Your comments about Michael Enright's comments -- on atheists
Michael opened The Sunday Edition of September 29, 2013, with a few remarks about atheists. Atheists are not being persecuted or silenced, he argued.. they are "lovingly tended by media interviewers -- me included. The problem," he said, "is that they won't shut up about it." He also said: "Atheism is a coherent system of beliefs, arrived...
Michael opened The Sunday Edition of September 29, 2013, with a few remarks about atheists. Atheists are not being persecuted or silenced, he argued.. they are "lovingly tended by media interviewers -- me included. The problem," he said, "is that they won't shut up about it."
He also said: "Atheism is a coherent system of beliefs, arrived at, I am sure after very serious and sober consideration. Atheism has an important value set which believers would be well-advised to listen to and perhaps adopt in some form."
Despite those last few sentences, the majority of the notes we received took Michael firmly to task.
You can hear Michael's original essay here.
This came from Gordon Wright in Barrie, Ontario:
"I listened gobsmacked to Michael Enright's commentary about the "whiny, whinging self-pitying narcissism" of atheists. When he said that atheism and religion have always co-existed and that atheists should stop "shouting their assertions and beliefs in a booming voice", I just lost it.
I agree, some of our adherents go overboard in proclaiming their beliefs, but we've had to listen to the booming voice of religion for thousands of years.
"God Save the Queen", "God Bless America" ... We put up with the overbearing voice of the religious in society every day and most of us just hold our tongues and wait for it to abate.
As for co-existing: I think many of our kind have met rather unpleasant ends at the hands of religious authorities. For the time being, it's safe to speak out, and thank someone for that."
Bob Brannigan sent this from Calgary:
"Your recent ostensible essay about atheists failed to conceal a petulant diatribe. Pot, meet kettle.
I found it an interesting juxtaposition that not five minutes earlier, the hourly news told of yet another religious fundamentalist group, this time invading an agricultural school in Nigeria. They randomly shot students as they slept.
Apparently "western education" -- a.k.a., rational thinking -- is a diabolical force, as it impedes the inculcation of dogmatic intolerance and Sharia law.
It's a big world out there, and there are those that don't share your refined aesthetics. Believe it or not, many people still believe that apostasy or blasphemy demands a public beheading."
From Jason Rattray, in Regina:
"We're done being polite. And I mean forever. Atheists are coming out in droves, some organizing and banding together in a more organized fashion, while others simply admit their beliefs and no longer just call themselves "undecided" or "don't have a religion".
The biggest benefit to a loud, aggressive and unapologetic atheism movement, is the safe foundation that it provides other atheists.
It's ok to be atheist. You don't have to be aggressive, but you don't have to hide anymore.
Human advancement has been stifled by religion long enough.
As long as debates such as 'Creationism vs. Evolution' continue, we can't afford to stop complaining. And we won't."
This came from Hilary Knight in Victoria:
"Well, Michael, for years I have listened to your opinions, often agreeing with you, sometimes civilly begging to differ. But your remarks on atheism left me more steamed than my Sunday latte.
As an agnostic-listing-to-atheism, I will "whisper" my opinions when the shrieks of religious fundamentalists fall silent. They do not howl their idiocies in a vacuum. They hurt and destroy bodies and minds, especially women's bodies and minds.
You made these comments shortly after the events in Pakistan and Kenya, perpetrated by ignorant barbarians convinced that their pet fairy tale is the Truth.
A raspberry to your "whispers." Silence is consent."
From Robin Cantin in Ottawa:
"I agree being humourless and boring is truly inexcusable. The Quran and the Testaments would be greatly improved by some self-deprecating comments, maybe even a few knock-knock jokes.
Lots of atheists have a great sense of humour and we all miss Christopher Hitchens. If God exists and has the life-or-death powers advertized by his minions, I suspect he gave Hitchens cancer just to liven up the conversation up there."
A few of you sent notes that consisted of just one -- cogent -- sentence.
From Moishe (Thomas) Goldstein, Toronto:
"Atheists might do well to imitate the Divine, who is neither in the wind nor in the earthquake nor in the fire, but in the still, small voice."
From Alec Simpson in Calgary:
"I am an atheist and I firmly support your comments this morning. Thank you."
And finally, this from Christopher Wells in Hunter River, PEI:
"The trouble I have with people who have trouble with atheism ... is that they won't shut up about it."
Thank you to everyone who wrote - it was a very heavy mail-bag! And please don't hesitate to add to it. Our e-mail address is thesundayedition@cbc.ca.
