Difference between revisions of "Atheist hypocrisy"

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== Atheism and morality ==
 
== Atheism and morality ==
  
''See also:'' [[Atheism and morality]] and  [[Moral failures of the atheist community|List of the moral failures of the atheist community]]  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and morality]] and  [[Atheist population and immorality]]  
 
[[File:Copan at Tyndale.jpeg|thumbnail|right|180px|Dr. [[Paul Copan]] wrote: "...the existence of a personal God is crucial for a coherent understanding of [[objective morality]]."<ref>[http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god Can Moral Objectivism Do Without God?] by Peter S. Williams, Bethinking.org</ref>]]
 
[[File:Copan at Tyndale.jpeg|thumbnail|right|180px|Dr. [[Paul Copan]] wrote: "...the existence of a personal God is crucial for a coherent understanding of [[objective morality]]."<ref>[http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god Can Moral Objectivism Do Without God?] by Peter S. Williams, Bethinking.org</ref>]]
 
Atheists will bring up the misdeeds of the adherents of other worldviews, despite the fact that atheists have been the biggest mass murders in history (see: [[Atheism and mass murder]]).  
 
Atheists will bring up the misdeeds of the adherents of other worldviews, despite the fact that atheists have been the biggest mass murders in history (see: [[Atheism and mass murder]]).  
  
Furthermore, atheist apologists commonly attempt to deny/minimize the role of atheism/atheists when it comes to atheism and mass murder as if no true atheist could be involved in such behavior (See: [[Atheism and the no true Scotsman fallacy]]).<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmrRC6zD4Zk Atheists Dodge Their History of Atrocities]</ref><ref>[http://creation.com/atheism Atheism]</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2011/04/mailvox-no-true-atheist-defense.html Mailvox: the "No True Atheist" defense]</ref>  
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Furthermore, atheist apologists commonly attempt to deny/minimize the role of atheism/atheists when it comes to atheism and mass murder as if no true atheist could be involved in such behavior (See: [[Atheism and the no true Scotsman fallacy]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmrRC6zD4Zk Atheists Dodge Their History of Atrocities]</ref><ref>[https://creation.com/atheism Atheism]</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2011/04/mailvox-no-true-atheist-defense.html Mailvox: the "No True Atheist" defense]</ref>  
  
In addition, there is a large list of atheist moral failures which the atheist community has not addressed (see: [[Moral failures of the atheist community]]).   
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In addition, althought many atheists claim that they can be [[good without God]], there is a large list of atheist moral failures which the atheist community has not addressed (see: [[Atheist population and immorality]]).   
  
 
Also, atheism provides no basis for objective moral standards (see: [[Atheism and morality]]).<ref>
 
Also, atheism provides no basis for objective moral standards (see: [[Atheism and morality]]).<ref>
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[[Jesus Christ]] and the [[Old Testament]] prophets taught that human nature is evil.  Jesus said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the [[Holy Spirit]] to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11: 13).  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). In addition,  [[Jesus Christ]] and the Bible teach that men are in need of redemption and the power of God to reform. See: [http://www.openbible.info/topics/redemption Bible verses about redemption] and [http://www.openbible.info/topics/transformation Bible verses on transformation].
 
[[Jesus Christ]] and the [[Old Testament]] prophets taught that human nature is evil.  Jesus said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the [[Holy Spirit]] to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11: 13).  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). In addition,  [[Jesus Christ]] and the Bible teach that men are in need of redemption and the power of God to reform. See: [http://www.openbible.info/topics/redemption Bible verses about redemption] and [http://www.openbible.info/topics/transformation Bible verses on transformation].
  
Human [[history]] with its many injustices and atrocities shows that the testimony of Jesus and the Old Testament prophets is true concerning the wickedness of mankind. In addition, when the Christian evangelist [[Ray Comfort]] asks atheists if they have ever lied, hated another person, stolen, lusted after the opposite sex and engaged in other immoralities, they invariably indicate they have done these things and still commit various acts of immorality.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iYHEgrdD-Y Ray Comfort Debates an Atheist]</ref> If  person [[repentance|repents]] of their sins, accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God regenerates them and their enslavement to sin is broken (see: [http://creation.com/good-news Good news])<ref>[http://carm.org/questions/about-doctrine/if-we-accept-jesus-savior-can-we-then-sin-all-we-want If we accept Jesus as Savior, can we then sin all we want?] by [[CARM]]</ref>
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Human [[history]] with its many injustices and atrocities shows that the testimony of Jesus and the Old Testament prophets is true concerning the wickedness of mankind. In addition, when the Christian evangelist [[Ray Comfort]] asks atheists if they have ever lied, hated another person, stolen, lusted after the opposite sex and engaged in other immoralities, they invariably indicate they have done these things and still commit various acts of immorality.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iYHEgrdD-Y Ray Comfort Debates an Atheist]</ref> If  person [[repentance|repents]] of their sins, accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God regenerates them and their enslavement to sin is broken (see: [https://creation.com/good-news Good news])<ref>[http://carm.org/questions/about-doctrine/if-we-accept-jesus-savior-can-we-then-sin-all-we-want If we accept Jesus as Savior, can we then sin all we want?] by [[CARM]]</ref>
  
Furthermore, there are preliminary studies which indicate that ex-Christians tend to feel worse about themselves and not better (See: [[Atheism and self-esteem]]).<ref>http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-of-christianity-and-self.html</ref><ref>http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheists-and-self-esteem-part-2.html</ref>  There are also studies indicating that lower self-esteem is associated with suicidality.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21190929</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903</ref>
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Furthermore, there are preliminary studies which indicate that ex-Christians tend to feel worse about themselves and not better (See: [[Atheism and self-esteem]]).<ref>http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-of-christianity-and-self.html</ref><ref>http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheists-and-self-esteem-part-2.html</ref>  There are also studies indicating that lower self-esteem is associated with suicidality.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21190929</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903</ref>
Atheists have [[Atheism and suicide|higher rates of suicide]] than the general population.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903</ref><ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref><ref>http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303</ref> At the same time, there is a significant portion of the atheist population who suffer from excess self-esteem/[[pride]] issues (see: [[Atheism and arrogance]] and [[Causes of atheism]]).
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Atheists have [[Atheism and suicide|higher rates of suicide]] than the general population.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903</ref><ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref><ref>http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303</ref> At the same time, there is a significant portion of the atheist population who suffer from excess self-esteem/[[pride]] issues (see: [[Atheism and arrogance]] and [[Causes of atheism]]).
  
 
=== Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce, polyamory and being good without God ===
 
=== Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce, polyamory and being good without God ===
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and Hell]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and Hell]]
  
often launch unsuccessful attacks on the well-established Christian belief of eternal punishment in  [[Hell]] (see: [[Atheism and Hell]]). Rather than [[repentance|repent]] and respond to the [[gospel]] message, they engage in [[denial]]ism about their [[sin]] and attempt to suppress the truth of [[God]]'s existence. See also: [[Atheism and hatred of God]]
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Atheists often launch attacks on the [[Christianity|Christian]] belief of eternal punishment in  [[Hell]] (see: [[Atheism and Hell]]), but they never explain how justice is accomplished relative to evil men who escape punishment on earth (see: [[Atheism and justice]]). And rather than [[repentance|repent]] and respond to the [[gospel]] message, they engage in [[denial]]ism about their [[sin]] and attempt to suppress the truth of [[God]]'s existence. See also: [[Atheism and hatred of God]]
  
 
=== Atheists and ungracious/unforgiving attitudes ===
 
=== Atheists and ungracious/unforgiving attitudes ===
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<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godlessindixie/2016/06/12/its-past-time-for-atheism-to-grow-up/ It’s Past Time for Atheism to Grow Up] by Neil Carter</ref>}}
 
<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godlessindixie/2016/06/12/its-past-time-for-atheism-to-grow-up/ It’s Past Time for Atheism to Grow Up] by Neil Carter</ref>}}
  
[[Jesus Christ]] and [[Christianity|Christendom]] have emphasized the important of forgiveness and in the last few decades mental health specialists have increasingly seen the importance of forgiveness to alleviate bitterness and other emotional problems within individuals.<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755173/ Indian J Psychiatry. 2009 Apr-Jun; 51(2): 153–156. doi:  10.4103/0019-5545.49459, PMCID: PMC2755173, ''Forgiveness: A note for psychiatrists'' by Prakash Gangdev]</ref>
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[[Jesus Christ]] and [[Christianity|Christendom]] have emphasized the important of forgiveness and in the last few decades mental health specialists have increasingly seen the importance of forgiveness to alleviate bitterness and other emotional problems within individuals.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755173/ Indian J Psychiatry. 2009 Apr-Jun; 51(2): 153–156. doi:  10.4103/0019-5545.49459, PMCID: PMC2755173, ''Forgiveness: A note for psychiatrists'' by Prakash Gangdev]</ref>
  
 
==== James S. Spiegal and unforgiveness as a cause of atheism ====
 
==== James S. Spiegal and unforgiveness as a cause of atheism ====
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The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal ''Violence Against Women'' entitled ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'' indicated:
 
The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal ''Violence Against Women'' entitled ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'' indicated:
{{cquote|The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.<ref>doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259 [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17951587 ''Violence Against Women'', ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence''],  November 2007 vol. 13 no. 11 1094-1112</ref>}}   
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{{cquote|The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.<ref>doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17951587 ''Violence Against Women'', ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence''],  November 2007 vol. 13 no. 11 1094-1112</ref>}}   
  
A higher rate of domestic violence exists among cohabiting couples as compared with married couples<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579211 Demography. 2006 Feb;43(1):127-40. Why are cohabiting relationships more violent than marriages?. Kenney CT1, McLanahan SS.]</ref> Atheists have lower marriage rates than [[theism|theists]] (see: [[Atheism and marriage]]).  
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A higher rate of domestic violence exists among cohabiting couples as compared with married couples<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579211 Demography. 2006 Feb;43(1):127-40. Why are cohabiting relationships more violent than marriages?. Kenney CT1, McLanahan SS.]</ref> Atheists have lower marriage rates than [[theism|theists]] (see: [[Atheism and marriage]]).  
  
 
A September 9, 2012 article at ''Atlantic Wire'' wrote about the noted atheist [[John Lennon]]:
 
A September 9, 2012 article at ''Atlantic Wire'' wrote about the noted atheist [[John Lennon]]:
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=== Most prominent atheists are men ===
 
=== Most prominent atheists are men ===
 
[[File:Richard Dawkins aaconf.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|[[Richard Dawkins]] ]]
 
[[File:Richard Dawkins aaconf.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|[[Richard Dawkins]] ]]
The leadership of the [[New Atheism]] movement consists solely of white males. Furthermore, atheist leadership in the West is predominately made up of men who have poor leadership skills (See: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and leadership]]).<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2013/07/29/five_reasons_there_arent_more_women_in_atheism/ 5 reasons there aren't more women in atheism - Salon]</ref>   
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The leadership of the [[New Atheism]] movement consists solely of white males. Furthermore, atheist leadership in the West is predominately made up of men who have poor leadership skills (See: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and leadership]]).<ref>[https://www.salon.com/2013/07/29/five_reasons_there_arent_more_women_in_atheism/ 5 reasons there aren't more women in atheism - Salon]</ref>   
  
 
In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
 
In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
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=== Atheism and rape ===
 
=== Atheism and rape ===
[[File:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|When told that Red Army soldiers sexually assaulted German refugees, the atheist [[Joseph Stalin]] reportedly declared: "We lecture our soldiers too much; let them have their initiative."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html | location=London | work=Daily Mail | first=Andrew | last=Roberts | title=Stalin's army of rapists: The brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore | date=24 October 2008}}</ref>]]
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[[File:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|When told that Red Army soldiers sexually assaulted German refugees, the atheist [[Joseph Stalin]] reportedly declared: "We lecture our soldiers too much; let them have their initiative."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html | location=London | work=Daily Mail | first=Andrew | last=Roberts | title=Stalin's army of rapists: The brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore | date=24 October 2008}}</ref>]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army]]
  
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{{See also|Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|l1=Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army}}
 
{{See also|Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|l1=Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army}}
  
The [[Soviet Union]] practiced [[state atheism]] and [[militant atheism]].  According to the [[University of Cambridge]], historically, the "most notable spread of [[atheism]] was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninists]] to power."<ref name="Marxism-Leninism">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130728215151/http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title=Investigating atheism: Marxism|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate=July 17, 2014}}</ref> See also: [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Soviet atheism]]  
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The [[Soviet Union]] practiced [[state atheism]] and [[militant atheism]].  According to the [[University of Cambridge]], historically, the "most notable spread of [[atheism]] was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninists]] to power."<ref name="Marxism-Leninism">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728215151/http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title=Investigating atheism: Marxism|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate=July 17, 2014}}</ref> See also: [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Soviet atheism]]  
  
The journalist Peter Hitchens is the [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] brother of atheist [[Christopher Hitchens]] and he covered the Soviet Union during its latter years before it collapsed.  According to Peter Hitchens, an atheistic society degraded the morals of the Russian people during the Soviet period (see: [[Soviet Union and morality]]).<ref>[http://creation.com/britain-needs-god ''Britain needs God'']</ref>  
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The journalist Peter Hitchens is the [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] brother of atheist [[Christopher Hitchens]] and he covered the Soviet Union during its latter years before it collapsed.  According to Peter Hitchens, an atheistic society degraded the morals of the Russian people during the Soviet period (see: [[Soviet Union and morality]]).<ref>[https://creation.com/britain-needs-god ''Britain needs God'']</ref>  
  
Estimates of the number of German women sexually assaulted by Soviet soldiers have ranged up to 2 million.<ref name="ElizabethHeineman">{{cite journal |first=Elizabeth |last=Heineman |title=The Hour of the Woman: Memories of Germany's "Crisis Years" and West German National Identity |journal=American Historical Review |volume=101 |issue=2 |year=1996 |pages=354–395 |jstor=2170395 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Kuwert |first=P. |last2=Freyberger |first2=H. |year=2007 |title=The unspoken secret: Sexual violence in World War II |journal=International Psychogeriatrics |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=782–784 |doi=10.1017/S1041610207005376 }}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/berlin_01.shtml|title=BBC - History - World Wars: The Battle for Berlin in World War Two|publisher=Bbc.co.uk|accessdate=10 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="Schissler">Hanna Schissler ''The Miracle Years: A Cultural History of West Germany, 1949–1968'' [http://books.google.com/books?id=00fCzJKt1QMC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=soviet+estimates+rape+tens+of+thousands&source=web&ots=xzyKzJm1sj&sig=cy2AfPmp7ZvT7K9YSWPRkXoyp6E]</ref><ref name="NPR">{{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106687768|title=Silence Broken On Red Army Rapes In Germany|date=17 July 2009|work=NPR.org|accessdate=10 December 2014}}</ref> The historian William Hitchcock declared that in many cases women were the victims of repeated rapes, some women experienced as many as 60 to 70 rapes.<ref name="Struggle for Europe">{{cite book |first=William I. |last=Hitchcock |title=The Struggle for Europe: The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent, 1945 to the Present |publisher=Anchor Books |year=2004 |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385497992&view=excerpt |isbn=978-0-385-49799-2}}</ref>
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Estimates of the number of German women sexually assaulted by Soviet soldiers have ranged up to 2 million.<ref name="ElizabethHeineman">{{cite journal |first=Elizabeth |last=Heineman |title=The Hour of the Woman: Memories of Germany's "Crisis Years" and West German National Identity |journal=American Historical Review |volume=101 |issue=2 |year=1996 |pages=354–395 |jstor=2170395 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Kuwert |first=P. |last2=Freyberger |first2=H. |year=2007 |title=The unspoken secret: Sexual violence in World War II |journal=International Psychogeriatrics |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=782–784 |doi=10.1017/S1041610207005376 }}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/berlin_01.shtml|title=BBC - History - World Wars: The Battle for Berlin in World War Two|publisher=Bbc.co.uk|accessdate=10 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="Schissler">Hanna Schissler ''The Miracle Years: A Cultural History of West Germany, 1949–1968'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=00fCzJKt1QMC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=soviet+estimates+rape+tens+of+thousands&source=web&ots=xzyKzJm1sj&sig=cy2AfPmp7ZvT7K9YSWPRkXoyp6E]</ref><ref name="NPR">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106687768|title=Silence Broken On Red Army Rapes In Germany|date=17 July 2009|work=NPR.org|accessdate=10 December 2014}}</ref> The historian William Hitchcock declared that in many cases women were the victims of repeated rapes, some women experienced as many as 60 to 70 rapes.<ref name="Struggle for Europe">{{cite book |first=William I. |last=Hitchcock |title=The Struggle for Europe: The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent, 1945 to the Present |publisher=Anchor Books |year=2004 |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385497992&view=excerpt |isbn=978-0-385-49799-2}}</ref>
  
 
For more information, please see:
 
For more information, please see:
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[[File:Rebecca-watson.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|Atheist [[Rebecca Watson]]
 
[[File:Rebecca-watson.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|Atheist [[Rebecca Watson]]
  
<small>(photo obtained from [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rebecca_watson_geek.jpg Wikimedia commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
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<small>(photo obtained from [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rebecca_watson_geek.jpg Wikimedia commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
 
[[Elevatorgate]] is a term commonly used to describe a scandal involving atheist [[Richard Dawkins]]' inappropriate comments made to fellow atheist [[Rebecca Watson]]. In July 2011, Richard Dawkins was widely criticized within the atheist community and in various press outlets for his insensitive comments made to atheist Rebecca Watson about an incident which occurred in an elevator (see: [[Richard Dawkins' Elevatorgate comments]]).<ref>
 
[[Elevatorgate]] is a term commonly used to describe a scandal involving atheist [[Richard Dawkins]]' inappropriate comments made to fellow atheist [[Rebecca Watson]]. In July 2011, Richard Dawkins was widely criticized within the atheist community and in various press outlets for his insensitive comments made to atheist Rebecca Watson about an incident which occurred in an elevator (see: [[Richard Dawkins' Elevatorgate comments]]).<ref>
*[http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/07/08/atheist_flirting Richard Dawkins: Skeptic of women? - Salon, July 8, 2011]
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*[https://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/07/08/atheist_flirting Richard Dawkins: Skeptic of women? - Salon, July 8, 2011]
 
*[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]
 
*[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]
 
*[http://gawker.com/5818993/richard-dawkins-torn-limb-from-limbby-atheists Richard Dawkins Torn Limb From Limb—By Atheists - Gawker]
 
*[http://gawker.com/5818993/richard-dawkins-torn-limb-from-limbby-atheists Richard Dawkins Torn Limb From Limb—By Atheists - Gawker]
*[http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-15/atheist-sexism-women/50416454/1 Atheists address sexism issues - USA Today]</ref>  Specifically,  Watson was invited for coffee and a conversation late at night by a man who was a fellow atheist. Watson was upset by this and subsequently blogged about it. Following this, Richard Dawkins wrote an open letter to a fictitious Muslim woman, satirically equating Rebecca's plight with that of abused Muslim women. Watson has written about perceived widespread [[misogny]] within the atheist community and she has received threats of rape (see also: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]]).<ref>[http://skepchick.org/2011/07/the-privilege-delusion/ The Privilege Delusion by Rebecca Watson - Skepchick]</ref>
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*[https://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-15/atheist-sexism-women/50416454/1 Atheists address sexism issues - USA Today]</ref>  Specifically,  Watson was invited for coffee and a conversation late at night by a man who was a fellow atheist. Watson was upset by this and subsequently blogged about it. Following this, Richard Dawkins wrote an open letter to a fictitious Muslim woman, satirically equating Rebecca's plight with that of abused Muslim women. Watson has written about perceived widespread [[misogny]] within the atheist community and she has received threats of rape (see also: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]]).<ref>[http://skepchick.org/2011/07/the-privilege-delusion/ The Privilege Delusion by Rebecca Watson - Skepchick]</ref>
  
 
Post Elevatorgate controversy, at an atheist convention, [[Rebecca Watson]] claimed:
 
Post Elevatorgate controversy, at an atheist convention, [[Rebecca Watson]] claimed:
{{cquote|Hundreds of atheists have informed me that either they wanted to rape me, someone should rape me so that I will loosen up or that no one would ever rape me because I am so ugly".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1mLHdTsmPc PZ Myers and the Art of Shameless Dishonesty]</ref>}}
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{{cquote|Hundreds of atheists have informed me that either they wanted to rape me, someone should rape me so that I will loosen up or that no one would ever rape me because I am so ugly".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1mLHdTsmPc PZ Myers and the Art of Shameless Dishonesty]</ref>}}
  
In July 2012, Watson declared: "It get regular rape threats. I get regular rape and murder threats".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96FtpDLi_Vw FreeThoughtBlogs and PZ Myers]</ref> Furthermore, in August 2013, [[Rebecca Watson]] said that post [[Elevatorgate]] she received a flood of rape threats and she continues to receive rape threats (see: [[Atheism and rape]]).<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/08/06/sikivu-ophelia-and-rebecca-who-says-atheism-lacks-women-stars/ Sikivu, Ophelia, and Rebecca — who says atheism lacks women stars?]</ref>
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In July 2012, Watson declared: "It get regular rape threats. I get regular rape and murder threats".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96FtpDLi_Vw FreeThoughtBlogs and PZ Myers]</ref> Furthermore, in August 2013, [[Rebecca Watson]] said that post [[Elevatorgate]] she received a flood of rape threats and she continues to receive rape threats (see: [[Atheism and rape]]).<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/08/06/sikivu-ophelia-and-rebecca-who-says-atheism-lacks-women-stars/ Sikivu, Ophelia, and Rebecca — who says atheism lacks women stars?]</ref>
  
 
According to Rebecca Watson atheist women are often punished for being outspoken - particularly when they speak about [[feminism]].<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> In August 2013, Watson said the harassment she received from male atheists skyrocketed after Elevatorgate.<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> Furthermore, she 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> The atheist feminist [[Sikivu Hutchinson]] concurs with Watson and says that sexual harassment has been institutionalized within the atheist movement and that atheist men have an investment in censoring, controlling and policing women and also have an investment in "male privilege".<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref>
 
According to Rebecca Watson atheist women are often punished for being outspoken - particularly when they speak about [[feminism]].<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> In August 2013, Watson said the harassment she received from male atheists skyrocketed after Elevatorgate.<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> Furthermore, she 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> The atheist feminist [[Sikivu Hutchinson]] concurs with Watson and says that sexual harassment has been institutionalized within the atheist movement and that atheist men have an investment in censoring, controlling and policing women and also have an investment in "male privilege".<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref>
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The ''New Statesman'' reporter and fellow [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptic]] [[David Allen Green]] said he believed Dawkins was a [[sexism|misogynist]] and a racist.<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]</ref> In addition, Green wrote: "Can Richard Dawkins still credibly pose as a champion of rational thinking and an evidence-based approach? In my opinion, he certainly cannot, at least not in the way he did before."<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]</ref>
 
The ''New Statesman'' reporter and fellow [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptic]] [[David Allen Green]] said he believed Dawkins was a [[sexism|misogynist]] and a racist.<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]</ref> In addition, Green wrote: "Can Richard Dawkins still credibly pose as a champion of rational thinking and an evidence-based approach? In my opinion, he certainly cannot, at least not in the way he did before."<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]</ref>
 +
 +
=== Hypocrisy of feminist atheist David Silverman ===
 +
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheist organizations and scandals]] and [[Atheist feminism]]
 +
 +
[[David Silverman]] served as the President of the [[American Atheists]] organization.  <ref>http://www.atheists.org/about/Board_of_Directors</ref>  Silverman was fired due to allegations of financial conflicts and sexual assault.<ref>[https://www.buzzfeed.com/peteraldhous/david-silverman-atheist-fired-sexual-misconduct?utm_term=.yt64RqDPA#.ordaNrO4R This Firebrand Atheist Was Just Fired After Allegations Of Financial Conflicts And Sexual Assault]</ref>
 +
 +
In his book, ''Fighting God'', Silverman indicates that he is a “proud [[feminism|feminist]]”.<ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/david-silverman-was-a-proud-feminist/ David Silverman was a “Proud Feminist”]</ref>
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 +
Concerning Silverman's scandals and subsequent firing, atheist and feminist [[PZ Myers]] said, "It's a terrible day for [[Atheist movement|organized atheism]]."<ref>[https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2018/04/13/david-silverman-fired-from-american-atheists/ David Silverman fired from American Atheists] by PZ Myers</ref>  Myers spent $1200 for a lifetime membership with American Atheists because he was impressed by the way Silverman went after the “anti-feminist” atheists.<ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/david-silverman-was-a-proud-feminist/ David Silverman was a “Proud Feminist”]</ref> See also: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]
  
 
== Atheists hypocritically claiming God is sadistic ==
 
== Atheists hypocritically claiming God is sadistic ==
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[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|201px| The perverse and cruel atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] in prison, 18th century line engraving.]]
 
