video - Part 2

During the exchange Ron Lindsay said that infighting has been occurring within the Secular Humanism faction of atheism for years. A Paul Kurtz supporter said that Kurtz was censored by Ron Lindsay and his supporters and Kurtz was driven out of the organization that he founded (Center for Inquiry). Lindsay claimed, however, that Kurtz voluntarily resigned from the organization he founded and Kurtz was never censored. Furthermore, Lindsay said that Kurtz's idea of a "planetary federation" was impractical. Kurtz countered that he was never allowed to publish why he resigned from the organization and that he was censored by the organization that he founded.

Dr. Kurtz described the events surrounding the loss of his leadership position as a "shattering blow".

Atheism plus, Jen McCreight and Richard Carrier

Atheism plus is a faction of atheism which holds to a liberal/progressive political agenda. It developed out of the atheist and political ideology of Freethought blogs and was partly a response to the New Atheism and to the Elevatorgate scandal.

In October of 2014, the popular YouTube atheist Thunderf00t commented on how Jen McCreight, the founder of the atheist feminist movement Atheism plus abandoned her movement within two weeks. Thunderf00t also commented on how Richard Carrier "the intellectual artillery" of the movement, quit promoting the movement within a month.

Richard Carrier

Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce and polyamory

See also: Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce and polyamory and Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships

The atheist Richard Carrier divorced his wife and now practices polyamory. Before divorcing his wife, he was involved in adulterous affairs.

The Christtian apologist Jason Engwar at the Christian blog Triablogue wrote:

“

Richard Carrier has a post up announcing that he's "polyamorous", which he calls his "sexual orientation". He's been adulterous in his relationship with his wife, and they decided to get a divorce after having tried polyamory for a while. In the thread, he refers to how he has "sympathy for people who cheat on their spouses", how he's come across "many" polyamorists, and how he's become more convinced that "monogamy is the actual problem". So far, most of the responses at his blog are positive.

”

See also:

• Along Came Poly, Christian apologist Nick Peters on Richard Carrier's adulterous affairs, adultery and polyamory

• Atheist Richard Carrier is a polyamorous dog by Ken Ammi

• A portrait in petty atheism

• The Decline and Fall of Richard Carrier

See also

• Atheist hospitals

• Richard Dawkins' family fortune and the slave trade

• Moral failures of the atheist population

• Atheism and morality