Atheism and social justice
Historically, the secular left has been dominant within the atheist population, (see: Atheism and politics).
Contents
- 1 Progressive values according to leading progressive websites
- 2 Atheism and lack of cooperation/community
- 3 Atheism and lack of empathy
- 4 Atheists falling short of the progressive value of freedom
- 5 Atheists and the issue of honesty
- 6 Rebuke of PZ Myers by the atheist Michael Nugent relative to the area of social justice
- 7 Hypocrisy of secular humanists
- 8 See also
- 9 Notes
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.[2][3] These practices are often seen as being conducive to social justice.
The atheist population has not lived up to these standards (see: Atheist hypocrisy).
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.[5] Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations do focus on helping poor African Americans.[6]
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.[7][8]
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
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.[9] |
” |
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."[10] 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...".[11]
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
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".<refAmerican Humanist Association website</ref>
PZ Myers: Humanist of the Year in 2011
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."[12] The American Humanist Association's slogan is "Good without God".[13]
In 2011, the atheist PZ Myers won the International Humanist Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union.[14] Prior to that in 2009, Myers won the Humanist of the Year award from the American Humanist Association.[15]
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.[16][17] See also: PZ Myers and social justice)
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.[18]
In response to the question, "Why is incest wrong?", Krauss said, "It's not clear to me that it is wrong."[19] See also: Atheism and incest
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.[20]
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.[20]
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
See also
Notes
- ↑ Pew Research Center - Global Religious Landscape 2010 - religious composition by country.
- ↑ What It Means To Be A Progressive: A Manifesto, Thinkprogress.org
- ↑ What are Progressive Values, Dailykos.com
- ↑ More and more French living lonely lives, The Local FR, Published: 26 Jun 2013 15:44 GMT+02:00
- ↑ Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about by Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson, Washington Post June 16, 2014
- ↑ Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about by Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson, Washington Post June 16, 2014
- ↑ Herbert Spencer and social Darwinism
- ↑ Darwinism and World War I
- ↑ The LBJ legend and my email to PZ Myers by Michael Nugent on September 19, 2014
- ↑ [http://www.michaelnugent.com/2015/04/07/atheist-ireland-dissociates-from-pz-myers/ Atheist Ireland publicly dissociates itself from the harmful and hateful rhetoric of PZ Myers] by Michael Nugent, April 7, 2015
- ↑ Reflections on the skeptic and atheist movements By Massimo Pigliucci Scientia Salon, Posted: May 13, 2015
- ↑ Definition of humanism, American Humanist Assocation
- ↑ Definition of humanism, American Humanist Assocation
- ↑ IHEU Awards for 2011. Internation Humanist and Ethical Union. Retrieved on 16 August 2013.
- ↑ American Humanist Association: Humanist of the year. American Humanist Association.
- ↑ P.Z. Myers is (Surprise!) Unmoved By Suicide of “Wealthy White” Robin Williams, Friendly Atheist blog
- ↑ It must have been an act of god, Posted by PZ Myers on April 21, 2008
- ↑ Humanist of the year
- ↑ Lawrence Krauss on incest
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Redirecting a Long Life of Godlessness