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|201px| The perverse and cruel atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] in prison, 18th century line engraving.]]
The atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] (1740-1814) was an infamous French [[aristocrat]] and [[author]] of heavily [[philosophy|philosophical]] [[pornography]], as well as more traditional [[essays]] on [[philosophy]].<ref>http://www.trivia-library.com/a/biography-of-famous-atheist-marquis-de-sade.htm</ref> [[Sadism]], a [[paraphilia]] in which pleasure is derived from inflicting pain or seeing pain being inflicted on others, is named after him. The debauched lifestyle of the Marquis de Sade caused him to have periods of imprisonment.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A676190</ref>  
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The atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] (1740-1814) was an infamous French [[aristocrat]] and [[author]] of heavily [[philosophy|philosophical]] [[pornography]], as well as more traditional [[essays]] on [[philosophy]].<ref>http://www.trivia-library.com/a/biography-of-famous-atheist-marquis-de-sade.htm</ref> [[Sadism]], a [[paraphilia]] in which pleasure is derived from inflicting pain or seeing pain being inflicted on others, is named after him. The debauched lifestyle of the Marquis de Sade caused him to have periods of imprisonment.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A676190</ref>  
  
 
His books featured [[murder]], [[torture]], [[blasphemy]] and grotesque, [[violent]], and ritualistic sex.  His more major works remain banned in many countries to the present day, even though some of them have been highly influential; ''Juliet'', a book released early in his career, has been imitated right up until the present, most recently by radical [[feminism|feminist]] [[Andrea Dworkin]].
 
His books featured [[murder]], [[torture]], [[blasphemy]] and grotesque, [[violent]], and ritualistic sex.  His more major works remain banned in many countries to the present day, even though some of them have been highly influential; ''Juliet'', a book released early in his career, has been imitated right up until the present, most recently by radical [[feminism|feminist]] [[Andrea Dworkin]].
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== Western atheism and race ==
 
== Western atheism and race ==
[[File:PZ Myers3.jpg|thumbnail|right|205px|The atheist and [[evolution]]ist [[PZ Myers]] giving a presentation to a group that is likely largely made up of white males.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html?_r=1</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/Racial_demographics_of_the_Richard_Dawkins%27_audience</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism_appears_to_be_significantly_less_appealing_to_women</ref> In June 2010,  [[PZ Myers]] commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/06/the_woman_problem.php</ref>
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[[File:PZ Myers3.jpg|thumbnail|right|205px|The atheist and [[evolution]]ist [[PZ Myers]] giving a presentation to a group that is likely largely made up of white males.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html?_r=1</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/Racial_demographics_of_the_Richard_Dawkins%27_audience</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism_appears_to_be_significantly_less_appealing_to_women</ref> In June 2010,  [[PZ Myers]] commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/06/the_woman_problem.php</ref>
  
<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/22427429@N00/3019515778/ Flickr], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
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<small>(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/22427429@N00/3019515778/ Flickr], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
 
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]]
 
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]]
  
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In addition,  since WWII atheists/agnostics have been the most vocal proponents of Darwinism.<ref>
 
In addition,  since WWII atheists/agnostics have been the most vocal proponents of Darwinism.<ref>
* Dr. Don Batten, [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
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* Dr. Don Batten, [https://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
 
* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
 
* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
 
</ref>  [[Evolutionary racism]] may partly explain the lack of atheists in minority populations in the West (see: [[Western atheism and race]]).
 
</ref>  [[Evolutionary racism]] may partly explain the lack of atheists in minority populations in the West (see: [[Western atheism and race]]).
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Secular leftists often extol diversity and toleration, yet atheists are often extremely intolerant and step on [[religious freedom]] (see: [[Atheism and intolerance]]).
 
Secular leftists often extol diversity and toleration, yet atheists are often extremely intolerant and step on [[religious freedom]] (see: [[Atheism and intolerance]]).
 +
== Secular lefists are globalists yet poor international cooperation among atheists ==
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and international cooperation among atheists]]
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Secular leftists tend to be [[globalism|globalists]].
 +
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Yet, in recent years, international cooperation among atheists has been low (see: [[Atheism and international cooperation among atheists]]).
 +
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== Secular leftists and environmentalism ==
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and the environment]] and [[Atheism and climate change policies]]
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Although many secular leftists are vehement [[environmentalism|environmentalist]], overall atheists have a poor record when it comes to the application of [[environmental science]] (see: [[Atheism and the environment]]).
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[[File:Air pollution in the city of Suzhou, China.jpg|thumbnail|250px|center|Air pollution in the city of Suzhou, [[China]]. 
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<br />
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<br />
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China has the largest [[atheist population]] in the world and has [[state atheism]] (see: [[China and atheism]]). Most atheists in the world are likely [[East Asia]]ns (see: [[Asian atheism]]).]]
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{{Clear}}
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== Dietary practices of secular leftists. Eating of dogs, cats, horses and babies/children ==
 +
[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|In 2014, ''The Washington Times'' reported: "China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of [[North Korean]] women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. [[abortion|Aborting]] innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times'', 2014</ref>]]
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''See also:'' [[Dietary practices of atheists]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme]]
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Although secular leftists are [[environmentalism|environmentalists]] and indicate a [[vegan]]/[[vegetarian]] diet is more eco-friendly, the new atheist [[Richard Dawkins]] and the majority of atheists still eat meat (see: [[Dietary practices of atheists]] and [[Richard Dawkins on veganism]]).
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In several geographic areas, atheists commonly eat [[dog]]s, [[cat]]s and [[horse]]s (see: [[Dietary practices of atheists]]).
 +
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Historically, individuals in atheistic cultures have eaten babies/children due to the mistaken notion that baby flesh has medical benefits or due to foolish/failing atheistic societies having famines (see: [[Atheists eat babies meme]] and [[Communist China and baby eating]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme#Soviet Union, famine and individuals eating children|Soviet Union and the eating of children]] and [[Atheists eat babies meme#North Korea, famine and the eating of children|North Korea and the eating of children]]).<ref>
 +
*[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/chinese-made-infant-flesh-capsules-seized-korea/story?id=16296176 Chinese-Made Infant Flesh Capsules Seized in S. Korea], ''ABC News''
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*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times''
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*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140702/South-Korea-customs-officials-thousands-pills-filled-powdered-human-baby-flesh.html Thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh discovered by customs officials in South Korea], ''The Daily Mail''
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*[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/05/horrifyingly-ground-baby-pills-are-real-thing/328490/ Horrifyingly, Ground Baby Pills Are a Real Thing] by Alexander Abad-Santos, ''The Atlantic''</ref><ref>[https://archive.is/z01DE ''Cannibalism in the Soviet Union'] by Kerry Kubulius</ref><ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/392610/North-Korean-reveals-cannibalism-is-common-after-escaping-starving-state North Korean reveals cannibalism is common after escaping starving state], Express</ref>
  
 
== Atheism and the sexual abuse of children ==
 
== Atheism and the sexual abuse of children ==
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{{See also|Atheism and child pornography}}
 
{{See also|Atheism and child pornography}}
  
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the American [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] bishops and the Vatican had noted a growing problem with clerical sexual abuse of children in the U.S. which involved minors/children.<ref>http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26940</ref> In addition, Ireland and other European countries have experienced problems relating to instances of Roman Catholic priests sexually abusing children.<ref>http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/</ref><ref>http://www.daily49er.com/opinion/our-view-catholic-church-needs-administrative-reform-1.2200659</ref> See also: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Homosexuality_and_pederasty#Roman_Catholic_Church.2C_Homosexuality_and_pederasty Roman Catholic Church, homosexuality and pederasty]  
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Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the American [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] bishops and the Vatican had noted a growing problem with clerical sexual abuse of children in the U.S. which involved minors/children.<ref>https://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26940</ref> In addition, Ireland and other European countries have experienced problems relating to instances of Roman Catholic priests sexually abusing children.<ref>http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/</ref><ref>http://www.daily49er.com/opinion/our-view-catholic-church-needs-administrative-reform-1.2200659</ref> See also: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Homosexuality_and_pederasty#Roman_Catholic_Church.2C_Homosexuality_and_pederasty Roman Catholic Church, homosexuality and pederasty]  
  
 
Prominent atheists and other atheists/agnostics frequently bring up this Roman Catholic church scandal.<ref>[http://www.ew.com/article/2010/03/27/bill-maher-hitchens-pope-child-abuse Bill Maher and Christopher Hitchens 'gloat' about Catholic Church child-abuse scandals] by Ken Tucker at ''Entertainment Weekly''</ref><ref>http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/</ref><ref>[http://bigthink.com/daylight-atheism/todays-reasons-to-quit-the-catholic-church Today's Reasons to Quit the Catholic Church by the atheist Adam Lee]</ref><ref>[http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/06/critic-of-sexual-abuse-forced-to-resign-for-sexual-messages Atheist Who Blamed Faith for Sexual Abuse Forced to Resign for Sexual Messages] by Matthew Schmitz, posted 6-13-2013</ref>  
 
Prominent atheists and other atheists/agnostics frequently bring up this Roman Catholic church scandal.<ref>[http://www.ew.com/article/2010/03/27/bill-maher-hitchens-pope-child-abuse Bill Maher and Christopher Hitchens 'gloat' about Catholic Church child-abuse scandals] by Ken Tucker at ''Entertainment Weekly''</ref><ref>http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/</ref><ref>[http://bigthink.com/daylight-atheism/todays-reasons-to-quit-the-catholic-church Today's Reasons to Quit the Catholic Church by the atheist Adam Lee]</ref><ref>[http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/06/critic-of-sexual-abuse-forced-to-resign-for-sexual-messages Atheist Who Blamed Faith for Sexual Abuse Forced to Resign for Sexual Messages] by Matthew Schmitz, posted 6-13-2013</ref>  
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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|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army]] and [[Atheism and cannibalism]] and [[Atheism and bestiality]]).  
 
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|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|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 [[creationism|creationists]] bring this matter up.<ref>[http://creation.com/herbert-spencer Herbert Spencer and social Darwinism]</ref><ref>[http://creation.com/darwinism-and-world-war-one Darwinism and World War I]</ref>
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Also, atheists rarely focuses on the issue of [[social Darwinism]] in their communities past and often takes offense when biblical [[creationism|creationists]] bring this matter up.<ref>[https://creation.com/herbert-spencer Herbert Spencer and social Darwinism]</ref><ref>[https://creation.com/darwinism-and-world-war-one Darwinism and World War I]</ref>
 
==== Atheist nonprofit scandals ====
 
==== Atheist nonprofit scandals ====
  
''See also:'' [[Atheist nonprofit scandals]] and  ''[[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science#Embezzlement allegation|Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - Embezzlement allegation]]''
+
''See also:'' [[Atheist organizations and scandals]] and  ''[[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science#Embezzlement allegation|Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - Embezzlement allegation]]''
  
 
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.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]</ref><ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/09/15/an-update-on-we-are-atheism/ An Update on We Are Atheism] by Hemant Mehta, September 15, 2015]</ref>  
 
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.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]</ref><ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/09/15/an-update-on-we-are-atheism/ An Update on We Are Atheism] by Hemant Mehta, September 15, 2015]</ref>  
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In addition, David Gorski at Scienceblogs indicated that many atheist/skeptic organizations are poorly run from a financial standpoint.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref>
 
In addition, David Gorski at Scienceblogs indicated that many atheist/skeptic organizations are poorly run from a financial standpoint.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref>
  
For more information, please see: [[Atheist nonprofit scandals]]
+
For more information, please see: [[Atheist organizations and scandals]]
  
 
=== Atheists falling short of the progressive value of freedom ===
 
=== Atheists falling short of the progressive value of freedom ===
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=== Atheist community requested to provide proof and evidence that atheism is true  ===
 
=== Atheist community requested to provide proof and evidence that atheism is true  ===
 
[[File:Zero scale.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|The popular YouTube Christian [[Shockofgod]] asked for proof and evidence that atheism is true. When atheism is weighed on the proof and evidence scale, it lacks evidential weight that it is a valid worldview. [[Christian apologetics website resources|Unlike Christianity]], there is no proof and evidence that atheism is true.]]
 
[[File:Zero scale.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|The popular YouTube Christian [[Shockofgod]] asked for proof and evidence that atheism is true. When atheism is weighed on the proof and evidence scale, it lacks evidential weight that it is a valid worldview. [[Christian apologetics website resources|Unlike Christianity]], there is no proof and evidence that atheism is true.]]
The popular Christian [[YouTube]] Christian [[Shockofgod]] likened atheism to a clown due to its hypocritical and foolish evidential standards.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0</ref>  Shockofgod repeatedly asked the YouTube atheist community, "What proof and evidence do you have that atheism is accurate and correct?".   
+
The popular Christian [[YouTube]] Christian [[Shockofgod]] likened atheism to a clown due to its hypocritical and foolish evidential standards.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0</ref>  Shockofgod repeatedly asked the YouTube atheist community, "What proof and evidence do you have that atheism is accurate and correct?".   
  
The YouTube atheist community became flustered and upset by his question.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0</ref> Shockofgod declared concerning their reaction to his question: "The hostility I am getting over this question is unbelievable...It's like..picture this...Atheism is a clown and it didn't know it. And then I got the clown and I walked it over...I forced it to look itself in the mirror. And it sees itself in all its red hair, big nose, big shoes, polka dot glory."<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0</ref>
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The YouTube atheist community became flustered and upset by his question.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0</ref> Shockofgod declared concerning their reaction to his question: "The hostility I am getting over this question is unbelievable...It's like..picture this...Atheism is a clown and it didn't know it. And then I got the clown and I walked it over...I forced it to look itself in the mirror. And it sees itself in all its red hair, big nose, big shoes, polka dot glory."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0</ref>
  
 
=== Atheism and extraordinary claims ===
 
=== Atheism and extraordinary claims ===
  
Western Atheists often claim that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", yet they have no proof and evidence that the extraordinary claim of non-life becoming the first life solely through natural processes is true (See: [[Origin of life]]).<ref>[http://carm.org/extraordinary-claims-require-extraordinary-evidence Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence]</ref><ref>[http://theosophical.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/2830/ Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRvJ-4WmJwk William Lane Craig debunks the atheist's "Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?]</ref>
+
Western Atheists often claim that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", yet they have no proof and evidence that the extraordinary claim of non-life becoming the first life solely through natural processes is true (See: [[Origin of life]]).<ref>[http://carm.org/extraordinary-claims-require-extraordinary-evidence Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence]</ref><ref>[http://theosophical.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/2830/ Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRvJ-4WmJwk William Lane Craig debunks the atheist's "Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?]</ref>
  
 
=== Atheism and the unobservable by senses or instruments ===
 
=== Atheism and the unobservable by senses or instruments ===
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[[File:Richard Dawkins photo.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|250px|left|The movie ''[[The Atheist Delusion]]'' features the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] being the object of audience laughter due to something unreasonable he said.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWiZ3iXWwM  The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD]</ref> Dawkins indignantly asked the audience, "Why is that funny?".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWiZ3iXWwM  The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and humor]] ]]
 
[[File:Richard Dawkins photo.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|250px|left|The movie ''[[The Atheist Delusion]]'' features the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] being the object of audience laughter due to something unreasonable he said.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWiZ3iXWwM  The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD]</ref> Dawkins indignantly asked the audience, "Why is that funny?".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWiZ3iXWwM  The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and humor]] ]]
Historically, [[Atheism|atheists]] have skewed towards the [[Leftism|left]] side of the political aisle (see: [[Atheism and politics]] and [[Secular left]] and [[Atheism and communism]]).<ref>[http://atheism.about.com/od/Atheist-Agnostic-Belief-Survey/a/Atheists-Agnostics-America-Politically-Liberal.htm Atheists & Agnostics in America Tend to be Politically Liberal]</ref><ref name="Marxism-Leninsim">{{cite web|url = http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title =Marxism|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 [[Russian Revolution]], which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="Guillotine">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=bf3m7IVAa9gC&pg=PA461&dq=France+atheism+guillotine++Christians+executed&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l4lUUaTRBufG0QGe0IHACA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=France%20atheism%20guillotine%20%20Christians%20executed&f=false|title =Christianity|author=James Adair|publisher = JBE Online Books|year=2007|quote=Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes toAlthough the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a ist of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rosseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Teror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.|page=461|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="France">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=9WkBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =Memoirs of the reign of George III. to the session of parliament ending A.D. 1793, Volume 5|page=105|author=William Belsham|publisher = G.G. & J. Robinson|year=1801|quote=Reign of this portentous period, it has been eloquently tenor, and energetically observed, " that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:-in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex ,indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations." It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while "the death dance of democratic revolution" was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, "the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace."|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="Reign of Terror">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Tt5rqiCP1p8C&pg=PA57&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West|author=William Kilpatrick|publisher = [[Ignatius Press]]|year=2012|quote=Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring-National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructions. It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, "The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man." Actually this transition happened no "ultimately" but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract "reason" and "liberty" degenearated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. "Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name", said Madam Rolande as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution movements before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of "liberty", "equality", and "reason". As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref>  
+
Historically, [[Atheism|atheists]] have skewed towards the [[Leftism|left]] side of the political aisle (see: [[Atheism and politics]] and [[Secular left]] and [[Atheism and communism]]).<ref>[http://atheism.about.com/od/Atheist-Agnostic-Belief-Survey/a/Atheists-Agnostics-America-Politically-Liberal.htm Atheists & Agnostics in America Tend to be Politically Liberal]</ref><ref name="Marxism-Leninsim">{{cite web|url = http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title =Marxism|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 [[Russian Revolution]], which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="Guillotine">{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=bf3m7IVAa9gC&pg=PA461&dq=France+atheism+guillotine++Christians+executed&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l4lUUaTRBufG0QGe0IHACA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=France%20atheism%20guillotine%20%20Christians%20executed&f=false|title =Christianity|author=James Adair|publisher = JBE Online Books|year=2007|quote=Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes toAlthough the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a ist of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rosseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Teror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.|page=461|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="France">{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9WkBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =Memoirs of the reign of George III. to the session of parliament ending A.D. 1793, Volume 5|page=105|author=William Belsham|publisher = G.G. & J. Robinson|year=1801|quote=Reign of this portentous period, it has been eloquently tenor, and energetically observed, " that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:-in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex ,indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations." It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while "the death dance of democratic revolution" was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, "the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace."|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="Reign of Terror">{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Tt5rqiCP1p8C&pg=PA57&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West|author=William Kilpatrick|publisher = [[Ignatius Press]]|year=2012|quote=Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring-National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructions. It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, "The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man." Actually this transition happened no "ultimately" but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract "reason" and "liberty" degenearated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. "Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name", said Madam Rolande as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution movements before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of "liberty", "equality", and "reason". As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref>  
  
 
Although the secular left is known for ridiculing [[religion]] since at least the time of [[French Revolution]] (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]), the secular left is known for its humorlessness when it comes to others mocking of its ideology (See also: [[Atheism and humor]] and [[Atheism and intolerance]]).  
 
Although the secular left is known for ridiculing [[religion]] since at least the time of [[French Revolution]] (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]), the secular left is known for its humorlessness when it comes to others mocking of its ideology (See also: [[Atheism and humor]] and [[Atheism and intolerance]]).  
  
 
The writer James Thurber declared:
 
The writer James Thurber declared:
{{Cquote|The [[leftism|leftists]] have made a concerted attack on humor as an antisocial, antiracial, antilabor, antiproletarian stereotype,” Thurber wrote in 1960, “and they have left no stereotype unused in their attacks, from ‘no time for comedy’ to the grim warnings that humor is a sickness, a sign of inferiority complex, a shield and not a weapon.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-the-humorless-left-1446769128 Notable & Quotable: The Humorless Left], From Stephen E. Kercher’s “Revel With a Cause: Liberal Satire in Postwar America.”, ''Wall Street Journal''</ref>}}
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{{Cquote|The [[leftism|leftists]] have made a concerted attack on humor as an antisocial, antiracial, antilabor, antiproletarian stereotype,” Thurber wrote in 1960, “and they have left no stereotype unused in their attacks, from ‘no time for comedy’ to the grim warnings that humor is a sickness, a sign of inferiority complex, a shield and not a weapon.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-the-humorless-left-1446769128 Notable & Quotable: The Humorless Left], From Stephen E. Kercher’s “Revel With a Cause: Liberal Satire in Postwar America.”, ''Wall Street Journal''</ref>}}
  
 
Heywood Gould wrote in ''Heatstreet'':
 
Heywood Gould wrote in ''Heatstreet'':
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''See:'' [[Atheism and death]] and [[Atheism and cowardice]]
 
''See:'' [[Atheism and death]] and [[Atheism and cowardice]]
 
[[File:Gravestone.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|According to a study performed in the United States by researchers Wink and Scott, very religious people fear death the least.<ref>[http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050628_deathfearfrm.htm Fear of death: worst if you’re a little religious?], World of Science]
 
[[File:Gravestone.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|According to a study performed in the United States by researchers Wink and Scott, very religious people fear death the least.<ref>[http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050628_deathfearfrm.htm Fear of death: worst if you’re a little religious?], World of Science]
*J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2005, Jul;60(4):P207-14. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15980288 Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? Findings from a longitudinal study]. Wink P1, Scott J.</ref>]]
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*J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2005, Jul;60(4):P207-14. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15980288 Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? Findings from a longitudinal study]. Wink P1, Scott J.</ref>]]
 
Although a majority of atheists do not believe in life after death due to holding to the worldview of [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]], a significant number of atheists believe in life after death (see: [[Atheism and death]] and [[Atheist worldview#Atheism and views of death|Atheism and views of death]]).
 
