Changes

== Modern American/British militant atheists and the use of ridicule ==

== Modern American/British militant atheists and the use of ridicule ==

[[Image:Mbarber_b.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|[[Matt Barber]] ]]

[[Image:Mbarber_b.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|[[Matt Barber]] ]]

The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] declared to this fellow atheists:

The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] declared to this fellow atheists:

{{cquote|I suspect that most of our regular readers here would agree that ridicule, of a humorous nature, is likely to be more effective than the sort of snuggling-up and head-patting that Jerry is attacking. I lately started to think that we need to go further: go beyond humorous ridicule, sharpen our barbs to a point where they really hurt.<ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]</ref>}}

{{cquote|I suspect that most of our regular readers here would agree that ridicule, of a humorous nature, is likely to be more effective than the sort of snuggling-up and head-patting that Jerry is attacking. I lately started to think that we need to go further: go beyond humorous ridicule, sharpen our barbs to a point where they really hurt.<ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]</ref>}}

In his article, ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists'', [[Matt Barber]] discusses an incident in which the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] encouraged atheists to engage in tactics which Barber considers to be acts of hateful mockery.<ref>[http://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/matt-barber/2014/05/08/mockery-the-mo-for-atheists ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists''] by [[Matt Barber]]</ref>

In his article, ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists'', [[Matt Barber]] discusses an incident in which the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] encouraged atheists to engage in tactics which Barber considers to be acts of hateful mockery.<ref>[http://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/matt-barber/2014/05/08/mockery-the-mo-for-atheists ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists''] by [[Matt Barber]]</ref>

[[Reddit atheism]] has become well-known for its childish/"low brow" humor.<ref>[http://mashable.com/2013/06/14/reddit-atheism-mods/ Reddit Atheists Have New Leadership After Turbulent Coup]</ref>  

[[Reddit atheism]] has become well-known for its childish/"low brow" humor.<ref>[http://mashable.com/2013/06/14/reddit-atheism-mods/ Reddit Atheists Have New Leadership After Turbulent Coup]</ref>  

{{cquote|In recent years, r/atheism has become known for [[meme]]s, images, quote pictures and other content viewed by some as "low brow."<ref>[http://mashable.com/2013/06/14/reddit-atheism-mods/ Reddit Atheists Have New Leadership After Turbulent Coup]</ref>}}  

{{cquote|In recent years, r/atheism has become known for [[meme]]s, images, quote pictures and other content viewed by some as "low brow."<ref>[http://mashable.com/2013/06/14/reddit-atheism-mods/ Reddit Atheists Have New Leadership After Turbulent Coup]</ref>}}  

[[File:Penn Jillette.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|[[Penn Jillette]] ]]

[[File:Penn Jillette.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|[[Penn Jillette]] ]]

Atheists [[Penn and Teller]] produced a poorly reasoned video disputing the veracity of the [[Bible]] which used low grade humor and it was entitled "The Bible is bull****""."<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0672540/  Penn & Teller - The Bible is Bull****]</ref> (see also: [[Atheism and the Bible]] and [[Bible apologetics website resources]]). Yet, after producing two videos after being listed in Conservapedia's [[atheism and obesity]] article and having a [[Essay: Conservapedia's challenge to atheist Penn Jillette|debate challenge]] directed his way which employed some humor, atheist [[Penn Jillette]] posted a video on the internet which declared:

Atheists [[Penn and Teller]] produced a poorly reasoned video disputing the veracity of the [[Bible]] which used low grade humor and it was entitled "The Bible is bull****""."<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0672540/  Penn & Teller - The Bible is Bull****]</ref> (see also: [[Atheism and the Bible]] and [[Bible apologetics website resources]]). Yet, after producing two videos after being listed in Conservapedia's [[atheism and obesity]] article and having a [[Essay: Conservapedia's challenge to atheist Penn Jillette|debate challenge]] directed his way which employed some humor, atheist [[Penn Jillette]] posted a video on the internet which declared:

{{cquote|I didn't really read the stuff so I guess I can't really comment...  

{{cquote|I didn't really read the stuff so I guess I can't really comment...  

Hateful mockery can backfire - especially when a group in the minority. Atheists are the least trusted group in America (see: [[Views on Atheists|Views on atheists]]).

Hateful mockery can backfire - especially when a group in the minority. Atheists are the least trusted group in America (see: [[Views on Atheists|Views on atheists]]).

[[Saul Alinsky]], an agnostic, was an American secular leftist who championed ridicule as a means to achieve political ends.<ref>{{cite book|title=Radical: A Portrait of Saul Alinsky|year=2010|publisher=Nation Books|isbn=9781568586250|pages=108–109|author=Nicholas Von Hoffman|quote=He passed the word in the Back of the Yards that this Jewish agnostic was okay, which at least ensured that he would not be kicked out the door.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church: A Theological Perspective|year=2011|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=9781589017436|author=Charles E. Curran|page=32|quote=Saul D. Alinsky, an agnostic Jew, organized the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago in the late 1930s and started the Industrial Areas Foundation in 1940 to promote community organizations and to train community organizers.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Understanding Maritain: Philosopher and Friend|year=1987|publisher=Mercer University Press|isbn=9780865542792|author=Deal Wyatt Hudson|editor=Deal Wyatt Hudson, Matthew J. Mancini|page=40|quote=Saul Alinsky was an agnostic Jew for whom religion of any kind held very little importance and just as little relation to the focus of his life's work: the struggle for economic and social justice, for human dignity and human rights, and for the alleviation of the sufferings of the poor and downtrodden.}}</ref> One of his 12 rules of radicals was "'Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.' There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions."<ref>[http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/saul-alinskys-12-rules-for-radicals Saul Alinsky’s 12 Rules for Radicals]</ref>

[[Saul Alinsky]], an agnostic, was an American secular leftist who championed ridicule as a means to achieve political ends.<ref>{{cite book|title=Radical: A Portrait of Saul Alinsky|year=2010|publisher=Nation Books|isbn=9781568586250|pages=108–109|author=Nicholas Von Hoffman|quote=He passed the word in the Back of the Yards that this Jewish agnostic was okay, which at least ensured that he would not be kicked out the door.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church: A Theological Perspective|year=2011|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=9781589017436|author=Charles E. Curran|page=32|quote=Saul D. Alinsky, an agnostic Jew, organized the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago in the late 1930s and started the Industrial Areas Foundation in 1940 to promote community organizations and to train community organizers.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Understanding Maritain: Philosopher and Friend|year=1987|publisher=Mercer University Press|isbn=9780865542792|author=Deal Wyatt Hudson|editor=Deal Wyatt Hudson, Matthew J. Mancini|page=40|quote=Saul Alinsky was an agnostic Jew for whom religion of any kind held very little importance and just as little relation to the focus of his life's work: the struggle for economic and social justice, for human dignity and human rights, and for the alleviation of the sufferings of the poor and downtrodden.}}</ref> One of his 12 rules of radicals was "'Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.' There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions."<ref>[http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/saul-alinskys-12-rules-for-radicals Saul Alinsky’s 12 Rules for Radicals]</ref>