You can see the original posting of the cartoon in response to Michael's essay by M J Shepherd here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/10/01/no-we-wont-be-quiet-about-our-atheism/
You can also hear a series of conversations Michael had with the late Christopher Hitchens, which we re-broadcast and posted online on the occasion of his death in December, 2011.
He also said: "Atheism is a coherent system of beliefs, arrived at, I am sure after very serious and sober consideration. Atheism has an important value set which believers would be well-advised to listen to and perhaps adopt in some form."
Despite those last few sentences, the majority of the notes we received took Michael firmly to task.
You can hear Michael's original essay here.
This came from Gordon Wright in Barrie, Ontario:
"I listened gobsmacked to Michael Enright's commentary about the "whiny, whinging self-pitying narcissism" of atheists. When he said that atheism and religion have always co-existed and that atheists should stop "shouting their assertions and beliefs in a booming voice", I just lost it.
I agree, some of our adherents go overboard in proclaiming their beliefs, but we've had to listen to the booming voice of religion for thousands of years.
"God Save the Queen", "God Bless America" ... We put up with the overbearing voice of the religious in society every day and most of us just hold our tongues and wait for it to abate.
As for co-existing: I think many of our kind have met rather unpleasant ends at the hands of religious authorities. For the time being, it's safe to speak out, and thank someone for that."
Bob Brannigan sent this from Calgary:
"Your recent ostensible essay about atheists failed to conceal a petulant diatribe. Pot, meet kettle.
I found it an interesting juxtaposition that not five minutes earlier, the hourly news told of yet another religious fundamentalist group, this time invading an agricultural school in Nigeria. They randomly shot students as they slept.
Apparently "western education" -- a.k.a., rational thinking -- is a diabolical force, as it impedes the inculcation of dogmatic intolerance and Sharia law.
It's a big world out there, and there are those that don't share your refined aesthetics. Believe it or not, many people still believe that apostasy or blasphemy demands a public beheading."
From Jason Rattray, in Regina:
"We're done being polite. And I mean forever. Atheists are coming out in droves, some organizing and banding together in a more organized fashion, while others simply admit their beliefs and no longer just call themselves "undecided" or "don't have a religion".
The biggest benefit to a loud, aggressive and unapologetic atheism movement, is the safe foundation that it provides other atheists.
It's ok to be atheist. You don't have to be aggressive, but you don't have to hide anymore.
Human advancement has been stifled by religion long enough.
As long as debates such as 'Creationism vs. Evolution' continue, we can't afford to stop complaining. And we won't."
This came from Hilary Knight in Victoria:
"Well, Michael, for years I have listened to your opinions, often agreeing with you, sometimes civilly begging to differ. But your remarks on atheism left me more steamed than my Sunday latte.
As an agnostic-listing-to-atheism, I will "whisper" my opinions when the shrieks of religious fundamentalists fall silent. They do not howl their idiocies in a vacuum. They hurt and destroy bodies and minds, especially women's bodies and minds.
You made these comments shortly after the events in Pakistan and Kenya, perpetrated by ignorant barbarians convinced that their pet fairy tale is the Truth.
A raspberry to your "whispers." Silence is consent."
From Robin Cantin in Ottawa:
"I agree being humourless and boring is truly inexcusable. The Quran and the Testaments would be greatly improved by some self-deprecating comments, maybe even a few knock-knock jokes.
Lots of atheists have a great sense of humour and we all miss Christopher Hitchens. If God exists and has the life-or-death powers advertized by his minions, I suspect he gave Hitchens cancer just to liven up the conversation up there."
A few of you sent notes that consisted of just one -- cogent -- sentence.
From Moishe (Thomas) Goldstein, Toronto:
"Atheists might do well to imitate the Divine, who is neither in the wind nor in the earthquake nor in the fire, but in the still, small voice."
From Alec Simpson in Calgary:
"I am an atheist and I firmly support your comments this morning. Thank you."
And finally, this from Christopher Wells in Hunter River, PEI:
"The trouble I have with people who have trouble with atheism ... is that they won't shut up about it."
Thank you to everyone who wrote - it was a very heavy mail-bag! And please don't hesitate to add to it. Our e-mail address is thesundayedition@cbc.ca.
You can see the original posting of the cartoon in response to Michael's essay by M J Shepherd here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/10/01/no-we-wont-be-quiet-about-our-atheism/
You can also hear a series of conversations Michael had with the late Christopher Hitchens, which we re-broadcast and posted online on the occasion of his death in December, 2011.
Christopher Hitchens Remembered on
The Sunday Edition
photo by: ensceptico