Although a majority of atheists do not believe in life after death due to holding to the worldview of [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]], a significant number of atheists believe in life after death (see: [[Atheism and death]] and [[Atheist worldview#Atheism and views of death|Atheism and views of death]]).
  
''Science Daily'' reported that ''Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God''.<ref>[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094322.htm Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God], ''Science Daily'', Date: April 2, 2012</ref>  In a ''Psychology Today'' article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.<ref>[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-big-questions/201205/atheists-death-and-belief-in-god Atheists, Death and Belief in God The Effects of Death Reminders on Atheists' Supernatural Beliefs], ''Psychology Today'', Published on May 25, 2012 by Nathan A. Heflick, Ph.D. in The Big Questions</ref>  
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''Science Daily'' reported that ''Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God''.<ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094322.htm Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God], ''Science Daily'', Date: April 2, 2012</ref>  In a ''Psychology Today'' article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.<ref>[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-big-questions/201205/atheists-death-and-belief-in-god Atheists, Death and Belief in God The Effects of Death Reminders on Atheists' Supernatural Beliefs], ''Psychology Today'', Published on May 25, 2012 by Nathan A. Heflick, Ph.D. in The Big Questions</ref>  
  
 
The website the Skeptics Guide indicates that a significant number of atheists and agnostics believe in life after death and the website reported:
 
The website the Skeptics Guide indicates that a significant number of atheists and agnostics believe in life after death and the website reported:
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and irrationality]] and [[Atheism and critical thinking]] and [[Atheism and logic]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and irrationality]] and [[Atheism and critical thinking]] and [[Atheism and logic]]
[[File:Richard Dawkins at Global Atheism Convention.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[Oxford University]] Professor [[Daniel Came]] wrote to the New Atheist [[Richard Dawkins]]:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', May 14, 2011</ref>  ]]
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[[File:Richard Dawkins at Global Atheism Convention.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[Oxford University]] Professor [[Daniel Came]] wrote to the New Atheist [[Richard Dawkins]]:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', May 14, 2011</ref>  ]]
  
 
Atheists often take great efforts to proclaim how reasonable they are. For example, one of the largest gatherings for the godless was called the [[Reason Rally]].  
 
Atheists often take great efforts to proclaim how reasonable they are. For example, one of the largest gatherings for the godless was called the [[Reason Rally]].  
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Generally speaking, atheists are often unprepared to address their opponents arguments and do poorly in debates (see: [[Atheism and debate]]). In addition, there have been notable cases of prominent atheists dodging debate offers (see: [[Atheism and cowardice]]).
 
Generally speaking, atheists are often unprepared to address their opponents arguments and do poorly in debates (see: [[Atheism and debate]]). In addition, there have been notable cases of prominent atheists dodging debate offers (see: [[Atheism and cowardice]]).
  
At the atheist blog Common Sense Atheism, the atheist Luke Muehlhauser said of the William Laen Craig vs. [[Doug Jesseph]] debate: "A very typical debate in which Craig’s opponent is not prepared for Craig’s skill, speed, or organization, and things just get worse for Jesseph as things go along and he falls further and further behind."<ref>[http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=392 William Lane Craig’s Debates (Reviews)] by Luke Muehlhauser at Common Sense Atheism on February 7, 2009</ref>
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At the atheist blog Common Sense Atheism, the atheist [[Luke Muehlhauser]] said of the William Laen Craig vs. [[Doug Jesseph]] debate: "A very typical debate in which Craig’s opponent is not prepared for Craig’s skill, speed, or organization, and things just get worse for Jesseph as things go along and he falls further and further behind."<ref>[http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=392 William Lane Craig’s Debates (Reviews)] by Luke Muehlhauser at Common Sense Atheism on February 7, 2009</ref>
  
 
Thinking, especially critical thinking, requires mental effort and many atheistic cultures have are experiencing decline related to [[sloth]] (See: [[Atheism and sloth]]). Other times unpreparedness in intellectual matters is due to fear and avoidance and its attendant procrastination (see: [[Atheism and cowardice]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]).
 
Thinking, especially critical thinking, requires mental effort and many atheistic cultures have are experiencing decline related to [[sloth]] (See: [[Atheism and sloth]]). Other times unpreparedness in intellectual matters is due to fear and avoidance and its attendant procrastination (see: [[Atheism and cowardice]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]).
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==== John Lennox's discussion with New Atheist Richard Dawkins about the historicity of Christ ====
 
==== John Lennox's discussion with New Atheist Richard Dawkins about the historicity of Christ ====
  
[[John Lennox]] pointed out to [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] that Dawkins claimed in his book ''The God Delusion'' that Jesus may have never existed and that Dawkins errantly claimed that ancient historians have some disagreement on whether Jesus existed or not. After some additional discussion with Dawkins, Dawkins conceded that Jesus existed and said, "I take that back. Jesus existed".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ant5HS01tBQ Richard Dawkins admits Jesus existed]</ref>
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[[John Lennox]] pointed out to [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] that Dawkins claimed in his book ''The God Delusion'' that Jesus may have never existed and that Dawkins errantly claimed that ancient historians have some disagreement on whether Jesus existed or not. After some additional discussion with Dawkins, Dawkins conceded that Jesus existed and said, "I take that back. Jesus existed".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ant5HS01tBQ Richard Dawkins admits Jesus existed]</ref>
  
 
== Atheism and mockery ==
 
== Atheism and mockery ==
[[File:Penn Jillette.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|A [[National Public Radio]] reviewer of one of atheist [[Penn Jillette]]'s books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of [[profanity]].<ref>[http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/08/16/139669958/penn-jillettes-god-no-an-atheist-libertarian-on-tricks-bacon-and-the-tsa National Public Radio [NPR) review of the book ''God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales'' by Penn Jillette]</ref> See: [[Atheism and profanity]] ]
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[[File:Penn Jillette.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|A [[National Public Radio]] reviewer of one of atheist [[Penn Jillette]]'s books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of [[profanity]].<ref>[https://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/08/16/139669958/penn-jillettes-god-no-an-atheist-libertarian-on-tricks-bacon-and-the-tsa National Public Radio [NPR) review of the book ''God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales'' by Penn Jillette]</ref> See: [[Atheism and profanity]] ]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and mockery]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and mockery]]
  
 
Historically, atheists often engage in mockery rather than discussion/debate and they often react poorly when satire/humor is directed at [[Atheist worldview|atheist ideology]] (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]).<ref>[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/01/13/charlie-hebdo-and-frances-irreligious-tradition/ Charlie Hebdo and France’s Irreligious Tradition] by Kenneth R. Weinstein]</ref><ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]</ref><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>  
 
Historically, atheists often engage in mockery rather than discussion/debate and they often react poorly when satire/humor is directed at [[Atheist worldview|atheist ideology]] (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]).<ref>[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/01/13/charlie-hebdo-and-frances-irreligious-tradition/ Charlie Hebdo and France’s Irreligious Tradition] by Kenneth R. Weinstein]</ref><ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]</ref><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>  
  
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, the atheist [[Penn Jillette]] posted a video on the internet which declared:
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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>[https://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, the 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...  
  
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After refusing to debate the Christian apologist [[Sye Ten Bruggencate]], Penn Jillette said,  “I’m not trained in debate. It’s turning conversation into competition."<ref>[http://debunkingatheists.blogspot.com/2011/09/penn-jillettes-greatest-disappearing.html Penn Jillete's greatest disappearing act yet!]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and cowardice]]  
 
After refusing to debate the Christian apologist [[Sye Ten Bruggencate]], Penn Jillette said,  “I’m not trained in debate. It’s turning conversation into competition."<ref>[http://debunkingatheists.blogspot.com/2011/09/penn-jillettes-greatest-disappearing.html Penn Jillete's greatest disappearing act yet!]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and cowardice]]  
  
A [[National Public Radio]] reviewer of one of atheist [[Penn Jillette]]'s books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of [[profanity]].<ref>[http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/08/16/139669958/penn-jillettes-god-no-an-atheist-libertarian-on-tricks-bacon-and-the-tsa National Public Radio [NPR) review of the book ''God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales'' by Penn Jillette]</ref> See: [[Atheism and profanity]]
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A [[National Public Radio]] reviewer of one of atheist [[Penn Jillette]]'s books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of [[profanity]].<ref>[https://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/08/16/139669958/penn-jillettes-god-no-an-atheist-libertarian-on-tricks-bacon-and-the-tsa National Public Radio [NPR) review of the book ''God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales'' by Penn Jillette]</ref> See: [[Atheism and profanity]]
  
 
== Freethinker moniker ==
 
== Freethinker moniker ==
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[[Freethought|Freethinker]] moniker - Atheists go by the self-gratulatory moniker of freethinker.  Yet, [[militant atheism|militant atheists]] commonly have stifled the free speech [[theism|theists]] whenever they have had the power to do so - especially the free speech of [[Christianity|Christians]] (See:  [[Militant atheism]] and [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Suppression of alternatives to evolution]] and [[Atheist bullying]]).   
 
[[Freethought|Freethinker]] moniker - Atheists go by the self-gratulatory moniker of freethinker.  Yet, [[militant atheism|militant atheists]] commonly have stifled the free speech [[theism|theists]] whenever they have had the power to do so - especially the free speech of [[Christianity|Christians]] (See:  [[Militant atheism]] and [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Suppression of alternatives to evolution]] and [[Atheist bullying]]).   
  
[[Dinesh D'Souza]] has pointed out that atheists have focused considerable efforts on the public schools in order to indoctrinate young people into atheistic beliefs.<ref>[http://townhall.com/columnists/dineshdsouza/2007/10/22/the_atheist_indoctrination_project/page/full The atheist indoctrination project]</ref> In addition, [[Judaism|Jewish]] columnist [[Dennis Prager]] has stated that a [[Causes of atheism|causal factor of atheism]] is the "secular indoctrination of a generation."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=43734</ref> Prager stated that "From elementary school through graduate school, only one way of looking at the world – the secular – is presented. The typical individual in the [[Western World|Western world]] receives as secular an indoctrination as the typical European received a religious one in the [[Middle Ages]]."  <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=4373</ref>  Also, in [[communism|communist]] countries (such as the former [[Soviet Union]]) atheistic indoctrination occurred in the educational system through such venues as schools, atheist museums, and clubs.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=BGJtDwJ7aPwC&pg=PA325&lpg=PA325&dq=atheistic+upbringing+and+atheism&source=bl&ots=eQlq1dZfMj&sig=Xm__18YZpV5L0O8VVzgAc9YiSCc&hl=en&ei=yOy1S76CGcWAlAedg5FR&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=atheistic%20upbringing%20and%20atheism&f=false Marxist-Leninist 'Scientific Atheism' and the Study of Religion and Atheism By James Thrower, page 325]</ref><ref>[http://www.lituanus.org/1963/63_1_01.htm Communism's Struggle with Religion in Lithuania]</ref>  Atheistic communist countries are known to be among the most repressive countries in the world.
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[[Dinesh D'Souza]] has pointed out that atheists have focused considerable efforts on the public schools in order to indoctrinate young people into atheistic beliefs.<ref>[https://townhall.com/columnists/dineshdsouza/2007/10/22/the_atheist_indoctrination_project/page/full The atheist indoctrination project]</ref> In addition, [[Judaism|Jewish]] columnist [[Dennis Prager]] has stated that a [[Causes of atheism|causal factor of atheism]] is the "secular indoctrination of a generation."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=43734</ref> Prager stated that "From elementary school through graduate school, only one way of looking at the world – the secular – is presented. The typical individual in the [[Western World|Western world]] receives as secular an indoctrination as the typical European received a religious one in the [[Middle Ages]]."  <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=4373</ref>  Also, in [[communism|communist]] countries (such as the former [[Soviet Union]]) atheistic indoctrination occurred in the educational system through such venues as schools, atheist museums, and clubs.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BGJtDwJ7aPwC&pg=PA325&lpg=PA325&dq=atheistic+upbringing+and+atheism&source=bl&ots=eQlq1dZfMj&sig=Xm__18YZpV5L0O8VVzgAc9YiSCc&hl=en&ei=yOy1S76CGcWAlAedg5FR&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=atheistic%20upbringing%20and%20atheism&f=false Marxist-Leninist 'Scientific Atheism' and the Study of Religion and Atheism By James Thrower, page 325]</ref><ref>[http://www.lituanus.org/1963/63_1_01.htm Communism's Struggle with Religion in Lithuania]</ref>  Atheistic communist countries are known to be among the most repressive countries in the world.
  
 
In addition, atheist Darwinists actively censor more accurate explanations of origins (see: [[Suppression of alternatives to evolution]]) in order to keep their false [[pseudoscience]] from being more actively rebutted in the public square.
 
In addition, atheist Darwinists actively censor more accurate explanations of origins (see: [[Suppression of alternatives to evolution]]) in order to keep their false [[pseudoscience]] from being more actively rebutted in the public square.
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== Atheism, medicine and health ==
 
== Atheism, medicine and health ==
  
Atheist often champion mainstream medicine and disparage [[osteopathy]], [[integrative medicine]], [[chiropractic]] healthcare and other [[alternative medicine]] approaches.<ref>[http://atheism.about.com/b/2006/08/08/medicine-vs-quackery.htm Medicine vs. quackery by Atheist Austin Cline]</ref><ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/amilliongods/tag/quacks/ Freethoughtblogs.com - A million gods - tags: medicine, quackery]</ref>  In addition, atheists are often guilty of practicing the ideology/religion of [[scientism]].<ref>[http://creation.com/the-religion-of-scientism-m-shallis Quotable quote: The religion of scientism]</ref><ref>[https://creation.com/images/pdfs/tj/j22_3/j22_3_35-37.pdf God of evolution]</ref><ref>[http://creation.com/answering-the-new-atheists Answering the new atheists]</ref>
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and medicine]]
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Atheist often champion mainstream medicine and disparage [[osteopathy]], [[integrative medicine]], [[chiropractic]] healthcare and other [[alternative medicine]] approaches.<ref>[http://atheism.about.com/b/2006/08/08/medicine-vs-quackery.htm Medicine vs. quackery by Atheist Austin Cline]</ref><ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/amilliongods/tag/quacks/ Freethoughtblogs.com - A million gods - tags: medicine, quackery]</ref>  In addition, atheists are often guilty of practicing the ideology/religion of [[scientism]].<ref>[https://creation.com/the-religion-of-scientism-m-shallis Quotable quote: The religion of scientism]</ref><ref>[https://creation.com/images/pdfs/tj/j22_3/j22_3_35-37.pdf God of evolution]</ref><ref>[https://creation.com/answering-the-new-atheists Answering the new atheists]</ref>
  
 
=== Atheism and obesity ===
 
=== Atheism and obesity ===
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[[File:PzMyers2.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|[[PZ Myers]]
 
[[File:PzMyers2.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|[[PZ Myers]]
  
<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en  license agreement])</small> ]]
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<small>(photo obtained from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en  license agreement])</small> ]]
Yet, despite [[Physical and mental health related problems associated with obesity|the health risks]] of [[obesity]] and despite the fact that [[exercise science]], [[nutritional science]] and [[medical science]] have a number of [[bariatric science|effective treatments]] for obesity, a significant amount of prominent atheists are obese/overweight (see: [[Atheism and obesity]]).   
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Yet, despite [[Health risks linked to obesity|the health risks]] of [[obesity]] and despite the fact that [[exercise science]], [[nutritional science]] and [[medical science]] have a number of [[bariatric science|effective treatments]] for obesity, a significant amount of prominent atheists are obese/overweight (see: [[Atheism and obesity]]).   
  
For example, 3 out of 5 of the founders of the [[New Atheism]] movement have had issues with being overweight as can be seen [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3UXl0oMYPLs/SXgxH_-MgFI/AAAAAAAAAF4/EU-wzxEjOmc/s1600-h/atheist-reason.jpg HERE] and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/7230309@N05/3708479160/ HERE] and [http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/Quantum-Mechanics-Could-Link-Humans-with-the-Universe-2.jpg/ HERE] (see: [[New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight]]). In addition, most atheists champion the [[Pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] notions of [[evolution]] and [[Origin of life|abiogenesis]].   
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For example, 3 out of 5 of the founders of the [[New Atheism]] movement have had issues with being overweight as can be seen [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3UXl0oMYPLs/SXgxH_-MgFI/AAAAAAAAAF4/EU-wzxEjOmc/s1600-h/atheist-reason.jpg HERE] and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/7230309@N05/3708479160/ HERE] and [http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/Quantum-Mechanics-Could-Link-Humans-with-the-Universe-2.jpg/ HERE] (see: [[New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight]]). In addition, most atheists champion the [[Pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] notions of [[evolution]] and [[Origin of life|abiogenesis]].   
  
 
[[PZ Myers]] is also a leader within the New Atheism movement and Myers has had problems with being overweight and experienced health problems as a result.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/08/23/thats-not-a-heart-its-a-flaili/ That’s not a heart! It’s a flailing Engine of Destruction!]</ref>  2009 pictures of a significantly overweight [[PZ Myers]] can be found [http://gaylejordan.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/dsc02944.jpg HERE] and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/biofortified/4681215568/in/photolist-88Esif-73z2v4-5VC3RT-5VGB9h-5VC96t-5VGjGG-5VCad4-5VG8Cf-5VFSHf-5VBTTt-5VCkja-5VCcrz-5VGhYC-5VBRW6-5VGbwj-5VChY4-5VC6cF-5VBP3F-5VGzNS-5VG7Xo-5VC7Dv-5VC1KP-5VG9g3-6QF6YC-6NEVMU-5VCRQz-6NEXn5-6NEXcY-6NEX5A-5VCWRH-5VHfGo-5VD4uR-5VH4yU-5VDdTM-5VCFQV-5VDbCP-5VCAQa-5VCnb2-5VCJ9n-5VHwkm-5VGSeu-5VCrQe-5VH2mJ-5VCZRr-5VHFSL-5VHrsA-5VGZyS-5VCQw4-5VGKXW-5VHoaN HERE] and [https://flic.kr/p/8ZpQv6 HERE].  
 
[[PZ Myers]] is also a leader within the New Atheism movement and Myers has had problems with being overweight and experienced health problems as a result.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/08/23/thats-not-a-heart-its-a-flaili/ That’s not a heart! It’s a flailing Engine of Destruction!]</ref>  2009 pictures of a significantly overweight [[PZ Myers]] can be found [http://gaylejordan.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/dsc02944.jpg HERE] and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/biofortified/4681215568/in/photolist-88Esif-73z2v4-5VC3RT-5VGB9h-5VC96t-5VGjGG-5VCad4-5VG8Cf-5VFSHf-5VBTTt-5VCkja-5VCcrz-5VGhYC-5VBRW6-5VGbwj-5VChY4-5VC6cF-5VBP3F-5VGzNS-5VG7Xo-5VC7Dv-5VC1KP-5VG9g3-6QF6YC-6NEVMU-5VCRQz-6NEXn5-6NEXcY-6NEX5A-5VCWRH-5VHfGo-5VD4uR-5VH4yU-5VDdTM-5VCFQV-5VDbCP-5VCAQa-5VCnb2-5VCJ9n-5VHwkm-5VGSeu-5VCrQe-5VH2mJ-5VCZRr-5VHFSL-5VHrsA-5VGZyS-5VCQw4-5VGKXW-5VHoaN HERE] and [https://flic.kr/p/8ZpQv6 HERE].  
  
According to the [[Gallup poll|Gallup Inc.]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>  In the journal article ''Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications'', psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on [[self-control]]/self-regulation.<ref>[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054</ref>  In terms of their geographic location, a large majority of Christians live in the Eastern World where individuals tend to be slimmer and practice healthier lifestyles (see: [[Global Christianity]]).<ref>
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According to the [[Gallup poll|Gallup Inc.]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>https://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>  In the journal article ''Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications'', psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on [[self-control]]/self-regulation.<ref>[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054</ref>  In terms of their geographic location, a large majority of Christians live in the Eastern World where individuals tend to be slimmer and practice healthier lifestyles (see: [[Global Christianity]]).<ref>
*[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]
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*[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850 Western diet consumption and cognitive impairment: links to hippocampal dysfunction and obesity.]
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*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850 Western diet consumption and cognitive impairment: links to hippocampal dysfunction and obesity.]
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16539965 Health-risks associated with Western diet and sedentariness: the obesity epidemia]
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*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16539965 Health-risks associated with Western diet and sedentariness: the obesity epidemia]
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21139122 Traditional non-Western diets]</ref>   
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*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21139122 Traditional non-Western diets]</ref>   
  
 
If the atheist community truly believed in [[evidence-based medicine]], a significant amount of prominent atheists would not be overweight. There is no historical evidence suggesting that [[Jesus]] or his disciples were overweight. See: [[Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet]]
 
If the atheist community truly believed in [[evidence-based medicine]], a significant amount of prominent atheists would not be overweight. There is no historical evidence suggesting that [[Jesus]] or his disciples were overweight. See: [[Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet]]
 
[[File:African open air Christian meeting.jpg|thumbnail|right|220px|[[Africa]]n Christians clapping at an open-air meeting.  
 
[[File:African open air Christian meeting.jpg|thumbnail|right|220px|[[Africa]]n Christians clapping at an open-air meeting.  
  
In 2005, there were four times as many non-[[Western World]] Christians as there were Western World Christians.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref>
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In 2005, there were four times as many non-[[Western World]] Christians as there were Western World Christians.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref>
  
  
  
The traditional [[Africa]]n diet is healthier than many Western World invividuals' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat.html World's fattest countries]</ref><ref>[http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030612p26.shtml Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets], Today's Nutrition</ref> In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.<ref>[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa]</ref> See: [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]] ]]
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The traditional [[Africa]]n diet is healthier than many Western World invividuals' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat.html World's fattest countries]</ref><ref>[http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030612p26.shtml Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets], Today's Nutrition</ref> In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.<ref>[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa]</ref> See: [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]] ]]
The traditional [[Africa]]n diet is healthier than many Western World peoples' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat.html World's fattest countries]</ref><ref>[http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030612p26.shtml Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets], Today's Nutrition</ref> In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.<ref>[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa]</ref>  [[Secular Europe]] has a higher obesity rate than Africa (See: [[Secular Europe and obesity]]).  In addition, religious Africa has a lower obesity rate than atheistic [[China]] (see: [[China and obesity]]).
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The traditional [[Africa]]n diet is healthier than many Western World peoples' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat.html World's fattest countries]</ref><ref>[http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030612p26.shtml Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets], Today's Nutrition</ref> In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.<ref>[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa]</ref>  [[Secular Europe]] has a higher obesity rate than Africa (See: [[Secular Europe and obesity]]).  In addition, religious Africa has a lower obesity rate than atheistic [[China]] (see: [[China and obesity]]).
  
In the [[United States]], the greater the degree of irreligiosity in a generation, the higher their [[obesity]] rate is. See: [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Generation X, irreligion and obesity]] and [[Millennials, irreligion and obesity]] and [[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]  According to the [[Gallup poll|Gallup Inc.]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>  
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In the [[United States]], the greater the degree of irreligiosity in a generation, the higher their [[obesity]] rate is. See: [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Generation X, irreligion and obesity]] and [[Millennials, irreligion and obesity]] and [[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]  According to the [[Gallup poll|Gallup Inc.]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>https://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>  
  
 
The [[Iona Institute]] reported:
 
The [[Iona Institute]] reported:
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcoholism]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcoholism]]
[[File:04656 market in Sanok.JPG|thumbnail|200px|left|[[Alcoholism]] was a serious social problem in the former atheistic [[Soviet Union]].<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, this [[atheist state]] had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>]]
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[[File:04656 market in Sanok.JPG|thumbnail|200px|left|[[Alcoholism]] was a serious social problem in the former atheistic [[Soviet Union]].<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, this [[atheist state]] had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>]]
As noted above, American atheists are more likely to see excessive drinking as morally acceptable behavior.<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref>  [[Alcoholism]] was a serious social problem in the former atheistic [[Soviet Union]].<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>
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As noted above, American atheists are more likely to see excessive drinking as morally acceptable behavior.<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref>  [[Alcoholism]] was a serious social problem in the former atheistic [[Soviet Union]].<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>
  
 
A 2012 study suggests that a habit of binge drink risks serious brain damage including increasing memory loss later in adulthood.<ref>http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/binge/a/aa000818a.htm</ref><ref>http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20121022/koob.html</ref>  There are a number of other health problems associated with excess alcohol use as well (see: [[alcoholism]]).  
 
A 2012 study suggests that a habit of binge drink risks serious brain damage including increasing memory loss later in adulthood.<ref>http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/binge/a/aa000818a.htm</ref><ref>http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20121022/koob.html</ref>  There are a number of other health problems associated with excess alcohol use as well (see: [[alcoholism]]).  
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The [[conservative]] journalist [[Peter LaBarbera]] of [[Americans for Truth]] wrote: "Anyone who has researched the subject of [[homosexuality]] knows that many of the most staunch advocates of homosexuality are those who hold a decidedly secular outlook."<ref>[http://americansfortruth.com/2008/05/03/homosexuality-and-atheism/ Atheism and homosexuality]</ref>
 
The [[conservative]] journalist [[Peter LaBarbera]] of [[Americans for Truth]] wrote: "Anyone who has researched the subject of [[homosexuality]] knows that many of the most staunch advocates of homosexuality are those who hold a decidedly secular outlook."<ref>[http://americansfortruth.com/2008/05/03/homosexuality-and-atheism/ Atheism and homosexuality]</ref>
  
The [[Barna Group]] found that atheists and [[agnostics]] in America were more likely, than [[theist]]s in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable:  [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]]; excessive drinking; [[fornication|sexual relationships outside of marriage]]; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; [[Profanity|obscene language]]; [[gambling]]; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/[[bisexuality]].<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref> Given the [[Homosexuality and Health|many diseases associated with homosexuality]], the [[Bible|biblical]] prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the [http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge many examples where the Bible exhibited knowledge that was ahead of its time]. See also: [[Atheism and homosexuality]]
+
The [[Barna Group]] found that atheists and [[agnostics]] in America were more likely, than [[theist]]s in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable:  [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]]; excessive drinking; [[fornication|sexual relationships outside of marriage]]; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; [[Profanity|obscene language]]; [[gambling]]; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/[[bisexuality]].<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref> Given the [[Homosexuality and health|many diseases associated with homosexuality]], the [[Bible|biblical]] prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the [http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge many examples where the Bible exhibited knowledge that was ahead of its time]. See also: [[Atheism and homosexuality]]
  
 
Given that [[Homosexuality and choice|homosexuality is a choice]], the existence many [[ex-homosexuals]] and the many health risks of homosexuality and its effect on the larger population through [[Bisexuality|bisexuals]], the continued advocacy of homosexuality by atheists is another example of atheist hypocrisy.
 
Given that [[Homosexuality and choice|homosexuality is a choice]], the existence many [[ex-homosexuals]] and the many health risks of homosexuality and its effect on the larger population through [[Bisexuality|bisexuals]], the continued advocacy of homosexuality by atheists is another example of atheist hypocrisy.
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See also:'' [[Atheist actions against homosexuals]] and [[Atheism and homosexuality]]
 
See also:'' [[Atheist actions against homosexuals]] and [[Atheism and homosexuality]]
  
[[Secular left|Leftist atheists]] in the [[Western World]],  commonly complain about the Bible declaring [[homosexuality]] to be a [[sin]] and Christian negative attitudes against homosexuality, yet atheistic [[communism|communist]] regimes took strong measures to reduce the prevalence of homosexuality in their societies due to seeing homosexuality as a symptom of bourgeois decadence.<ref name="Chapman">{{cite book|last=Chapman|first=Thomas E.|title=Constructing the Moral Landscape Through Antidiscrimination Law: Discourse, Debate, and Dialogue of Sexual Citizenship in Three Florida Communities|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=bZE5UgNRP8cC&pg=PA142|accessdate=25 April 2014|year=2007|publisher=ProQuest|isbn=9780549469575|page=142|quote=Another element contributing to Cuba's past anti-gay policies was for a time, the government adopted the Stalinist position, practiced in the Soviet Union, that homosexuality is a form of bourgeois decadence.}}</ref>  In addition, the [[American Atheists]] organization was embroiled in a controversy due to the critical comments that Dave Muscato, the Public Relations Director for American Atheists, said about homosexual activists.<ref name=Stedman>{{cite web|url=http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2013/12/13/american-atheists-public-relations-director/|title=Does American Atheists agree with this offensive LGBTQ comment?|last=Stedman|first=Chris|date=13 December 2013|publisher=Religion News Service|accessdate=25 April 2014}}</ref>  See: [[Atheist actions against homosexuals]]
+
[[Secular left|Leftist atheists]] in the [[Western World]],  commonly complain about the Bible declaring [[homosexuality]] to be a [[sin]] and Christian negative attitudes against homosexuality, yet atheistic [[communism|communist]] regimes took strong measures to reduce the prevalence of homosexuality in their societies due to seeing homosexuality as a symptom of bourgeois decadence.<ref name="Chapman">{{cite book|last=Chapman|first=Thomas E.|title=Constructing the Moral Landscape Through Antidiscrimination Law: Discourse, Debate, and Dialogue of Sexual Citizenship in Three Florida Communities|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZE5UgNRP8cC&pg=PA142|accessdate=25 April 2014|year=2007|publisher=ProQuest|isbn=9780549469575|page=142|quote=Another element contributing to Cuba's past anti-gay policies was for a time, the government adopted the Stalinist position, practiced in the Soviet Union, that homosexuality is a form of bourgeois decadence.}}</ref>  In addition, the [[American Atheists]] organization was embroiled in a controversy due to the critical comments that Dave Muscato, the Public Relations Director for American Atheists, said about homosexual activists.<ref name=Stedman>{{cite web|url=http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2013/12/13/american-atheists-public-relations-director/|title=Does American Atheists agree with this offensive LGBTQ comment?|last=Stedman|first=Chris|date=13 December 2013|publisher=Religion News Service|accessdate=25 April 2014}}</ref>  See: [[Atheist actions against homosexuals]]
  
 
== Atheism and superstition ==
 
== Atheism and superstition ==
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This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine ''Skeptical Inquirer'' that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>}}
 
This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine ''Skeptical Inquirer'' that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>}}
  
== Atheism. secular left and racism ==
+
=== Atheism. secular left and racism ===
 +
 
 +
The [[atheist population]] has a significant amount of racism within its midst  (see: [[Atheism and racism]]).
  
 
As note above, most atheists skew politically to the left (see: [[Atheism and politics]]).  
 
As note above, most atheists skew politically to the left (see: [[Atheism and politics]]).  
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Furthermore, atheists often get prickly when the subject of [[evolutionary racism]] is brought up.
 
Furthermore, atheists often get prickly when the subject of [[evolutionary racism]] is brought up.
=== Token efforts to extend racial minorities leadership positions in atheist organizations ===
+
==== Token efforts to extend racial minorities leadership positions in atheist organizations ====
  
 
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheism and leadership]]
 
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheism and leadership]]
  
 
On October 9, 2014, the atheist Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson declared:
 
On October 9, 2014, the atheist Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson declared:
{{cquote|Despite frequent tokenistic calls for “diversity” within the “movement,” there are virtually no people of color in executive management positions in any of the major secular, atheist, or [[Secular Humanism|Humanist]] organizations —notable exceptions being Debbie Goddard of Center for Inquiry and Maggie Ardiente of American Humanist Association. People of color are constantly bombarded with claims of separatism, reverse discrimination, and “self-segregation” when they point to the absence of social justice, anti-racist community organizing, coalition-building, and visibility among secular organizations. After the Washington Post article, the vitriol and denialism among the “We are All Africans” white atheists was off the chain. This illustrates yet again that sticking a few of us on conference panels or secular boards is nothing but cheap appeasement.<ref>[http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2014/10/09/atheism-social-justice-sikivu-hutchinson-first-people-color-beyond-faith-conference/ Atheism and social justice: Sikivu Hutchinson on the first People of Color Beyond Faith conference], Chris Stedman, Religious Service News, Oct 9, 2014</ref>}}
+
{{cquote|Despite frequent tokenistic calls for “diversity” within the “movement,” there are virtually no people of color in executive management positions in any of the major secular, atheist, or [[Secular Humanism|Humanist]] organizations — notable exceptions being Debbie Goddard of Center for Inquiry and Maggie Ardiente of [[American Humanist Association]]. People of color are constantly bombarded with claims of separatism, reverse discrimination, and “self-segregation” when they point to the absence of social justice, anti-racist community organizing, coalition-building, and visibility among secular organizations. After the Washington Post article, the vitriol and denialism among the “We are All Africans” white atheists was off the chain. This illustrates yet again that sticking a few of us on conference panels or secular boards is nothing but cheap appeasement.<ref>[http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2014/10/09/atheism-social-justice-sikivu-hutchinson-first-people-color-beyond-faith-conference/ Atheism and social justice: Sikivu Hutchinson on the first People of Color Beyond Faith conference], Chris Stedman, Religious Service News, Oct 9, 2014</ref>}}
  
=== Racial minority atheists vs. prominent, white atheist lead organizations ===
+
==== Racial minority atheists vs. prominent, white atheist lead organizations ====
 
[[File:Skivu Hutchinson speaking at Center For Inquiry.JPG|thumbnail|200px|right|[[Sikivu Hutchinson]] speaking ath the [[Center for Inquiry]]. ]]
 
[[File:Skivu Hutchinson speaking at Center For Inquiry.JPG|thumbnail|200px|right|[[Sikivu Hutchinson]] speaking ath the [[Center for Inquiry]]. ]]
  
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Atheist [[Sikivu Hutchinson]] wrote:
 
Atheist [[Sikivu Hutchinson]] wrote:
{{cquote|The recent merger of the secular organization Center for Inquiry (CFI) and the [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science|Richard Dawkins Foundation]] (RDF) has been dubbed atheism's supergroup moment. Acknowledging the two organizations' outsized presence in the atheist world, Religion News Service acidly declared it a "royal wedding". The partnership, which gives Richard Dawkins a seat on the CFI board, smacks of a vindication of Dawkins' toxic, reactionary brand of [http://www.salon.com/2013/08/10/richard_dawkins_does_it_again_new_atheisms_islamophobia_problem/ damn-all-them-culturally-backward-Western-values-hating- Muslims] New Atheism. As one of the most prominent global secular organizations, CFI's [http://www.centerforinquiry.net/about/corporate_governance all-white board] looks right at home with RDF's [https://richarddawkins.net/boardandstaff/ lily white board] and staff.
+
{{cquote|The recent merger of the secular organization Center for Inquiry (CFI) and the [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science|Richard Dawkins Foundation]] (RDF) has been dubbed atheism's supergroup moment. Acknowledging the two organizations' outsized presence in the atheist world, Religion News Service acidly declared it a "royal wedding". The partnership, which gives Richard Dawkins a seat on the CFI board, smacks of a vindication of Dawkins' toxic, reactionary brand of [https://www.salon.com/2013/08/10/richard_dawkins_does_it_again_new_atheisms_islamophobia_problem/ damn-all-them-culturally-backward-Western-values-hating- Muslims] New Atheism. As one of the most prominent global secular organizations, CFI's [http://www.centerforinquiry.net/about/corporate_governance all-white board] looks right at home with RDF's [https://richarddawkins.net/boardandstaff/ lily white board] and staff.
  
Meanwhile, atheists and humanists of color have been going against the white grain to address issues that [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sikivu-hutchinson/atheismsowhite-atheists-o_b_9078736.html much] of organized atheism and humanism are [http://thedailybanter.com/2014/10/atheists-dont-owe-your-social-justice-agenda-a-damn-thing/ resistant if not outright hostile to].<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sikivu-hutchinson/atheismsowhite-atheists-o_b_9078736.html #AtheismSoWhite: Atheists of Color Rock Social Justice] by Sikivu Hutchinson</ref>}}
+
Meanwhile, atheists and humanists of color have been going against the white grain to address issues that [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/sikivu-hutchinson/atheismsowhite-atheists-o_b_9078736.html much] of organized atheism and humanism are [http://thedailybanter.com/2014/10/atheists-dont-owe-your-social-justice-agenda-a-damn-thing/ resistant if not outright hostile to].<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/sikivu-hutchinson/atheismsowhite-atheists-o_b_9078736.html #AtheismSoWhite: Atheists of Color Rock Social Justice] by Sikivu Hutchinson</ref>}}
  
 
The [[secular humanism|secular humanist]] document Human Manifesto II, which was written in 1973 by [[Paul Kurtz]] and Edwin H. Wilson, decried racism and it declared:
 
The [[secular humanism|secular humanist]] document Human Manifesto II, which was written in 1973 by [[Paul Kurtz]] and Edwin H. Wilson, decried racism and it declared:
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One of the ironies of the [[New Atheism]] movement (a form of [[militant atheism]]) is that one of its leading figures, [[Richard Dawkins]], is an agnostic whose public persona flip-flops between militant atheism, atheism, and [[agnosticism]]. See: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]
 
One of the ironies of the [[New Atheism]] movement (a form of [[militant atheism]]) is that one of its leading figures, [[Richard Dawkins]], is an agnostic whose public persona flip-flops between militant atheism, atheism, and [[agnosticism]]. See: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]
  
Richard Dawkins indicated in a 2012 meeting with the British Archbishop Dr. [[Rowan Williams]] that he is an agnostic which stunned the Dr. Williams and many in the general public.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105834/Career-atheist-Richard-Dawkins-admits-fact-agnostic.html Richard admits he is an agnostic - The Daily Mail]</ref><ref>[http://www.theweek.co.uk/religion/religion/45552/outspoken-atheist-dawkins-admits-he-agnostic 'Outspoken atheist' admits he is an agnostic]</ref> In an essay entitled ''Is Richard Dawkins a flip-flopper?'', an advocate of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] indicated that the public persona of Dawkins is sometimes atheistic for controversy sake in order to sell more books.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-richard-dawkins-flipflopper.html Is Richard Dawkins a flip-flopper?]</ref>
+
Richard Dawkins indicated in a 2012 meeting with the British Archbishop Dr. [[Rowan Williams]] that he is an agnostic which stunned the Dr. Williams and many in the general public.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105834/Career-atheist-Richard-Dawkins-admits-fact-agnostic.html Richard admits he is an agnostic - The Daily Mail]</ref><ref>[http://www.theweek.co.uk/religion/religion/45552/outspoken-atheist-dawkins-admits-he-agnostic 'Outspoken atheist' admits he is an agnostic]</ref> In an essay entitled ''Is Richard Dawkins a flip-flopper?'', an advocate of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] indicated that the public persona of Dawkins is sometimes atheistic for controversy sake in order to sell more books.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-richard-dawkins-flipflopper.html Is Richard Dawkins a flip-flopper?]</ref>
  
 
== Atheism commonly decry religion, yet atheism is a religion ==
 
== Atheism commonly decry religion, yet atheism is a religion ==
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=== Darwinism is a religion ===
 
=== Darwinism is a religion ===
  
The Kitzmiller vs. Dover case which focused on the issue [[intelligent design]] being taught in public schools did not take into account arguments that evolution is religious in nature.<ref>http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion</ref><ref>http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_error_summary.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_Error.pdf</ref>
+
The Kitzmiller vs. Dover case which focused on the issue [[intelligent design]] being taught in public schools did not take into account arguments that evolution is religious in nature.<ref>https://creation.com/atheism-a-religion</ref><ref>http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_error_summary.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_Error.pdf</ref>
[[File:Question-Evolution-Campaign.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|The Question evolution! campaign by [[Creation Ministries International]] is a worldwide campaign which poses 15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer.<ref>http://creation.com/question-eviolution Question evolution! campaign] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref> The 15 questions posed to evolutionists can be found [http://creation.com/15-questions HERE] ]]
+
[[File:Question-Evolution-Campaign.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|The Question evolution! campaign by [[Creation Ministries International]] is a worldwide campaign which poses 15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer.<ref>https://creation.com/question-eviolution Question evolution! campaign] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref> The 15 questions posed to evolutionists can be found [https://creation.com/15-questions HERE] ]]
  
The atheist philosopher of science [[Michael Ruse]] said "Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."<ref>Ruse, M., How evolution became a religion: creationists correct? National Post, pp. B1,B3,B7 May 13, 2000.</ref> In the their [[Question evolution! campaign]], [[Creation Ministries International]] asserts that evolution is a religion.<ref>[http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists]</ref>
+
The atheist philosopher of science [[Michael Ruse]] said "Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."<ref>Ruse, M., How evolution became a religion: creationists correct? National Post, pp. B1,B3,B7 May 13, 2000.</ref> In the their [[Question evolution! campaign]], [[Creation Ministries International]] asserts that evolution is a religion.<ref>[https://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists]</ref>
  
 
The Question evolution! campaign is upsetting to many atheists because although they advocate questioning other religions, when tenets of their evolutionary faith are questioned they become agitated and upset. A recent study reported at ''Live Science'' found that evolutionary belief is significantly reliant on "gut feelings".<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/02/evolutionary-gut-feelings-belief-in.html Evolutionary gut feelings, "Belief in Evolution Boils Down to a Gut Feeling"]</ref>
 
The Question evolution! campaign is upsetting to many atheists because although they advocate questioning other religions, when tenets of their evolutionary faith are questioned they become agitated and upset. A recent study reported at ''Live Science'' found that evolutionary belief is significantly reliant on "gut feelings".<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/02/evolutionary-gut-feelings-belief-in.html Evolutionary gut feelings, "Belief in Evolution Boils Down to a Gut Feeling"]</ref>
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and slavery]] and [[Atheism and forced labor]]
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and slavery]] and [[Atheism and forced labor]]
  
[[File:Flag of the PRC.png|thumbnail|200px|right|According to [[CNN]], hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of labor camps and forced labor prisons (called laogai) still exist in modern [[China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/red.giant/prisons/wu.essay/ |title=Labor camps reinforce China's totalitarian rule |publisher=Cnn.com |date=1984-10-09 |accessdate=2013-03-20}}</ref>]]
+
[[File:Flag of the PRC.png|thumbnail|200px|right|According to [[CNN]], hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of labor camps and forced labor prisons (called laogai) still exist in modern [[China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/red.giant/prisons/wu.essay/ |title=Labor camps reinforce China's totalitarian rule |publisher=Cnn.com |date=1984-10-09 |accessdate=2013-03-20}}</ref>]]
 
Atheists commonly decry [[slavery in the Bible]] - particularly the Israelites owning slave and Christian slaveholders mentioned or alluded to in the [[New Testament]].<ref>[http://christianthinktank.com/qnoslave.html Does the Bible condone slavery?]</ref>  
 
Atheists commonly decry [[slavery in the Bible]] - particularly the Israelites owning slave and Christian slaveholders mentioned or alluded to in the [[New Testament]].<ref>[http://christianthinktank.com/qnoslave.html Does the Bible condone slavery?]</ref>  
  
[[China]] has the world's largest atheist population.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], ''Washington Post'' By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013</ref>
+
[[China]] has the world's largest atheist population.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], ''Washington Post'' By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013</ref>
  
The inaugural Global Slavery Index is published by the Australia-based Walk Free Foundation,<ref>[http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/30-million-people-still-live-slavery-human-rights-group-says-f8C11409499 30 million people still live in slavery, human rights group says], NBC News</ref>  
+
The inaugural Global Slavery Index is published by the Australia-based Walk Free Foundation,<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/30-million-people-still-live-slavery-human-rights-group-says-f8C11409499 30 million people still live in slavery, human rights group says], NBC News</ref>  
  
 
According to NBC News:
 
According to NBC News:
 
{{cquote|But taken in absolute terms, global powers such as China and Russia were near the top of the list of countries with the largest total of people living in slavery.  
 
{{cquote|But taken in absolute terms, global powers such as China and Russia were near the top of the list of countries with the largest total of people living in slavery.  
  
The index said the figure for China includes “the forced labour of men, women and children in many parts of the economy, including domestic servitude and forced begging, the sexual exploitation of women and children, and forced marriage.”<ref>[http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/30-million-people-still-live-slavery-human-rights-group-says-f8C11409499 30 million people still live in slavery, human rights group says], NBC News</ref>}}
+
The index said the figure for China includes “the forced labour of men, women and children in many parts of the economy, including domestic servitude and forced begging, the sexual exploitation of women and children, and forced marriage.”<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/30-million-people-still-live-slavery-human-rights-group-says-f8C11409499 30 million people still live in slavery, human rights group says], NBC News</ref>}}
  
 
In addition, in atheistic [[communism|communist]] regimes forced labor has often played a significant role in their economies and this practice continues to this day. (Please see: [[Atheism and forced labor]])<ref>
 
In addition, in atheistic [[communism|communist]] regimes forced labor has often played a significant role in their economies and this practice continues to this day. (Please see: [[Atheism and forced labor]])<ref>
 
*[http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/museum/comfaq.htm Museum of Communism FAQ] by Bryan Caplan]
 
*[http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/museum/comfaq.htm Museum of Communism FAQ] by Bryan Caplan]
*[http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/13/north-korea-economic-system-built-forced-labor North Korea: Economic System Built on Forced Labor New Testimonies Say Even Children Must Work or Face Detention Camps], Human Rights Watch, June 13, 2012
+
*[https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/13/north-korea-economic-system-built-forced-labor North Korea: Economic System Built on Forced Labor New Testimonies Say Even Children Must Work or Face Detention Camps], Human Rights Watch, June 13, 2012
*[http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/07/qatar-north-korean-forced-labour Qatar’s ambitious future driven on by North Korean ‘forced labour’], The Guardian, Pete Pattisson in Doha, Friday 7 November 2014 07.52 EST]</ref>
+
*[https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/07/qatar-north-korean-forced-labour Qatar’s ambitious future driven on by North Korean ‘forced labour’], The Guardian, Pete Pattisson in Doha, Friday 7 November 2014 07.52 EST]</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/red.giant/prisons/wu.essay/ |title=Labor camps reinforce China's totalitarian rule |publisher=Cnn.com |date=1984-10-09 |accessdate=2013-03-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=China to reform re-education through labor system|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-01/07/c_132086402.htm|accessdate=January 8, 2013|publisher=Xinhua|date=January 8, 2013}}</ref>
+
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/red.giant/prisons/wu.essay/ |title=Labor camps reinforce China's totalitarian rule |publisher=Cnn.com |date=1984-10-09 |accessdate=2013-03-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=China to reform re-education through labor system|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-01/07/c_132086402.htm|accessdate=January 8, 2013|publisher=Xinhua|date=January 8, 2013}}</ref>
  
 
In [[Myanmar]] a nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), about 800,000 people are subject to forced labor in [[Myanmar]].<ref>"[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/GC29Ae02.html ILO cracks the whip at Yangon]". Atimes.com. 29 March 2005. Retrieved 4 December 2011.</ref>
 
In [[Myanmar]] a nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), about 800,000 people are subject to forced labor in [[Myanmar]].<ref>"[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/GC29Ae02.html ILO cracks the whip at Yangon]". Atimes.com. 29 March 2005. Retrieved 4 December 2011.</ref>
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In June 2013, reports of Christians in forced labor camps due to religious discrimination were still being reported.<ref>[http://dontletthewellrundry.blogspot.com/2013/06/modern-gulags-china-forced-labor-camps.html Modern gulags - China's forced labor camps]</ref> Also, in 2013 the Korean-American pastor Kenneth Bae was sentenced to 15 years in an atheistic communist [[North Korea]]n labor prison camps due to religious persecution.<ref>[http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/10/american-pastor-languishing-in-north-korea-labor-camp/ American Pastor Languishing in North Korea Labor Camp]</ref> North Korea is known for its systematic persecution of Christians.<ref>[http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/10/american-pastor-languishing-in-north-korea-labor-camp/ American Pastor Languishing in North Korea Labor Camp]</ref>  
 
In June 2013, reports of Christians in forced labor camps due to religious discrimination were still being reported.<ref>[http://dontletthewellrundry.blogspot.com/2013/06/modern-gulags-china-forced-labor-camps.html Modern gulags - China's forced labor camps]</ref> Also, in 2013 the Korean-American pastor Kenneth Bae was sentenced to 15 years in an atheistic communist [[North Korea]]n labor prison camps due to religious persecution.<ref>[http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/10/american-pastor-languishing-in-north-korea-labor-camp/ American Pastor Languishing in North Korea Labor Camp]</ref> North Korea is known for its systematic persecution of Christians.<ref>[http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/10/american-pastor-languishing-in-north-korea-labor-camp/ American Pastor Languishing in North Korea Labor Camp]</ref>  
  
[[Thomas Sowell]] wrote in an essay entitled ''Ending slavery'': "The anti-slavery movement was spearheaded by people who would today be called 'the religious right' and its organization was created by conservative businessmen."<ref>[http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2005/02/08/ending_slavery/page/full/ Ending slavery]</ref>
+
[[Thomas Sowell]] wrote in an essay entitled ''Ending slavery'': "The anti-slavery movement was spearheaded by people who would today be called 'the religious right' and its organization was created by conservative businessmen."<ref>[https://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2005/02/08/ending_slavery/page/full/ Ending slavery]</ref>
  
[[File:Slave auction.jpg|250px|right|thumbnail|On February 20, 2012, the British newspaper the ''Daily Mail'' reported that [[Richard Dawkins]]' "family fortune came from the slave trade".<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103319/Campaigner-Richard-Dawkins-faces-awkward-truth-money-came-slave-trade.html Revealed: How atheist Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade, Daily Mail, February 20, 2012]</ref>]]  
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[[File:Slave auction.jpg|250px|right|thumbnail|On February 20, 2012, the British newspaper the ''Daily Mail'' reported that [[Richard Dawkins]]' "family fortune came from the slave trade".<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103319/Campaigner-Richard-Dawkins-faces-awkward-truth-money-came-slave-trade.html Revealed: How atheist Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade, Daily Mail, February 20, 2012]</ref>]]  
 
=== Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade - asked to pay reparations ===
 
=== Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade - asked to pay reparations ===
  
 
''See also:'' [[Richard Dawkins' family fortune and the slave trade]]
 
''See also:'' [[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".<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103319/Campaigner-Richard-Dawkins-faces-awkward-truth-money-came-slave-trade.html Revealed: How atheist Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade, Daily Mail, February 20, 2012]</ref> On February 19, 2012, ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported that Dawkins is being called to make reparations for his family's past.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9091007/Slaves-at-the-root-of-the-fortune-that-created-Richard-Dawkins-family-estate.html Slaves at the root of the fortune that created Richard Dawkins' family estate, The Daily Telegragh, February 19, 2012]</ref>
+
On February 20, 2012, the British newspaper the ''Daily Mail'' reported that [[Richard Dawkins]]' "family fortune came from the slave trade".<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103319/Campaigner-Richard-Dawkins-faces-awkward-truth-money-came-slave-trade.html Revealed: How atheist Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade, Daily Mail, February 20, 2012]</ref> On February 19, 2012, ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported that Dawkins is being called to make reparations for his family's past.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9091007/Slaves-at-the-root-of-the-fortune-that-created-Richard-Dawkins-family-estate.html Slaves at the root of the fortune that created Richard Dawkins' family estate, The Daily Telegragh, February 19, 2012]</ref>
  
 
The ''Daily Mail'' reported:
 
The ''Daily Mail'' reported:
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The outspoken atheist, who once branded the Catholic Church 'evil', is the direct descendent of Henry Dawkins who owned 1,013 slaves in [[Jamaica]] until he died in 1744.
 
The outspoken atheist, who once branded the Catholic Church 'evil', is the direct descendent of Henry Dawkins who owned 1,013 slaves in [[Jamaica]] until he died in 1744.
  
The links with slavery continue down the family tree and in 1796 another ancestor, James Dawkins, voted against [[William Wilberforce]]'s plans to abolish the slave trade<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103319/Campaigner-Richard-Dawkins-faces-awkward-truth-money-came-slave-trade.html Revealed: How atheist Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade, Daily Mail, February 20, 2012]</ref>}}
+
The links with slavery continue down the family tree and in 1796 another ancestor, James Dawkins, voted against [[William Wilberforce]]'s plans to abolish the slave trade<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103319/Campaigner-Richard-Dawkins-faces-awkward-truth-money-came-slave-trade.html Revealed: How atheist Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade, Daily Mail, February 20, 2012]</ref>}}
  
 
=== Christianity and the abolitionist movement ===
 
=== Christianity and the abolitionist movement ===
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Don Batten of [[Creation Ministries International]] wrote:
 
Don Batten of [[Creation Ministries International]] wrote:
{{cquote|Recently, I have had a lot of conversations with atheists. Many express a strong hatred of God. I have been at a loss to explain this. How can you hate someone you don’t believe in? Why the hostility? If God does not exist, shouldn’t atheists just relax and seek a good time before they become plant food? Why should it matter if people believe in God? Nothing matters if atheism is true<ref>[http://creation.com/atheist-god-hate Atheists hate God]</ref>}}
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{{cquote|Recently, I have had a lot of conversations with atheists. Many express a strong hatred of God. I have been at a loss to explain this. How can you hate someone you don’t believe in? Why the hostility? If God does not exist, shouldn’t atheists just relax and seek a good time before they become plant food? Why should it matter if people believe in God? Nothing matters if atheism is true<ref>[https://creation.com/atheist-god-hate Atheists hate God]</ref>}}
  
 
== Denial of objective beauty ==
 
== Denial of objective beauty ==
  
Atheists/evolutionists often engage in hypocrisy on the issue of [[beauty]] in God's universe and engage in self-refuting arguments which argue that beauty is merely subjective, yet non-beauty/ugliness is an objective reality (non-beauty arose after the [[fall of man]]).<ref>[http://www.everyjoe.com/2014/07/03/politics/robbed-of-beauty-by-the-left/ How We’ve Been Robbed of Beauty by the Left]</ref><ref>[http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/williams-aesthetic.shtml Aesthetic arguments for the existence of God] by Peter Williams</ref><ref>[http://creation.com/darwins-arguments-against-god Darwin's arguments against God]</ref> See: [[Argument from beauty]]
+
Atheists/evolutionists often engage in hypocrisy on the issue of [[beauty]] in God's universe and engage in self-refuting arguments which argue that beauty is merely subjective, yet non-beauty/ugliness is an objective reality (non-beauty arose after the [[fall of man]]).<ref>[http://www.everyjoe.com/2014/07/03/politics/robbed-of-beauty-by-the-left/ How We’ve Been Robbed of Beauty by the Left]</ref><ref>[http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/williams-aesthetic.shtml Aesthetic arguments for the existence of God] by Peter Williams</ref><ref>[https://creation.com/darwins-arguments-against-god Darwin's arguments against God]</ref> See: [[Argument from beauty]]
  
 
== Hermant Mehta and his endorsement of the Brights Movement ==
 
== Hermant Mehta and his endorsement of the Brights Movement ==
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<br />
 
<br />
 
<br />  
 
<br />  
<small>(photo obtained from [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ophelia_Benson_at_CFI_WIS-May_18_2012.JPG Wikimedia Commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
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<small>(photo obtained from [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ophelia_Benson_at_CFI_WIS-May_18_2012.JPG Wikimedia Commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
  
 
The American journalist [[Heywood Broun]] declared: "Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist there is no God."<ref>[http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/heywoodbro108881.html Heywood Broun quote at the quotes website Brainyquote]</ref>
 
The American journalist [[Heywood Broun]] declared: "Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist there is no God."<ref>[http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/heywoodbro108881.html Heywood Broun quote at the quotes website Brainyquote]</ref>
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Ophelia Benson is an American atheist, [[feminism|feminist]], [[author]], editor and blogger. She is known for using the word f*#@wit and she claims the word is not a vulgar word.<ref>[http://www.skepticink.com/avant-garde/2014/07/27/ophelia-benson/ The Ophelia Benson canard]</ref><ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/07/26/joint-statement-by-ophelia-benson-and-richard-dawkins/ Joint statement by Ophelia Benson and Richard Dawkins] (see comment section)</ref> Despite commonly using this vulgar epithet, she published a joint statement with the agnostic/[[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] indicating that atheists should behave in a civil manner in disagreements with each other and not engage in uncivil behavior such as the use of vulgar epithets.<ref>[http://www.skepticink.com/avant-garde/2014/07/27/ophelia-benson/ The Ophelia Benson canard]</ref>  
 
Ophelia Benson is an American atheist, [[feminism|feminist]], [[author]], editor and blogger. She is known for using the word f*#@wit and she claims the word is not a vulgar word.<ref>[http://www.skepticink.com/avant-garde/2014/07/27/ophelia-benson/ The Ophelia Benson canard]</ref><ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/07/26/joint-statement-by-ophelia-benson-and-richard-dawkins/ Joint statement by Ophelia Benson and Richard Dawkins] (see comment section)</ref> Despite commonly using this vulgar epithet, she published a joint statement with the agnostic/[[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] indicating that atheists should behave in a civil manner in disagreements with each other and not engage in uncivil behavior such as the use of vulgar epithets.<ref>[http://www.skepticink.com/avant-garde/2014/07/27/ophelia-benson/ The Ophelia Benson canard]</ref>  
  
American society and other societies in the world see the use of profanity by women to be particularly unmannerly. Woman who engage in profanity are commonly deemed to be vulgar/uncouth individuals and this is especially the case in religious areas of the world.  For example, in 2014, a mother in [[South Carolina]] who swore in front of her children in public was arrested for disorderly conduct.<ref>[http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/08/15/mom-arrested-for-swearing-in-front-of-kids-at-the-grocery-store-but-what-the-woman-who-tattled-on-her-did-afterward-is-just-as-surprising/ Mom Arrested for Swearing in Front of Kids at the Grocery Store, but What the Woman Who Tattled on Her Did Afterward Is Just as Surprising], ''The Blaze'', Aug. 15, 2014 4:41pm</ref>
+
American society and other societies in the world see the use of profanity by women to be particularly unmannerly. Woman who engage in profanity are commonly deemed to be vulgar/uncouth individuals and this is especially the case in religious areas of the world.  For example, in 2014, a mother in [[South Carolina]] who swore in front of her children in public was arrested for disorderly conduct.<ref>[https://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/08/15/mom-arrested-for-swearing-in-front-of-kids-at-the-grocery-store-but-what-the-woman-who-tattled-on-her-did-afterward-is-just-as-surprising/ Mom Arrested for Swearing in Front of Kids at the Grocery Store, but What the Woman Who Tattled on Her Did Afterward Is Just as Surprising], ''The Blaze'', Aug. 15, 2014 4:41pm</ref>
  
 
== A significant portion of atheists believe things happen for a reason ==
 
== A significant portion of atheists believe things happen for a reason ==
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These atheists’ responses weren’t just the product of living in America’s highly religious society. [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2153599X.2013.782888#.VGptUsn6dl6 Research done at Queen’s University in Belfast] by the psychologists Bethany Heywood and Jesse Bering found that [[British atheism|British atheists]] were just as likely as American atheists to believe that their life events had underlying purposes, even though Britain is far less religious than America.
 
These atheists’ responses weren’t just the product of living in America’s highly religious society. [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2153599X.2013.782888#.VGptUsn6dl6 Research done at Queen’s University in Belfast] by the psychologists Bethany Heywood and Jesse Bering found that [[British atheism|British atheists]] were just as likely as American atheists to believe that their life events had underlying purposes, even though Britain is far less religious than America.
  
In other studies, scheduled to be published online next week in the journal Child Development, we found that even young children show a bias to believe that life events happen for a reason — to “send a sign” or “to teach a lesson.” This belief exists regardless of how much exposure the children have had to religion at home, and even if they’ve had none at all.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html ''Does everything happen for a reason?'']</ref>}}
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In other studies, scheduled to be published online next week in the journal Child Development, we found that even young children show a bias to believe that life events happen for a reason — to “send a sign” or “to teach a lesson.” This belief exists regardless of how much exposure the children have had to religion at home, and even if they’ve had none at all.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html ''Does everything happen for a reason?'']</ref>}}
  
 
For more information, please see: [[Atheism and purpose]]
 
For more information, please see: [[Atheism and purpose]]
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In 2011, Coyne said about atheist meetings which he attended that they had an [[Atheism and arrogance|air of self-congratulation]].<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/are-there-too-many-atheist-meetings/ Are there too many atheist meetings?] by Jerry Coyne</ref>  He also indicated about atheist meetings: "But to me the speakers and talks have often seemed repetitive: the same crew of jet-set skeptics giving the same talks."<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/are-there-too-many-atheist-meetings/ Are there too many atheist meetings?] by Jerry Coyne</ref>]]
 
In 2011, Coyne said about atheist meetings which he attended that they had an [[Atheism and arrogance|air of self-congratulation]].<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/are-there-too-many-atheist-meetings/ Are there too many atheist meetings?] by Jerry Coyne</ref>  He also indicated about atheist meetings: "But to me the speakers and talks have often seemed repetitive: the same crew of jet-set skeptics giving the same talks."<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/are-there-too-many-atheist-meetings/ Are there too many atheist meetings?] by Jerry Coyne</ref>]]
Dr. J. Gordon Melton said about the [[atheist movement]] (organized atheism) that atheism is not a movement which tends to create community, but in the last few years there has been some growth of organized atheism.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0i4kuN9XSc Baylor ISR- J. Gordon Melton - End of Religion? (May 5, 2015)]</ref>
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 +
[[Atheism]] is not a movement which tends to create community as most atheists are apathetic when it comes to such matters (see: [[Atheism and apathy]] and [[Atheism and loneliness]]).
 +
 
 +
In addition, post the 2011 [[Elevatorgate]] controversy that involved [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] and [[feminism|feminists]], there has been a lot of infighting within the Western, atheist population (see: [[Atheist factions]]).
 +
 
 +
Numerous atheists have declared that the "[[atheist movement]] is dead" or that it is dying (see: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]).<ref>
 +
*[https://freethoughtblogs.com/reasoner/2017/10/21/the-atheism-movement-dead-or-alive/ The “Atheism Movement:” Dead or Alive?], [[Freethought Blogs]]
 +
*[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/11/seth-andrews-keeps-hearing-reports-of.html Atheist activist Seth Andrews keeps seeing reports on social media and the media that the atheist movement is dying], ''Examining Atheism''
 +
*[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/10/now-that-that-poseur-atheist-aron-ra.html Atheist Aron Ra indicates the atheist movement is dead. Now that that Aron Ra has surrendered....], ''[[Examining Atheism]]''
 +
*[http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/12/the-day-atheist-movement-died.html The Day the Atheist Movement Died] by Jack Vance at Atheist Revolution
 +
*[https://twitter.com/jennifurret/status/405391218273554433 Jennifer McCreight on Twitter about the Elevatorgate scandal destroying the atheist movement], [[Jen McCreight]], Twitter</ref>
  
 
In 2011, in a blog post entitled ''Are there too many atheist meetings?'', atheist [[Jerry Coyne]] said about [[Atheist conferences|atheist meetings]] which he attended:
 
In 2011, in a blog post entitled ''Are there too many atheist meetings?'', atheist [[Jerry Coyne]] said about [[Atheist conferences|atheist meetings]] which he attended:
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However, in 2013, Jerry Coyne spoke at a 2013 atheist meeting with the self-congratulatory title "The Amazing Meeting".<ref>[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jerry_Coyne_at_The_Amazing_Meeting_2013-2.jpg Photograph of Jerry Coyne speaking at the atheist meeting entitled The Amazing Meeting]</ref>  The ''Amazing Meeting'' is an annual meeting and perennial speakers at the Amazing Meeting include [[Penn Jillette|Penn]] & Teller, [[Michael Shermer]], [[James Randi]] and Phil Plait. In addition, the website of All American Speakers, a buyers agent, has a form for requesting Jerry A. Coyne as a speaker.<ref>[http://www.allamericanspeakers.com/booking-request.php?SpName=Jerry-A.-Coyne Request Booking Info on Jerry A. Coyne - AllAmericanSpeakers.com]</ref>
 
However, in 2013, Jerry Coyne spoke at a 2013 atheist meeting with the self-congratulatory title "The Amazing Meeting".<ref>[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jerry_Coyne_at_The_Amazing_Meeting_2013-2.jpg Photograph of Jerry Coyne speaking at the atheist meeting entitled The Amazing Meeting]</ref>  The ''Amazing Meeting'' is an annual meeting and perennial speakers at the Amazing Meeting include [[Penn Jillette|Penn]] & Teller, [[Michael Shermer]], [[James Randi]] and Phil Plait. In addition, the website of All American Speakers, a buyers agent, has a form for requesting Jerry A. Coyne as a speaker.<ref>[http://www.allamericanspeakers.com/booking-request.php?SpName=Jerry-A.-Coyne Request Booking Info on Jerry A. Coyne - AllAmericanSpeakers.com]</ref>
  
At the 2013 The Amazing Meeting, Coyne gave a talk entitled ''Faith is Not a Virtue'' which focused on the supposed incompatibility of science and religion, despite the fact that studies show that the irreligious engage in more superstitious thinking and the significant contributions that [[Christianity]] has made to science (see: [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Christianity and science]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUJMzGrPX7M Faith is Not a Virtue - Jerry Coyne TAM 2013] - video</ref>  In addition, in his talk Coyne also avoided the large body of historical and other social science data regarding the immoral actions of the atheist population (see: [[Moral failures of the atheist population]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Atheism and morality]]). Furthermore, Coyne said in his talk that there being various sects of Christianity is evidence that Christianity is false (Despite the fact that there are many [[schools of atheist thought]] which frequently quarrel with each other  (see: [[Atheist factions]]) and that atheists/agnostics frequently argue about the [[definition of atheism]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUJMzGrPX7M Faith is Not a Virtue - Jerry Coyne TAM 2013] - video</ref>
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At the 2013 The Amazing Meeting, Coyne gave a talk entitled ''Faith is Not a Virtue'' which focused on the supposed incompatibility of science and religion, despite the fact that studies show that the irreligious engage in more superstitious thinking and the significant contributions that [[Christianity]] has made to science (see: [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Christianity and science]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUJMzGrPX7M Faith is Not a Virtue - Jerry Coyne TAM 2013] - video</ref>  In addition, in his talk Coyne also avoided the large body of historical and other social science data regarding the immoral actions of the atheist population (see: [[Atheist population and immorality]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Atheism and morality]]). Furthermore, Coyne said in his talk that there being various sects of Christianity is evidence that Christianity is false (Despite the fact that there are many [[schools of atheist thought]] which frequently quarrel with each other  (see: [[Atheist factions]]) and that atheists/agnostics frequently argue about the [[definition of atheism]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUJMzGrPX7M Faith is Not a Virtue - Jerry Coyne TAM 2013] - video</ref>
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 +
== New Atheism, veganism and hypocrisy ==
 +
 
 +
*[[New Atheism and veganism|New Atheism, veganism and hypocrisy]]
 +
 
 +
== Hypocrite Diaries quote related to atheists ==
 +
 
 +
''See also:'' [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]
 +
and [[There are no atheists on a sinking ship]] and [[There are no atheists on turbulent airplanes]]
 +
 
 +
"[[Communism|Communist]] until you get rich, [[feminism|feminist]] until you get married, atheist until the airplane starts falling.” - ''Hypocrite Diaries''<ref>[https://loveforquotes.com/i/communist-until-you-get-rich-feminist-until-you-get-married-9462909 Hypocrite Diaries quote]</ref>
  
 
== Irony of atheist hypocrisy ==
 
== Irony of atheist hypocrisy ==

Revision as of 14:42, December 26, 2019

A popular graphic used to illustrate atheist hypocrisy.

There are a number of areas where atheists are hypocritical. Below are some of those areas.

Contents

Atheism and morality

See also: Atheism and morality and Atheist population and immorality

Dr. Paul Copan wrote: "...the existence of a personal God is crucial for a coherent understanding of objective morality."[1]

Atheists will bring up the misdeeds of the adherents of other worldviews, despite the fact that atheists have been the biggest mass murders in history (see: Atheism and mass murder).

Furthermore, atheist apologists commonly attempt to deny/minimize the role of atheism/atheists when it comes to atheism and mass murder as if no true atheist could be involved in such behavior (See: Atheism and the no true Scotsman fallacy).[2][3][4]

In addition, althought many atheists claim that they can be good without God, there is a large list of atheist moral failures which the atheist community has not addressed (see: Atheist population and immorality).

Also, atheism provides no basis for objective moral standards (see: Atheism and morality).[5]

University of Kentucky study by Will M. Gervais helps demonstrate atheist hypocrisy about being good without God

The American Humanist Association has the motto "Good without a God" and other atheists promote this same errant notion. Yet, many atheists know they are not good and they all know their fellow atheists are not good also.

For example, in 2014, a University of Kentucky study was published by Will M. Gervais, which was entitled Everything Is Permitted? People Intuitively Judge Immorality as Representative of Atheists, and the study indicated that "even atheist participants viewed immorality as significantly more representative of atheists than of other people."[6]

Jesus and the Bible on human nature

Jesus Christ and the Old Testament prophets taught that human nature is evil. Jesus said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11: 13). The prophet Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). In addition, Jesus Christ and the Bible teach that men are in need of redemption and the power of God to reform. See: Bible verses about redemption and Bible verses on transformation.

Human history with its many injustices and atrocities shows that the testimony of Jesus and the Old Testament prophets is true concerning the wickedness of mankind. In addition, when the Christian evangelist Ray Comfort asks atheists if they have ever lied, hated another person, stolen, lusted after the opposite sex and engaged in other immoralities, they invariably indicate they have done these things and still commit various acts of immorality.[7] If person repents of their sins, accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God regenerates them and their enslavement to sin is broken (see: Good news)[8]

Furthermore, there are preliminary studies which indicate that ex-Christians tend to feel worse about themselves and not better (See: Atheism and self-esteem).[9][10] There are also studies indicating that lower self-esteem is associated with suicidality.[11][12] Atheists have higher rates of suicide than the general population.[13][14][15] At the same time, there is a significant portion of the atheist population who suffer from excess self-esteem/pride issues (see: Atheism and arrogance and Causes of atheism).

Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce, polyamory and being good without God

Richard Carrier is an advocate of metaphysical naturalism. He wrote a book entitled Sense and Goodness without God.

He is a prominent atheist in the atheist community in the US. Carrier, who has a doctorate in history, asserts that one can be good without God despite the fact that atheist regimes have been the biggest mass murders in history

Richard Carrier divorced his wife and now practices polyamory.[16] Before divorcing his wife, he was involved in adulterous affairs.[17]

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.[18]

See also:

Atheism and Hell

See also: Atheism and Hell

Atheists often launch attacks on the Christian belief of eternal punishment in Hell (see: Atheism and Hell), but they never explain how justice is accomplished relative to evil men who escape punishment on earth (see: Atheism and justice). And rather than repent and respond to the gospel message, they engage in denialism about their sin and attempt to suppress the truth of God's existence. See also: Atheism and hatred of God

Atheists and ungracious/unforgiving attitudes

See also: Atheism and unforgiveness

Last Judgment by Johann Georg Unruhe - Damned souls going to Hell.

As noted above, atheists frequently get angry about God's righteous judgements and unrepentant sinners going to Hell.

Yet, atheists frequently have ungracious and unforgiving attitudes.

The atheist Neil Carter wrote:

Friends of mine have noted lately how biting and critical the atheist community can be, not only toward outsiders, but even toward its own members. Has there ever been a subculture more prone to eating its own than this one? I really don’t know...

At least Christians have to pay lipservice to forgiveness because they believe it’s what God wants from them. Do atheists have any such compunction? I fear that we have no mechanism which compels us as a community to be kind to each other, to speak to one another with respect [19]

Jesus Christ and Christendom have emphasized the important of forgiveness and in the last few decades mental health specialists have increasingly seen the importance of forgiveness to alleviate bitterness and other emotional problems within individuals.[20]

James S. Spiegal and unforgiveness as a cause of atheism

See also: Causes of atheism and Atheism and bitterness and Atheism and love

The Apostle Paul defends his preaching (Giovanni Ricco)

The Apostle Paul taught about love that "it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.." (1 Corinthians 13:5 NASB). See: Atheism and love

The Christian Post reports about the Christian philosopher James S. Spiegel's book The Making of an Atheist:

Spiegel, who converted to Christianity in 1980, has witnessed the pattern among several of his friends. Their path from Christianity to atheism involved: moral slippage (such as infidelity, resentment or unforgiveness); followed by withdrawal from contact with fellow believers; followed by growing doubts about their faith, accompanied by continued indulgence in the respective sin; and culminating in a conscious rejection of God.[21]

Atheism and the treatment of women

Most atheists in the Western World are leftists (see: Atheism and politics). Leftists commonly advocate feminism.

Deplorable treatment of many Muslim women decried. High amount of domestic abuse by the irreligious

In recent times, atheists have put in a lot of effort and focus into decrying the deplorable treatment of many Muslim women by Muslim men, yet the same degree of attention about the high amount of physical abuse atheist women endure at the hands of atheist men via domestic abuse and the other forms of abuse is not given nearly the same amount of import by many in the atheist community. See: Irreligion and domestic violence and Secular Europe and domestic violence and Atheism and women and Elevatorgate

For example, Ayaan Hirsi Ali was chosen to be the keynote speaker of the American Atheists convention in 2014 and in 2005 the secular left leaning Time magazine named her one of the most 100 influential people in the world.[22] Yet, the women who point out misogyny in Western World atheism receive torrents of abuse (see: Atheism and women) and are not highly lauded by the atheist community to nearly the same degree.

Irreligion and domestic abuse

See also: Irreligion and domestic violence

The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal Violence Against Women entitled Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence indicated:

The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.[23]

A higher rate of domestic violence exists among cohabiting couples as compared with married couples[24] Atheists have lower marriage rates than theists (see: Atheism and marriage).

A September 9, 2012 article at Atlantic Wire wrote about the noted atheist John Lennon:

But people have mostly forgotten that Lennon was also physically abusive towards women. "I used to be cruel to my woman," he said, citing the lyrics to "Getting Better" in a Playboy interview near the end of his life. "Physically—any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women." In his biography The Lives of John Lennon, Albert Goldman also maintains that Lennon was guilty of spousal abuse.[25]

For more information, please see: Irreligion and domestic violence

Secular Europe and domestic violence

See also: Secular Europe and domestic violence

Sweden is one of the most atheistic countries in the world.[26] In Sweden, 81 percent of women said they had been harassed at some point after the age of 15 - compared to the EU average of 55 percent.[27]

In March 2014, the Swedish news website The Local published an article entitled Sweden stands out in domestic violence study which declared:

A new EU review of violence against women has revealed that one in three European women has been assaulted, and one in twenty has been raped, with the Scandinavian countries at the top of the league tables.

In the Scandinavian countries, in contrast, around half of the women reported physical or sexual violence, which researchers at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said could have several explanations...

In Sweden, 81 percent of women said they had been harassed at some point after the age of 15 - compared to the EU average of 55 percent. After Sweden, which had the highest rate, Denmark, France, the Netherland and Finland all saw rates above 70 percent. The EU member state with the lowest rate - 24 percent - was Bulgaria.[28]

Sweden is one of the most atheistic countries in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 46 - 85% of Swedes were agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.[29] Sweden also has the 3rd highest rate of belief in evolution as far as Western World nations.[30]

See also: Sexual immorality and Sweden

For more information, please see: Irreligion and domestic violence

Most prominent atheists are men

The leadership of the New Atheism movement consists solely of white males. Furthermore, atheist leadership in the West is predominately made up of men who have poor leadership skills (See: Atheism and women and Atheism and leadership).[31]

In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:

From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement - Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett -- are all white men.

But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.

Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.[32]

Atheism and rape

When told that Red Army soldiers sexually assaulted German refugees, the atheist Joseph Stalin reportedly declared: "We lecture our soldiers too much; let them have their initiative."[33]

See also: Atheism and rape and Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army

Atheism offers no condemnation of rape and it provides no moral basis for a society to attempt to prevent and deter rape. Western atheists often assert there are no absolutes in morality and argue for moral relativism (see: Atheism and morality).

For more information, please see:

Atheism and rape

Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army
See also: Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army

The Soviet Union practiced state atheism and militant atheism. According to the University of Cambridge, historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power."[34] See also: Atheism and communism and Soviet atheism

The journalist Peter Hitchens is the ex-atheist brother of atheist Christopher Hitchens and he covered the Soviet Union during its latter years before it collapsed. According to Peter Hitchens, an atheistic society degraded the morals of the Russian people during the Soviet period (see: Soviet Union and morality).[35]

Estimates of the number of German women sexually assaulted by Soviet soldiers have ranged up to 2 million.[36][37][38][39][40] The historian William Hitchcock declared that in many cases women were the victims of repeated rapes, some women experienced as many as 60 to 70 rapes.[41]

For more information, please see:

Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army

Elevatorgate and rape threats

Atheist Rebecca Watson (photo obtained from Wikimedia commons, see: license agreement)

Elevatorgate is a term commonly used to describe a scandal involving atheist Richard Dawkins' inappropriate comments made to fellow atheist Rebecca Watson. In July 2011, Richard Dawkins was widely criticized within the atheist community and in various press outlets for his insensitive comments made to atheist Rebecca Watson about an incident which occurred in an elevator (see: Richard Dawkins' Elevatorgate comments).[42] Specifically, Watson was invited for coffee and a conversation late at night by a man who was a fellow atheist. Watson was upset by this and subsequently blogged about it. Following this, Richard Dawkins wrote an open letter to a fictitious Muslim woman, satirically equating Rebecca's plight with that of abused Muslim women. Watson has written about perceived widespread misogny within the atheist community and she has received threats of rape (see also: Atheism and women and Atheism and rape).[43]

Post Elevatorgate controversy, at an atheist convention, Rebecca Watson claimed:

Hundreds of atheists have informed me that either they wanted to rape me, someone should rape me so that I will loosen up or that no one would ever rape me because I am so ugly".[44]

In July 2012, Watson declared: "It get regular rape threats. I get regular rape and murder threats".[45] Furthermore, in August 2013, Rebecca Watson said that post Elevatorgate she received a flood of rape threats and she continues to receive rape threats (see: Atheism and rape).[46]

According to Rebecca Watson atheist women are often punished for being outspoken - particularly when they speak about feminism.[47] In August 2013, Watson said the harassment she received from male atheists skyrocketed after Elevatorgate.[48] Furthermore, she said she still receives harassment from male fans of Richard Dawkins.[49] The atheist feminist Sikivu Hutchinson concurs with Watson and says that sexual harassment has been institutionalized within the atheist movement and that atheist men have an investment in censoring, controlling and policing women and also have an investment in "male privilege".[50]

New Statesman reporter and skeptic David Allen said Richard Dawkins is a misogynist

The New Statesman reporter and fellow skeptic David Allen Green said he believed Dawkins was a misogynist and a racist.[51] In addition, Green wrote: "Can Richard Dawkins still credibly pose as a champion of rational thinking and an evidence-based approach? In my opinion, he certainly cannot, at least not in the way he did before."[52]

Hypocrisy of feminist atheist David Silverman

See also: Atheist organizations and scandals and Atheist feminism

David Silverman served as the President of the American Atheists organization. [53] Silverman was fired due to allegations of financial conflicts and sexual assault.[54]

In his book, Fighting God, Silverman indicates that he is a “proud feminist”.[55]

Concerning Silverman's scandals and subsequent firing, atheist and feminist PZ Myers said, "It's a terrible day for organized atheism."[56] Myers spent $1200 for a lifetime membership with American Atheists because he was impressed by the way Silverman went after the “anti-feminist” atheists.[57] See also: Decline of the atheist movement

Atheists hypocritically claiming God is sadistic

See also: Atheism and sadism

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade in prison, 18th century line engraving.

The atheist Marquis de Sade (1740-1814) was an infamous French aristocrat and author of heavily philosophical pornography, as well as more traditional essays on philosophy.[58] Sadism, a paraphilia in which pleasure is derived from inflicting pain or seeing pain being inflicted on others, is named after him. The debauched lifestyle of the Marquis de Sade caused him to have periods of imprisonment.[59]

His books featured murder, torture, blasphemy and grotesque, violent, and ritualistic sex. His more major works remain banned in many countries to the present day, even though some of them have been highly influential; Juliet, a book released early in his career, has been imitated right up until the present, most recently by radical feminist Andrea Dworkin.

Despite the strong historical connection between atheism and sadism (see: Atheism and sadism), atheists/agnostics claim God is sadistic.[60][61][62]

For example, the new atheist and agnostic Richard Dawkins claimed that the God of the Old Testament is "sadomasochistic" in his book The God Delusion.[63][64]

The American Atheists organization accused God of being sadistic via a billboard.[65]

Western atheism and race

The atheist and evolutionist PZ Myers giving a presentation to a group that is likely largely made up of white males.[66][67][68] In June 2010, PZ Myers commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.[69] (photo obtained from Flickr, see: license agreement)

See also: Western atheism and race

In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:

From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement - Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett -- are all white men.

But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.

Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.[70]

Samuel D. Adams writes about American atheism/evangelical Christianity: "Evangelicalism – which many atheists endlessly lampoon as whitewashed and sexist – is more diverse than atheism, with more than half of US evangelicals being female and 76% being white."[71] See also: Atheism and sexism

Secular leftists in the West often decry racism, yet the atheist leadership is made up predominantly of white males and racial minorities are underreprentated in atheist community in the Western World (see: Western atheism and race).

In addition, since WWII atheists/agnostics have been the most vocal proponents of Darwinism.[72] Evolutionary racism may partly explain the lack of atheists in minority populations in the West (see: Western atheism and race).

Atheism and diversity

See also: Atheism and diversity

Politically, most atheists lean left politically (see: Atheism and politics). Secular leftists emphasize the importance of diversity.

In terms of geographic/cultural, linguistic, racial, gender and socioeconomic status, Christendom has more diversity than the atheist population (see: Atheism and diversity).

Secular leftists and toleration

Secular leftists often extol diversity and toleration, yet atheists are often extremely intolerant and step on religious freedom (see: Atheism and intolerance).

Secular lefists are globalists yet poor international cooperation among atheists

See also: Atheism and international cooperation among atheists

Secular leftists tend to be globalists.

Yet, in recent years, international cooperation among atheists has been low (see: Atheism and international cooperation among atheists).

Secular leftists and environmentalism

See also: Atheism and the environment and Atheism and climate change policies

Although many secular leftists are vehement environmentalist, overall atheists have a poor record when it comes to the application of environmental science (see: Atheism and the environment).

Air pollution in the city of Suzhou, China.

China has the largest atheist population in the world and has state atheism (see: China and atheism). Most atheists in the world are likely East Asians (see: Asian atheism).

Dietary practices of secular leftists. Eating of dogs, cats, horses and babies/children

In 2014, The Washington Times reported: "China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of North Korean women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.[73]

See also: Dietary practices of atheists and Atheists eat babies meme

Although secular leftists are environmentalists and indicate a vegan/vegetarian diet is more eco-friendly, the new atheist Richard Dawkins and the majority of atheists still eat meat (see: Dietary practices of atheists and Richard Dawkins on veganism).

In several geographic areas, atheists commonly eat dogs, cats and horses (see: Dietary practices of atheists).

Historically, individuals in atheistic cultures have eaten babies/children due to the mistaken notion that baby flesh has medical benefits or due to foolish/failing atheistic societies having famines (see: Atheists eat babies meme and Communist China and baby eating and Soviet Union and the eating of children and North Korea and the eating of children).[74][75][76]

Atheism and the sexual abuse of children

See also: Atheism and child pornography

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the American Roman Catholic bishops and the Vatican had noted a growing problem with clerical sexual abuse of children in the U.S. which involved minors/children.[77] In addition, Ireland and other European countries have experienced problems relating to instances of Roman Catholic priests sexually abusing children.[78][79] See also: Roman Catholic Church, homosexuality and pederasty

Prominent atheists and other atheists/agnostics frequently bring up this Roman Catholic church scandal.[80][81][82][83]

Yet, historically the atheist population has had a significant problem when it comes to the sexual abuse of children (see: Atheism and child pornography).

In addition, atheists have been prominently involved in the sexual exploitation of women via pornography (see: Atheism and pornography).

Atheistic Denmark and child pornography

See also: Atheistic Denmark and child pornography
Denmark is the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reports that 43 - 80% of Danes are agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.[84] The child pornography material produced in Denmark (and Holland) still constitutes the largest part of child pornography that is currently available, having been transferred into digital format and uploaded onto the internet.[85]

In 2005, Denmark was ranked the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 43 - 80% of Danes are agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.[86] Denmark has the highest rate of belief in evolution in the Western World.[87]

The 2003 book entitled Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem written by authors Rahel Nardos; Mary K. Radpour; William S. Hatcher and Michael L. Penn, declared:

The largest source of commercial child pornography is Denmark. Denmark became the world's leading producer of child pornography when, in 1969, it removed all restrictions on the production and sale of any type of pornographic material. "The result," notes Tim Tate, "was a short-lived explosion in adult pornography, and the birth of commercial child pornography. In his work, Tate links the global spread of child pornography to two men: Willy Strauss, founder of Bambina Sex, the world's first child-pornography magazine, founded in 1971; and Peter Theander, founder of Colour Climax Corporation and the producer of a short, professionally made pornographic film series entitled Lolita. Lolita depicts the sexual abuse of prepubescent boys and girls. Although Danish law at the time rendered the work of Strauss and Theander legal, by 1979 when Denmark finally banned the production and sale of child pornography it had already become such a financial success on the international market that it has proven to be nearly impossible to bring its spread under control.[88]

Suzanne Ost, in her 2009 book Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses published by Cambridge University Press, wrote about the child pornography created by Denmark/Holland during this period:

Taylor and Quayle note that the material produced during this period still constitutes the largest part of child pornography that is currently available, having been transferred into digital format and uploaded onto the internet.[89]

Other atheistic countries, child pornography/prostitution and miscellaneous

Atheist professor brought up on sex charges after criticizing the Roman Catholic church

In 2013, the website First Things featured an article about the noted atheist philosopher Colin McGinn who blamed religious faith for sexual abuse and was later forced to resign his professorship due to sexual messages sent to a student.[90] See also: Academia and moral values

New Atheist Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"

See also: Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"

In 2010, the Australian Conservative published an article by Ben-Peter Terpstra entitled Preparing for Richard Dawkins’ crocodile tears which charges that Richard Dawkins exhibits selective outrage on the issue of child molestation.[91] In the article Terpstra cites Bendan Oneill who wrote:

The New Atheist campaign to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested when he visits Britain later this year exposes the deeply disturbing, authoritarian and even Inquisitorial side to today’s campaigning secularism...

In 2006, Dawkins criticised ‘hysteria about paedophilia’ and said that, even though he was the victim of sexual abuse at boarding school, he would defend his abusive former teachers if ‘50 years on they had been hounded by vigilantes or lawyers as no better than child murderers’. Yet now he wants to put abusive priests on a par with genocidaires.[92]

Ben-Peter Terpstra writes: "In all truth, Britain’s clean-shaven atheists aren’t serious about children’s rights, or they’d be launching venomous attacks against the United Nations, in light of their more recent sex abuse scandals."[93]

Atheism, leftism, social justice/progressive values and hypocrisy

See also: Atheism and social justice

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

Progressive values according to leading progressive websites

According to atheist Michael Nugent, his fellow atheist PZ Myers behaves in manner that is contrary to fostering social justice in society.[94]

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.[95][96] 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).

See also: Irreligious Britain and low social mobility

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 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.[97][98]

Atheist nonprofit scandals

See also: Atheist organizations and scandals and Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - Embezzlement allegation

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.[99][100][101][102]

In addition, David Gorski at Scienceblogs indicated that many atheist/skeptic organizations are poorly run from a financial standpoint.[103]

For more information, please see: Atheist organizations and scandals

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 forced labor).

Desecularization in China is partly occurring due to its association with equality, individual freedom and democracy (see: Asian atheism).[104] See also: Growth of Christianity in China

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).

Evidential standards

See also: Atheism and evidence and Evidential apologetics and Atheism and logic and Atheism and logical fallacies

Atheists demand proof and evidence for other worldviews, yet there is no proof and evidence that atheism is true. Also, despite the abundant evidence for Christianity and the lack of proof and evidence for atheism, atheist reject the truth of Christianity. Atheists refuse to go where the evidence clearly leads.

In addition, when atheist make claims related to naturalism, make personal claims or make accusations against theists, they often employ lax evidential standards instead of employing rigorous evidential standards.

Atheist community requested to provide proof and evidence that atheism is true

The popular YouTube Christian Shockofgod asked for proof and evidence that atheism is true. When atheism is weighed on the proof and evidence scale, it lacks evidential weight that it is a valid worldview. Unlike Christianity, there is no proof and evidence that atheism is true.

The popular Christian YouTube Christian Shockofgod likened atheism to a clown due to its hypocritical and foolish evidential standards.[105] Shockofgod repeatedly asked the YouTube atheist community, "What proof and evidence do you have that atheism is accurate and correct?".

The YouTube atheist community became flustered and upset by his question.[106] Shockofgod declared concerning their reaction to his question: "The hostility I am getting over this question is unbelievable...It's like..picture this...Atheism is a clown and it didn't know it. And then I got the clown and I walked it over...I forced it to look itself in the mirror. And it sees itself in all its red hair, big nose, big shoes, polka dot glory."[107]

Atheism and extraordinary claims

Western Atheists often claim that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", yet they have no proof and evidence that the extraordinary claim of non-life becoming the first life solely through natural processes is true (See: Origin of life).[108][109][110]

Atheism and the unobservable by senses or instruments

Physicist Stephen Barr points out, “How ironic that, having renounced belief in God because God is not material or observable by sense or instrument, the atheist may be driven to postulate not one but an infinitude of unobservables in the material world itself.” See also: Multiverse and Dark matter and Dark energy

Selective application of naturalism

Although all atheists indicate that they do not believe in the existence of God/gods, a significant portion of atheists do not strictly subscribe to the philosophy of naturalism (see also: Atheism and the supernatural).

Secular left, humor and hypocrisy

See also: Atheism and humor

Richard Dawkins
The movie The Atheist Delusion features the new atheist Richard Dawkins being the object of audience laughter due to something unreasonable he said.[111] Dawkins indignantly asked the audience, "Why is that funny?".[112] See also: Atheism and humor

Historically, atheists have skewed towards the left side of the political aisle (see: Atheism and politics and Secular left and Atheism and communism).[113][114][115][116][117]

Although the secular left is known for ridiculing religion since at least the time of French Revolution (see: Atheism and mockery), the secular left is known for its humorlessness when it comes to others mocking of its ideology (See also: Atheism and humor and Atheism and intolerance).

The writer James Thurber declared:

The leftists have made a concerted attack on humor as an antisocial, antiracial, antilabor, antiproletarian stereotype,” Thurber wrote in 1960, “and they have left no stereotype unused in their attacks, from ‘no time for comedy’ to the grim warnings that humor is a sickness, a sign of inferiority complex, a shield and not a weapon.[118]

Heywood Gould wrote in Heatstreet:

The left is trying to remake the world and feels immune to ridicule. It condemns humor as a bourgeois plot to make the oppressed laugh at and accept their exploitation.

Bernie Sanders admits he has a “bad sense of humor.” He won’t need it once his Revolution comes,

According to Marxist theorist Tom McLaughlin: “Under Socialism there will be no classes and consequently no class conflict. Humor will cease to reflect any objective reality and will wither away.”...

When Jerry Seinfeld revealed that fellow comedians had warned him away from colleges because they “were too PC,” he was savaged by the left media. Columnist Amanda Marcotte accused him of making excuses for being “a second rate hack.”[119]

Soviet Union and the Department of Jokes

In the former Soviet Union, a popular joke was that the workers pretended to work and the Soviet Union pretended to pay them.[120] See also: Atheism and sloth

The Soviet Union practiced state atheism and the atheism was of a militant atheism variety. See also: Soviet atheism and Atheism and communism

Listverse declares in its article 10 Bizarre Ways The Soviet Union Controlled Its People

For comedians in the Soviet Union, every attempt at humor had to be read from a government-approved list of comedic material. Each year, comedians were required to submit every joke they’d written to a section of The Ministry of Culture called The Department of Jokes, and they couldn’t crack a single one until it had been approved.

Jokes against the state, of course, were forbidden, as was everything even remotely edgy. Even jokes against the United States had to be tame. When the list came back, comedians were usually left with just a handful of tame jokes about their mother-in-laws.

For the next year, they could only tell jokes from their approved list. Improvisation was strictly forbidden. The only way a comedian could keep an act fresh was to steal gags from the competition. Plagiarism was fine, as long as the material you stole was approved.[121]

Atheism, naturalism, hypocrisy and life after death

See: Atheism and death and Atheism and cowardice

According to a study performed in the United States by researchers Wink and Scott, very religious people fear death the least.[122]

Although a majority of atheists do not believe in life after death due to holding to the worldview of naturalism, a significant number of atheists believe in life after death (see: Atheism and death and Atheism and views of death).

Science Daily reported that Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God.[123] In a Psychology Today article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.[124]

The website the Skeptics Guide indicates that a significant number of atheists and agnostics believe in life after death and the website reported:

A survey compiled in 2014 by The Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture (AISFC) reveals that 32 percent of Americans who identified themselves as agnostics and atheists believe in an afterlife of some kind. In addition, 6 percent of the same non-theistic group expressed a belief in a “bodily resurrection”. These numbers were taken from a sample of 15,738 Americans, all of which were between the ages of 18 and 60. According to the data, 13.2 percent of Americans identify themselves as atheist, agnostic, or some other variation of non-believing.

I found these results to be quite surprising. Having been immersed in circles of atheists and agnostics for the past 20 years, the numbers revealed by this study are higher than I would have guessed, by quite a lot. What stands out the most is that 6% expressed a belief in resurrection. It could be a statistical anomaly of some sort (perhaps the respondents did not understand the question about bodily resurrection?) Why an atheist or agnostic would believe that a dead person could come back to life seems entirely contrary to their worldview.[125]

Atheism, reason, critical thinking and hypocrisy

See also: Atheism and irrationality and Atheism and critical thinking and Atheism and logic

Richard Dawkins
The Oxford University Professor Daniel Came wrote to the New Atheist Richard Dawkins:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost apologist for Christian theism is a glaring omission on your CV and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."[126]

Atheists often take great efforts to proclaim how reasonable they are. For example, one of the largest gatherings for the godless was called the Reason Rally.

Ideologues who engage in uncritical thinking often are unaware of opposing arguments and actively avoid intellectually engaging with their opponents arguments.

In 1990, the atheist philosopher Michael Martin indicated there was a general absence of an atheistic response to contemporary work in the philosophy of religion and in jest he indicated that it was his "cross to bear" to respond to theistic arguments.[127] Yet, in 1994, Michael Martin was criticized for his eleventh hour cancellation of his debate with Greg Bahnsen (see: Greg Bahnsen and debate and Bahnson-Martin debate press release).[128][129]

Atheism, debates and critical thinking

See also: Atheism debates and Atheism and critical thinking

Well-structured debates have cross-examination by the participants which often can stimulate critical thinking by participants and audience members. And many debates have an audience questioning period where audience members pose questions to the debaters.

Generally speaking, atheists are often unprepared to address their opponents arguments and do poorly in debates (see: Atheism and debate). In addition, there have been notable cases of prominent atheists dodging debate offers (see: Atheism and cowardice).

At the atheist blog Common Sense Atheism, the atheist Luke Muehlhauser said of the William Laen Craig vs. Doug Jesseph debate: "A very typical debate in which Craig’s opponent is not prepared for Craig’s skill, speed, or organization, and things just get worse for Jesseph as things go along and he falls further and further behind."[130]

Thinking, especially critical thinking, requires mental effort and many atheistic cultures have are experiencing decline related to sloth (See: Atheism and sloth). Other times unpreparedness in intellectual matters is due to fear and avoidance and its attendant procrastination (see: Atheism and cowardice and Atheism and emotional intelligence).

Atheism, postmodernism and a lack of critical thinking

See also: Atheism and critical thinking#Atheism, postmodernism and a lack of critical thinking

Postmodernism is an antichristian,[131] far-left, 20th century worldview and academic movement characterized by denial of objective truth, and which asserts that assertions of objective knowledge are essentially impossible. The Christian apologist Norman Geisler wrote about postmodernism: "In short, the root of Post-modernism is atheism and the fruit of it is relativism — relativism in every area of life and thought."[132]

Arthur W. Lindsley, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, C.S. Lewis Institute, wrote:

Many postmodern contentions are self-refuting. An ancient example of this was the Greek philosopher Gorgius, who maintained that “All statements are false.” The problem is that if the statement that “All statements are false” is true, then it is false. Similarly, postmodernism maintains that it is (objectively) true to say that there are no objective truths. It uses reason to deny the validity of reason. If the statement, “all perspectives on reality are culturally determined” is true, then is this statement itself also culturally determined? If all metanarratives are suspect because they lead to oppression, then can it not be equally maintained that postmodernism is itself a metanarrative and equally suspect? If all knowledge claims are a grab for power, then are not postmodernism’s contentions equally motivated by a will-to-power?[133]

For more information, please see: Atheism and critical thinking#Atheism, postmodernism and a lack of critical thinking

Bombastic proclamations about the supposed validity of atheism

Richard Dawkins and Carl Sagan made bombastic proclamations about the supposed validity of atheism and yet they vacillated between atheism/agnosticism (see: Atheism, agnosticism and flip-flopping and Richard Dawkins and agnosticism).

Atheists and the denial that Jesus existed

Christ on the Cross by Jacques Louis David.

See also: Historicity of Jesus and Atheists and historical illiteracy and Atheism and historical revisionism

Despite their being an abundance of historical evidence for Jesus Christ living in the first century, many atheists embarrassingly claim the Jesus never existed (see: Historicity of Jesus).

In an article entitled Scholarly opinions on the Jesus Myth, Christopher Price wrote concerning individuals who insist that Jesus Christ was merely a mythical figure:

I have often been asked why more academics do not take the time to respond to the Jesus Myth theory. After looking into this question, I discovered that most historians and New Testament scholars relevant to the topic have concluded that Jesus Mythers are beyond reason and therefore decide that they have better things to do with their time.[134]

For more information, please see: Atheists and the denial that Jesus existed.

Atheists and selective use of academic consensus

An irony of atheists asserting that Jesus never existed is that atheists often appeal to the academic consensus when it comes to pseudoscience such evolution. And secular leftists often appeal to the academic consensus when engaging in global warming alarmism.

In addition, the majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the existence of God, are theists (72 percent).[135]

John Lennox's discussion with New Atheist Richard Dawkins about the historicity of Christ

John Lennox pointed out to New Atheist Richard Dawkins that Dawkins claimed in his book The God Delusion that Jesus may have never existed and that Dawkins errantly claimed that ancient historians have some disagreement on whether Jesus existed or not. After some additional discussion with Dawkins, Dawkins conceded that Jesus existed and said, "I take that back. Jesus existed".[136]

Atheism and mockery

[[File:Penn Jillette.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|A National Public Radio reviewer of one of atheist Penn Jillette's books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of profanity.[137] See: Atheism and profanity ] See also: Atheism and mockery

Historically, atheists often engage in mockery rather than discussion/debate and they often react poorly when satire/humor is directed at atheist ideology (see: Atheism and mockery).[138][139][140]

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****""."[141] (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 debate challenge directed his way which employed some humor, the atheist Penn Jillette posted a video on the internet which declared:

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

I don't tend to react to satire, or sarcasm or irony, I pretty much say what I mean and that is what I react to the most... I do know people and love people who believe...who are Christians and who have belief and who believe this stuff strongly, and as much as I want to argue with them, I don't want to show them disrespect. And I will say that's a ****ing stupid argument, but that's not disrespect.[142]

After refusing to debate the Christian apologist Sye Ten Bruggencate, Penn Jillette said, “I’m not trained in debate. It’s turning conversation into competition."[143] See also: Atheism and cowardice

A National Public Radio reviewer of one of atheist Penn Jillette's books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of profanity.[144] See: Atheism and profanity

Freethinker moniker

[[File:Freethinkers.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Dr. Jonathan Sarfati is a staff member of Creation Ministries International. ]] See also: Atheism and irrationality and Rebuttals to atheist arguments

Freethinker moniker - Atheists go by the self-gratulatory moniker of freethinker. Yet, militant atheists commonly have stifled the free speech theists whenever they have had the power to do so - especially the free speech of Christians (See: Militant atheism and Atheism and communism and Suppression of alternatives to evolution and Atheist bullying).

Dinesh D'Souza has pointed out that atheists have focused considerable efforts on the public schools in order to indoctrinate young people into atheistic beliefs.[145] In addition, Jewish columnist Dennis Prager has stated that a causal factor of atheism is the "secular indoctrination of a generation."[146] Prager stated that "From elementary school through graduate school, only one way of looking at the world – the secular – is presented. The typical individual in the Western world receives as secular an indoctrination as the typical European received a religious one in the Middle Ages." [147] Also, in communist countries (such as the former Soviet Union) atheistic indoctrination occurred in the educational system through such venues as schools, atheist museums, and clubs.[148][149] Atheistic communist countries are known to be among the most repressive countries in the world.

In addition, atheist Darwinists actively censor more accurate explanations of origins (see: Suppression of alternatives to evolution) in order to keep their false pseudoscience from being more actively rebutted in the public square.

Humanist moniker

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."[150] The American Humanist Association's slogan is "Good without God".[151]

In 2011, the atheist PZ Myers won the International Humanist Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union.[152] Prior to that in 2009, Myers won the Humanist of the Year award from the American Humanist Association.[153]

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.[154][155]

Atheism, medicine and health

See also: Atheism and medicine

Atheist often champion mainstream medicine and disparage osteopathy, integrative medicine, chiropractic healthcare and other alternative medicine approaches.[156][157] In addition, atheists are often guilty of practicing the ideology/religion of scientism.[158][159][160]

Atheism and obesity

See also: Atheism and obesity and Atheism and the fat acceptance movement

PZ Myers (photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

Yet, despite the health risks of obesity and despite the fact that exercise science, nutritional science and medical science have a number of effective treatments for obesity, a significant amount of prominent atheists are obese/overweight (see: Atheism and obesity).

For example, 3 out of 5 of the founders of the New Atheism movement have had issues with being overweight as can be seen HERE and HERE and HERE (see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight). In addition, most atheists champion the pseudoscientific notions of evolution and abiogenesis.

PZ Myers is also a leader within the New Atheism movement and Myers has had problems with being overweight and experienced health problems as a result.[161] 2009 pictures of a significantly overweight PZ Myers can be found HERE and HERE and HERE.

According to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."[162] In the journal article Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications, psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on self-control/self-regulation.[163][164] In terms of their geographic location, a large majority of Christians live in the Eastern World where individuals tend to be slimmer and practice healthier lifestyles (see: Global Christianity).[165]

If the atheist community truly believed in evidence-based medicine, a significant amount of prominent atheists would not be overweight. There is no historical evidence suggesting that Jesus or his disciples were overweight. See: Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet

African Christians clapping at an open-air meeting. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[166] The traditional African diet is healthier than many Western World invividuals' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.[167][168] In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.[169] See: Global atheism and Atheist population

The traditional African diet is healthier than many Western World peoples' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.[170][171] In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.[172] Secular Europe has a higher obesity rate than Africa (See: Secular Europe and obesity). In addition, religious Africa has a lower obesity rate than atheistic China (see: China and obesity).

In the United States, the greater the degree of irreligiosity in a generation, the higher their obesity rate is. See: Atheism and obesity and Generation X, irreligion and obesity and Millennials, irreligion and obesity and Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity According to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."[173]

The Iona Institute reported:

A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.[174][175]

For more information please see: Atheism and obesity and Atheism and the fat acceptance movement and Atheism and health

Atheism, alcoholism and illegal drug use

See also: Atheism and alcoholism

Alcoholism was a serious social problem in the former atheistic Soviet Union.[176] Between 1940 and 1980, this atheist state had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.[177]

As noted above, American atheists are more likely to see excessive drinking as morally acceptable behavior.[178] Alcoholism was a serious social problem in the former atheistic Soviet Union.[179] Between 1940 and 1980, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.[180]

A 2012 study suggests that a habit of binge drink risks serious brain damage including increasing memory loss later in adulthood.[181][182] There are a number of other health problems associated with excess alcohol use as well (see: alcoholism).

Also, as noted above, atheists are more likely to also find illegal drug use to be morally acceptable as well and medical science has found many instances of illegal drug use to cause health problems.

Since atheist community often champions evidence-based medicine, the excess drinking and instances of harmful illegal drug use by the atheist community is another example of atheist hypocrisy.

Atheism, homosexuality and public health

See also: Atheism and homosexuality

The conservative journalist Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth wrote: "Anyone who has researched the subject of homosexuality knows that many of the most staunch advocates of homosexuality are those who hold a decidedly secular outlook."[183]

The Barna Group found that atheists and agnostics in America were more likely, than theists in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable: illegal drug use; excessive drinking; sexual relationships outside of marriage; abortion; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; obscene language; gambling; pornography and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in homosexuality/bisexuality.[184] Given the many diseases associated with homosexuality, the biblical prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the many examples where the Bible exhibited knowledge that was ahead of its time. See also: Atheism and homosexuality

Given that homosexuality is a choice, the existence many ex-homosexuals and the many health risks of homosexuality and its effect on the larger population through bisexuals, the continued advocacy of homosexuality by atheists is another example of atheist hypocrisy.

Atheistic communism, the American Atheists and homosexuality

See also: Atheist actions against homosexuals and Atheism and homosexuality

Leftist atheists in the Western World, commonly complain about the Bible declaring homosexuality to be a sin and Christian negative attitudes against homosexuality, yet atheistic communist regimes took strong measures to reduce the prevalence of homosexuality in their societies due to seeing homosexuality as a symptom of bourgeois decadence.[185] In addition, the American Atheists organization was embroiled in a controversy due to the critical comments that Dave Muscato, the Public Relations Director for American Atheists, said about homosexual activists.[186] See: Atheist actions against homosexuals

Atheism and superstition

The Wall Street Journal reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians."[187]

See also: Irreligion and superstition and Atheism and irrationality

Atheists often accuse Christians of holding to superstition. Yet Bible believers are less likely to believe in superstition than atheists.[188]

In September 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported:

The reality is that the New Atheist campaign, by discouraging religion, won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass superstition. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith -- it's what the empirical data tell us.

"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that traditional Christian religion greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of astrology. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians....

This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine Skeptical Inquirer that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.[189]

Atheism. secular left and racism

The atheist population has a significant amount of racism within its midst (see: Atheism and racism).

As note above, most atheists skew politically to the left (see: Atheism and politics).

Historically, there has been a lack of atheist outreach to minority communities in the Western World and a lack of atheist evangelism in Africa and Latin America. Christendom has made extensive evangelism efforts in Africa and Latin America and continues to do so (see: Global Christianity). Also, according to a video posted at Freethought Blogs storefront churches provide assistance to local residents including women and this partly explains the dearth of Hispanic and African-American women atheists in America (Atheists give less to charity than Christians. See: Atheism and uncharitableness).[190]

Furthermore, atheists often get prickly when the subject of evolutionary racism is brought up.

Token efforts to extend racial minorities leadership positions in atheist organizations

See also: Western atheism and race and Atheism and leadership

On October 9, 2014, the atheist Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson declared:

Despite frequent tokenistic calls for “diversity” within the “movement,” there are virtually no people of color in executive management positions in any of the major secular, atheist, or Humanist organizations — notable exceptions being Debbie Goddard of Center for Inquiry and Maggie Ardiente of American Humanist Association. People of color are constantly bombarded with claims of separatism, reverse discrimination, and “self-segregation” when they point to the absence of social justice, anti-racist community organizing, coalition-building, and visibility among secular organizations. After the Washington Post article, the vitriol and denialism among the “We are All Africans” white atheists was off the chain. This illustrates yet again that sticking a few of us on conference panels or secular boards is nothing but cheap appeasement.[191]

Racial minority atheists vs. prominent, white atheist lead organizations

See also: Western atheism and race

Atheist Sikivu Hutchinson wrote:

The recent merger of the secular organization Center for Inquiry (CFI) and the Richard Dawkins Foundation (RDF) has been dubbed atheism's supergroup moment. Acknowledging the two organizations' outsized presence in the atheist world, Religion News Service acidly declared it a "royal wedding". The partnership, which gives Richard Dawkins a seat on the CFI board, smacks of a vindication of Dawkins' toxic, reactionary brand of damn-all-them-culturally-backward-Western-values-hating- Muslims New Atheism. As one of the most prominent global secular organizations, CFI's all-white board looks right at home with RDF's lily white board and staff.

Meanwhile, atheists and humanists of color have been going against the white grain to address issues that much of organized atheism and humanism are resistant if not outright hostile to.[192]

The secular humanist document Human Manifesto II, which was written in 1973 by Paul Kurtz and Edwin H. Wilson, decried racism and it declared:

The beginnings of police states, even in democratic societies, widespread government espionage, and other abuses of power by military, political, and industrial elites, and the continuance of unyielding racism, all present a different and difficult social outlook. In various societies, the demands of women and minority groups for equal rights effectively challenge our generation.[193]

Atheism and scientism

According to The Cryonics Society, the atheist Isaac Asimov said of cryonics, "Though no one can quantify the probability of cryonics working, I estimate it is at least 90%..."[194]

Atheist are often guilty of holding to the errant view of scientism. Yet, the claim that science is the only form of legitimate evidence is a self-refuting claim for there is no scientific evidence that this claim is true. Furthermore, atheists commonly promote the pseudosciences of evolution and abiogenesis.

Atheism and mental illness

See also: Atheism and suicide and Atheism and depression and Atheism and health).

Atheists often falsely accuse theists (particularly those who criticize atheism) of mental illness,[195] despite the fact that atheists have higher incidences of depression and suicide (see: Atheism and suicide and Atheism and depression and Atheism and health).

Dr. Paul Vitz wrote a book entitled Faith of the Fatherless in which he points out that after studying the lives of more than a dozen leading atheists he found that a large majority of them had a father who was present but weak, present but abusive, or absent.[196][197] Dr. Vitz also examined the lives of prominent theists who were contemporaneous to their atheist counterparts and from the same culture and in every instance these prominent theists had a good relationship with his father.[198]

Atheism and deception

The article Atheism is rudderless and unseaworthy written by a supporter of the Question evolution! campaign wrote: "Christians should call Dawkins on his disingenuous flip-flopping if his publisher continues to promote the book as a book focusing on his journey to atheism without mentioning the fact that Dawkins is presently an agnostic who has rejected atheism."[199]

Western atheists often accuse Christians of being liars or "liars for Jesus", yet the evolutionary worldview has been caught in engaging in a number of lies/frauds (see: Atheism and deception and Evolution and Cases of Fraud, Hoaxes and Speculation).

New Atheism, Richard Dawkins and agnosticism

One of the ironies of the New Atheism movement (a form of militant atheism) is that one of its leading figures, Richard Dawkins, is an agnostic whose public persona flip-flops between militant atheism, atheism, and agnosticism. See: Richard Dawkins and agnosticism

Richard Dawkins indicated in a 2012 meeting with the British Archbishop Dr. Rowan Williams that he is an agnostic which stunned the Dr. Williams and many in the general public.[200][201] In an essay entitled Is Richard Dawkins a flip-flopper?, an advocate of the Question evolution! campaign indicated that the public persona of Dawkins is sometimes atheistic for controversy sake in order to sell more books.[202]

Atheism commonly decry religion, yet atheism is a religion

For thousands of years, and particularly in the post Darwinism era, atheists have decried religion. Yet, atheism is a religion. Recently, some atheists have established "atheist churches" and are demanding atheist chaplains in the U.S. military.[203][204][205]

Darwinism is a religion

The Kitzmiller vs. Dover case which focused on the issue intelligent design being taught in public schools did not take into account arguments that evolution is religious in nature.[206][207][208]

The Question evolution! campaign by Creation Ministries International is a worldwide campaign which poses 15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer.[209] The 15 questions posed to evolutionists can be found HERE

The atheist philosopher of science Michael Ruse said "Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."[210] In the their Question evolution! campaign, Creation Ministries International asserts that evolution is a religion.[211]

The Question evolution! campaign is upsetting to many atheists because although they advocate questioning other religions, when tenets of their evolutionary faith are questioned they become agitated and upset. A recent study reported at Live Science found that evolutionary belief is significantly reliant on "gut feelings".[212]

John Calvert, a lawyer and intelligent design proponent declared:

The Seventh Judicial Circuit of the Court of Appeals of the United States held that atheism is a religion. Therefore, it cannot be promoted by a public school. Currently, public schools are often unwittingly promoting atheism through a dogmatic and uncritical teaching of materialistic theories of origins.[213]

Cult of personality surrounding Charles Darwin

An advocate of the Question Evolution! campaign wrote concerning the cult of personality surrounding Charles Darwin:

Darwinists have established a cult of personality around Charles Darwin for their religion of Darwinism. Every year they celebrate Darwin Day on February 12. The agnostic and prominent evolutionist Stephen Gould wrote: "all theories [of natural selection] cite God in their support, and ... Darwin comes close to this status among evolutionary biologists ...". In his book Rivals : Conflict as the fuel of science, Michael White similarly wrote: "Of course today, for biologists, Darwin is second only to God, and for many he may rank still higher."[214]

Atheism and slavery/forced labor

See also: Atheism and slavery and Atheism and forced labor

According to CNN, hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of labor camps and forced labor prisons (called laogai) still exist in modern China.[215]

Atheists commonly decry slavery in the Bible - particularly the Israelites owning slave and Christian slaveholders mentioned or alluded to in the New Testament.[216]

China has the world's largest atheist population.[217][218]

The inaugural Global Slavery Index is published by the Australia-based Walk Free Foundation,[219]

According to NBC News:

But taken in absolute terms, global powers such as China and Russia were near the top of the list of countries with the largest total of people living in slavery.

The index said the figure for China includes “the forced labour of men, women and children in many parts of the economy, including domestic servitude and forced begging, the sexual exploitation of women and children, and forced marriage.”[220]

In addition, in atheistic communist regimes forced labor has often played a significant role in their economies and this practice continues to this day. (Please see: Atheism and forced labor)[221] [222][223]

In Myanmar a nontheistic form of Buddhism called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), about 800,000 people are subject to forced labor in Myanmar.[224]

In June 2013, reports of Christians in forced labor camps due to religious discrimination were still being reported.[225] Also, in 2013 the Korean-American pastor Kenneth Bae was sentenced to 15 years in an atheistic communist North Korean labor prison camps due to religious persecution.[226] North Korea is known for its systematic persecution of Christians.[227]

Thomas Sowell wrote in an essay entitled Ending slavery: "The anti-slavery movement was spearheaded by people who would today be called 'the religious right' and its organization was created by conservative businessmen."[228]

On February 20, 2012, the British newspaper the Daily Mail reported that Richard Dawkins' "family fortune came from the slave trade".[229]

Richard Dawkins' family fortune came from the slave trade - asked to pay reparations

See also: 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".[230] On February 19, 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that Dawkins is being called to make reparations for his family's past.[231]

The Daily Mail reported:

Ancestors of secularist campaigner Richard Dawkins made their fortune from the slave trade, it has been revealed.

The outspoken atheist, who once branded the Catholic Church 'evil', is the direct descendent of Henry Dawkins who owned 1,013 slaves in Jamaica until he died in 1744.

The links with slavery continue down the family tree and in 1796 another ancestor, James Dawkins, voted against William Wilberforce's plans to abolish the slave trade[232]

Christianity and the abolitionist movement

William Wilberforce was a devout Christian, philanthropist,abolitionist, and the leader of the campaign against the Slave Trade.

Thomas Sowell wrote:

While slavery was common to all civilizations, as well as to peoples considered uncivilized, only one civilization developed a moral revulsion against it, very late in hits history…not even the leading moralists in other civilizations rejected slavery at all…. Moreover, within Western civilization, the principle impetus for the abolition of slavery came first from very conservative religious activists – people who would today be called ‘the religious right.’…this story is not ‘politically correct’ in today’s terms. Hence it is ignored, as if it never happened.”[233]

Quickness to hate God

See also: Atheism and hatred of God and Atheism and anger

In debates with atheists, the popular YouTube video maker Shockofgod often asks atheists, "Is God evil?". Invariably, so-called atheists quickly say yes. Then Shockofgod informs the "atheist" that they admitted that God exists. Shockofgod also declares that he never heard anyone accuse leprechauns of being evil. See also: Atheists doubting the validity of atheism and Denials that atheists exist and Atheism and its retention rate in individuals

Don Batten of Creation Ministries International wrote:

Recently, I have had a lot of conversations with atheists. Many express a strong hatred of God. I have been at a loss to explain this. How can you hate someone you don’t believe in? Why the hostility? If God does not exist, shouldn’t atheists just relax and seek a good time before they become plant food? Why should it matter if people believe in God? Nothing matters if atheism is true[234]

Denial of objective beauty

Atheists/evolutionists often engage in hypocrisy on the issue of beauty in God's universe and engage in self-refuting arguments which argue that beauty is merely subjective, yet non-beauty/ugliness is an objective reality (non-beauty arose after the fall of man).[235][236][237] See: Argument from beauty

Hermant Mehta and his endorsement of the Brights Movement

The atheist Hemant Mehta is an author, popular atheist blogger, and atheist activist. He also served as a chair on the Secular Student Alliance board of directors. His blog is called The Friendly Atheist. Given the Brights Movement's reputation for smugness (see: Atheism and arrogance), his endorsement of the Brights Movement and his current listing as an "Enthusiastic Bright" on the Brights Movement website, could be seen as a matter of hypocrisy due to the attributes of "friendly" and "smug" being incompatible opposites.[238]

Unlike the skeptic Michael Shermer who had second thoughts after endorsing the Brights Movement, Hemant Menta has never publicly denounced the Bright Movement for its smugness and remains listed on on its website as an "Enthusiastic Bright".[239][240]

Hemant Mehta's comments about fellow atheist Chris Stedman

Hemant Mehta said of fellow atheist Chris Stedman:

If you read the blog posts and Twitter comments about Chris, though, you’d think he was a religious man in atheist clothing. Or that he’s delegitimizing our work. Or that he’s undermining our goals. He’s not. He’s as much of an atheist activist as the rest of us. He just practices it by focusing on cooperation and conversation with people of faith instead of beating his chest with both fists and proclaiming his superiority.[241][242]
See also: Atheism and social intelligence

Leonid Brezhnev

See also: Atheism and death

Leonid Brezhnev served as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union which had state atheism. Under Brezhnev, religious believers received harsh treatment and the Soviet Union's anti-religious stance was maintained and there was a fundamental inequality between those with religious belief and those who subscribed to atheism.[243]

In his nuclear arms negotiations with President Jimmy Carter, Leonid Brezhnev, the leader of the Soviet Union which had state atheism, said, "God will never forgive us if we don't succeed."[244]

Gary Thomas wrote in Christianity Today about Brehnev's funeral and the actions of his widow:

As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband.[245]

Atheism and obsession with God

See also: Atheism and obsession with God

The Christian blog Words of a Fether declared:

An obsession is when something or someone dominates a person’s mind. So what else can it be called when so many atheists spend large amounts of time and effort in Christian venues such as message boards and blogs, arguing and mocking incessantly? Who else spends more time on what they don’t believe than what they do believe? If all unprovable beliefs are the same, why don’t atheists put forth the same effort to combat belief in the tooth fairy or pink unicorns on Mars? Are Christians really any less consistent than atheists?[246]
Orphelia Benson

(photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, see: license agreement)

The American journalist Heywood Broun declared: "Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist there is no God."[247]

Orphelia Benson and incivility/profanity

See also: Atheism and profanity and Elevatorgate

Ophelia Benson is an American atheist, feminist, author, editor and blogger. She is known for using the word f*#@wit and she claims the word is not a vulgar word.[248][249] Despite commonly using this vulgar epithet, she published a joint statement with the agnostic/New Atheist Richard Dawkins indicating that atheists should behave in a civil manner in disagreements with each other and not engage in uncivil behavior such as the use of vulgar epithets.[250]

American society and other societies in the world see the use of profanity by women to be particularly unmannerly. Woman who engage in profanity are commonly deemed to be vulgar/uncouth individuals and this is especially the case in religious areas of the world. For example, in 2014, a mother in South Carolina who swore in front of her children in public was arrested for disorderly conduct.[251]

A significant portion of atheists believe things happen for a reason

One of the most popular arguments for God's existence is the teleological argument. Derived from the Greek word telos, which refers to purpose or end, this argument hinges on the idea that the world gives evidence of being designed, and concludes that a divine designer must be posited to account for the orderly world we encounter.

In addition, through Jesus Christ, Christianity does offer objective meaning and purpose to life.[252]

Logically, under an atheistic worldview, there would be no objective purpose to life (see: Atheism and meaninglessness and Hopelessness of atheism and Atheism and irrationality).[253]

However, on October 17, 2014, The New York Times published an article entitled Does everything happen for a reason? which declared:

But research from the Yale Mind and Development Lab, where we work, suggests that this can’t be the whole story. In one series of studies, recently published in the journal Cognition, we asked people to reflect on significant events from their own lives, such as graduations, the births of children, falling in love, the deaths of loved ones and serious illnesses. Unsurprisingly, a majority of religious believers said they thought that these events happened for a reason and that they had been purposefully designed (presumably by God). But many atheists did so as well, and a majority of atheists in a related study also said that they believed in fate — defined as the view that life events happen for a reason and that there is an underlying order to life that determines how events turn out.

These atheists’ responses weren’t just the product of living in America’s highly religious society. Research done at Queen’s University in Belfast by the psychologists Bethany Heywood and Jesse Bering found that British atheists were just as likely as American atheists to believe that their life events had underlying purposes, even though Britain is far less religious than America.

In other studies, scheduled to be published online next week in the journal Child Development, we found that even young children show a bias to believe that life events happen for a reason — to “send a sign” or “to teach a lesson.” This belief exists regardless of how much exposure the children have had to religion at home, and even if they’ve had none at all.[254]

For more information, please see: Atheism and purpose

Jerry Coyne's commentary on atheist meetings within the atheist movement

See also: Atheist conferences

The atheist Jerry Coyne speaking at a 2013 atheist meeting entitled The Amazing Meeting (TAM). TAM is an annual meeting. In 2011, Coyne said about atheist meetings which he attended that they had an air of self-congratulation.[255] He also indicated about atheist meetings: "But to me the speakers and talks have often seemed repetitive: the same crew of jet-set skeptics giving the same talks."[256]

Atheism is not a movement which tends to create community as most atheists are apathetic when it comes to such matters (see: Atheism and apathy and Atheism and loneliness).

In addition, post the 2011 Elevatorgate controversy that involved new atheist Richard Dawkins and feminists, there has been a lot of infighting within the Western, atheist population (see: Atheist factions).

Numerous atheists have declared that the "atheist movement is dead" or that it is dying (see: Decline of the atheist movement).[257]

In 2011, in a blog post entitled Are there too many atheist meetings?, atheist Jerry Coyne said about atheist meetings which he attended:

But to me the speakers and talks have often seemed repetitive: the same crew of jet-set skeptics giving the same talks.

...a few things bothered me, most notably the air of self-congratulation (which I excused on the grounds of enthusiastic people finding like-minded folks for the first time), the “fanboyness” directed at some of the famous atheists (they hardly let poor Richard alone, and I’m not sure he liked that!), and the lameness of quite a few of the talks. Again, how much new can you say about atheism?[258]

However, in 2013, Jerry Coyne spoke at a 2013 atheist meeting with the self-congratulatory title "The Amazing Meeting".[259] The Amazing Meeting is an annual meeting and perennial speakers at the Amazing Meeting include Penn & Teller, Michael Shermer, James Randi and Phil Plait. In addition, the website of All American Speakers, a buyers agent, has a form for requesting Jerry A. Coyne as a speaker.[260]

At the 2013 The Amazing Meeting, Coyne gave a talk entitled Faith is Not a Virtue which focused on the supposed incompatibility of science and religion, despite the fact that studies show that the irreligious engage in more superstitious thinking and the significant contributions that Christianity has made to science (see: Irreligion and superstition and Christianity and science).[261] In addition, in his talk Coyne also avoided the large body of historical and other social science data regarding the immoral actions of the atheist population (see: Atheist population and immorality and Atheism and mass murder and Atheism and morality). Furthermore, Coyne said in his talk that there being various sects of Christianity is evidence that Christianity is false (Despite the fact that there are many schools of atheist thought which frequently quarrel with each other (see: Atheist factions) and that atheists/agnostics frequently argue about the definition of atheism).[262]

New Atheism, veganism and hypocrisy

Hypocrite Diaries quote related to atheists

See also: There are no atheists in foxholes and There are no atheists on a sinking ship and There are no atheists on turbulent airplanes

"Communist until you get rich, feminist until you get married, atheist until the airplane starts falling.” - Hypocrite Diaries[263]

Irony of atheist hypocrisy

The devil is the inspirer and father of atheism (see: Atheism and satanic deception). In the Book of Revelation the devil is called "the accuser of the brethren" (Revelation 12:10). Given the prevalence of militant atheists and other atheists railing at Christians and falsely accusing them of engaging in ill behavior and given the high prevalence of atheists engaging in ill behavior (for example, see: Atheism and morality and Atheism and mass murder), it is ironic that atheists engage in a high degree of hypocritical behavior.

See also

External links

Notes

  1. Can Moral Objectivism Do Without God? by Peter S. Williams, Bethinking.org
  2. Atheists Dodge Their History of Atrocities
  3. Atheism
  4. Mailvox: the "No True Atheist" defense
  5. Paul Copan
  6. [Everything Is Permitted? People Intuitively Judge Immorality as Representative of Atheists], Will M. Gervais, Journal: PlOS ONE, Published: April 09, 2014, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.009230
  7. Ray Comfort Debates an Atheist
  8. If we accept Jesus as Savior, can we then sin all we want? by CARM
  9. http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-of-christianity-and-self.html
  10. http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheists-and-self-esteem-part-2.html
  11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21190929
  12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903
  13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903
  14. http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  15. http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303
  16. Coming Out Poly + A Change of Life Venue
  17. Coming Out Poly + A Change of Life Venue
  18. Atheism, Adultery, Polyamory, And Shifting Morals
  19. It’s Past Time for Atheism to Grow Up by Neil Carter
  20. Indian J Psychiatry. 2009 Apr-Jun; 51(2): 153–156. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.49459, PMCID: PMC2755173, Forgiveness: A note for psychiatrists by Prakash Gangdev
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  22. doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259 Violence Against Women, Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence, November 2007 vol. 13 no. 11 1094-1112
  23. Demography. 2006 Feb;43(1):127-40. Why are cohabiting relationships more violent than marriages?. Kenney CT1, McLanahan SS.
  24. John Lennon and Chris Brown Have Something in Common
  25. Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)
  26. Sweden stands out in domestic violence study Published: 05 Mar 2014 08:3
  27. Sweden stands out in domestic violence study Published: 05 Mar 2014 08:3
  28. Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)
  29. Photo: Evolution Less Accepted in U.S. Than Other Western Countries, Study Finds
  30. 5 reasons there aren't more women in atheism - Salon
  31. http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php
  32. Roberts, Andrew. "Stalin's army of rapists: The brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore", Daily Mail, 24 October 2008. 
  33. Investigating atheism: Marxism. University of Cambridge (2008). Retrieved on July 17, 2014. “The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.”
  34. Britain needs God
  35. Heineman, Elizabeth (1996). "The Hour of the Woman: Memories of Germany's "Crisis Years" and West German National Identity". American Historical Review 101 (2): 354–395. 
  36. Kuwert, P.; Freyberger, H. (2007). "The unspoken secret: Sexual violence in World War II". International Psychogeriatrics 19 (4): 782–784. doi:10.1017/S1041610207005376. 
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  41. The Privilege Delusion by Rebecca Watson - Skepchick
  42. PZ Myers and the Art of Shameless Dishonesty
  43. FreeThoughtBlogs and PZ Myers
  44. Sikivu, Ophelia, and Rebecca — who says atheism lacks women stars?
  45. Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video
  46. Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video
  47. Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video
  48. Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video
  49. Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011
  50. Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011
  51. http://www.atheists.org/about/Board_of_Directors
  52. This Firebrand Atheist Was Just Fired After Allegations Of Financial Conflicts And Sexual Assault
  53. David Silverman was a “Proud Feminist”
  54. David Silverman fired from American Atheists by PZ Myers
  55. David Silverman was a “Proud Feminist”
  56. http://www.trivia-library.com/a/biography-of-famous-atheist-marquis-de-sade.htm
  57. https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A676190
  58. Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster? by Robin Schumacher
  59. Richard Dawkins quote, Goodreads.com
  60. Atheist billboards mock Romney, Obama religion, USA Today
  61. Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster? by Robin Schumacher
  62. Richard Dawkins quote, Goodreads.com
  63. Atheist billboards mock Romney, Obama religion, USA Today
  64. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html?_r=1
  65. http://www.conservapedia.com/Racial_demographics_of_the_Richard_Dawkins%27_audience
  66. http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism_appears_to_be_significantly_less_appealing_to_women
  67. http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/06/the_woman_problem.php
  68. http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php
  69. American Atheism’s Diversity Problem by Samuel D. Adams
  70. Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world, Washington Times, 2014
  71. Cannibalism in the Soviet Union' by Kerry Kubulius
  72. North Korean reveals cannibalism is common after escaping starving state, Express
  73. https://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26940
  74. http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/
  75. http://www.daily49er.com/opinion/our-view-catholic-church-needs-administrative-reform-1.2200659
  76. Bill Maher and Christopher Hitchens 'gloat' about Catholic Church child-abuse scandals by Ken Tucker at Entertainment Weekly
  77. http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/
  78. Today's Reasons to Quit the Catholic Church by the atheist Adam Lee
  79. Atheist Who Blamed Faith for Sexual Abuse Forced to Resign for Sexual Messages by Matthew Schmitz, posted 6-13-2013
  80. Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)
  81. Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses by Suzanne Ost, Cambridge University Press, 2009
  82. Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)
  83. Photo: Evolution Less Accepted in U.S. Than Other Western Countries, Study Finds
  84. Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem written by authors Rahel Nardos; Mary K. Radpour; William S. Hatcher and Michael L. Penn, page 59, 2003, page 29.
  85. Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses by Suzanne Ost, Cambridge University Press, 2009
  86. Atheist Who Blamed Faith for Sexual Abuse Forced to Resign for Sexual Messages by Matthew Schmitz, posted 6-13-2013
  87. http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/
  88. http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/8526/
  89. http://australianconservative.com/2010/04/preparing-for-richard-dawkins%E2%80%99-crocodile-tears/
  90. *The LBJ legend and my email to PZ Myers by Michael Nugent on September 19, 2014 Atheist Ireland publicly dissociates itself from the harmful and hateful rhetoric of PZ Myers] by Michael Nugent, April 7, 2015
  91. What It Means To Be A Progressive: A Manifesto, Thinkprogress.org
  92. What are Progressive Values, Dailykos.com
  93. Herbert Spencer and social Darwinism
  94. Darwinism and World War I
  95. Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee
  96. Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen, Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010
  97. Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee
  98. An Update on We Are Atheism by Hemant Mehta, September 15, 2015]
  99. Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen, Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010
  100. The rise of Christianity in Asia by Masako Fukui, Australian Broadcasting Corporation's website RN
  101. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0
  102. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0
  103. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0
  104. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence
  105. Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?
  106. William Lane Craig debunks the atheist's "Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?
  107. The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD
  108. The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD
  109. Atheists & Agnostics in America Tend to be Politically Liberal
  110. Marxism. University of Cambridge (2008). Retrieved on 2011–03–15. “The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.”
  111. James Adair (2007). Christianity. JBE Online Books. Retrieved on 2011–03–15. “Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes toAlthough the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a ist of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rosseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Teror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.” 
  112. William Belsham (1801). Memoirs of the reign of George III. to the session of parliament ending A.D. 1793, Volume 5. G.G. & J. Robinson. Retrieved on 2011–03–15. “Reign of this portentous period, it has been eloquently tenor, and energetically observed, " that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:-in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex ,indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations." It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while "the death dance of democratic revolution" was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, "the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace."” 
  113. William Kilpatrick (2012). Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West. Ignatius Press. Retrieved on 2011–03–15. “Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring-National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructions. It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, "The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man." Actually this transition happened no "ultimately" but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract "reason" and "liberty" degenearated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. "Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name", said Madam Rolande as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution movements before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of "liberty", "equality", and "reason". As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.” 
  114. Notable & Quotable: The Humorless Left, From Stephen E. Kercher’s “Revel With a Cause: Liberal Satire in Postwar America.”, Wall Street Journal
  115. Beyond a Joke: Why Millennials are Losing their Sense of Humor
  116. You Pretend to work and Putin pretends to pay you
  117. 10 Bizarre Ways The Soviet Union Controlled Its People
  118. Fear of death: worst if you’re a little religious?, World of Science]
  119. Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God, Science Daily, Date: April 2, 2012
  120. Atheists, Death and Belief in God The Effects of Death Reminders on Atheists' Supernatural Beliefs, Psychology Today, Published on May 25, 2012 by Nathan A. Heflick, Ph.D. in The Big Questions
  121. Survey: 32% of Atheists & Agnostics Believe in an Afterlife
  122. Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God, The Daily Telegraph, May 14, 2011
  123. Open Questions: Diverse Thinkers Discuss God, Religion, and Faith by Luís F. Rodrigues, page 201
  124. The Great Debate: Greg Bahnsen vs Gordon Stein
  125. Bahsen at the Stein debate by John Frame
  126. William Lane Craig’s Debates (Reviews) by Luke Muehlhauser at Common Sense Atheism on February 7, 2009
  127. John F. MacArthur, "Think Biblically!"
  128. [A Response to Philosophical Postmodernism] by Norman L. Geisler
  129. [ C.S. Lewis on Postmodernism?] by Arthur W. Lindsley, Ph.D. Senior Fellow, C.S. Lewis Institute
  130. Scholarly opinions on the Jesus Myth by Christopher Price
  131. Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?
  132. Richard Dawkins admits Jesus existed
  133. National Public Radio [NPR) review of the book God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales by Penn Jillette
  134. Charlie Hebdo and France’s Irreligious Tradition by Kenneth R. Weinstein]
  135. Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public
  136. Mockery - the M.O. for atheists by Matt Barber
  137. Penn & Teller - The Bible is Bull****
  138. Penn Point - Conservapedia or Troll Site? - Penn Point
  139. Penn Jillete's greatest disappearing act yet!
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  153. Freethoughtblogs.com - A million gods - tags: medicine, quackery
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  156. Answering the new atheists
  157. That’s not a heart! It’s a flailing Engine of Destruction!
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  162. World's fattest countries
  163. Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets, Today's Nutrition
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  206. 15 questions for evolutionists
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  211. Does the Bible condone slavery?
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  220. American Pastor Languishing in North Korea Labor Camp
  221. American Pastor Languishing in North Korea Labor Camp
  222. Ending slavery
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  225. Slaves at the root of the fortune that created Richard Dawkins' family estate, The Daily Telegragh, February 19, 2012
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  233. Hemant Mehta listing - Enthusiastic Brights at Brights Movement website
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  237. Soviet Religious Policy Under Brezhnev and After by JOHN ANDERSON
  238. INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER
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  241. Heywood Broun quote at the quotes website Brainyquote
  242. The Ophelia Benson canard
  243. Joint statement by Ophelia Benson and Richard Dawkins (see comment section)
  244. The Ophelia Benson canard
  245. Mom Arrested for Swearing in Front of Kids at the Grocery Store, but What the Woman Who Tattled on Her Did Afterward Is Just as Surprising, The Blaze, Aug. 15, 2014 4:41pm
  246. Does everything happen for a reason?
  247. Are there too many atheist meetings? by Jerry Coyne
  248. Are there too many atheist meetings? by Jerry Coyne
  249. Are there too many atheist meetings? by Jerry Coyne
  250. Photograph of Jerry Coyne speaking at the atheist meeting entitled The Amazing Meeting
  251. Request Booking Info on Jerry A. Coyne - AllAmericanSpeakers.com
  252. Faith is Not a Virtue - Jerry Coyne TAM 2013 - video
  253. Faith is Not a Virtue - Jerry Coyne TAM 2013 - video
  254. Hypocrite Diaries quote