Balancing the Strident Atheists
iamnotaparakeet
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Rabble is such an awful word, doesn't it just hurt your feelings? I mean, it's not like there are actual progressive groups that proudly proclaim themselves "rabble" or anything like that, now is there?
Oh, so if I call you rabble then you're fine with it? Hello Rabble, how are you Rabble? Still being Rabble are you Rabble?
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Opportunities multiply as they are seized. -Sun Tzu
Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many -Machiavelli
You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do
Rabble is such an awful word, doesn't it just hurt your feelings? I mean, it's not like there are actual progressive groups that proudly proclaim themselves "rabble" or anything like that, now is there?
Oh, so if I call you rabble then you're fine with it? Hello Rabble, how are you Rabble? Still being Rabble are you Rabble?
So you're calling me a Man of the People?
iamnotaparakeet
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Rabble is such an awful word, doesn't it just hurt your feelings? I mean, it's not like there are actual progressive groups that proudly proclaim themselves "rabble" or anything like that, now is there?
Oh, so if I call you rabble then you're fine with it? Hello Rabble, how are you Rabble? Still being Rabble are you Rabble?
So you're calling me a Man of the People?
If that's the meaning you want to associate with it, alright. Do you mind if henceforth I call you Rabble? I am asking your permission. You wish to imply that there is no pejorative connotation, so would you care to permit me to address you as Rabble from now on? (Or Master_Rabble or Pedantic_Rabble or whatever variation on the theme you'd prefer to better convey the sense of being Rabble). Would you have an issue with that, and if so would you be willing to admit that it's not a compliment just because some people use an otherwise pejorative term in reference to themselves. If you aren't willing to admit to that, would you mind adopting the appellation upon yourself with your own permission?
iamnotaparakeet
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Instead of standing out there, they need to smash the mirror in "Wallmart".
I understand your aversion to being labeled yet if we are going to organize to counter the stridency of the atheists some label will be necessary. Theist is the only word I know to label someone who believes in some God (or gods) without restricting it to some groups image or description of him. It is not our problem if the atheists maintain the position that the invisible dude in the sky with a beard is the God we all believe in; indeed, I would think countering that silly position would be one of our primary objectives.
My views on God are complex too; I would label him unknowable to anyone but a mystic who achieved the ultimate objective of obtaining union with him, and from what I have read, one of the side effects of that experience is to become inarticulate. The gnostics may have made more progress than the religionists but there are also problems with them that I don't think we want do discuss now.
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NobelCynic (on WP)
My given name is Kenneth
I am a practical man.
Well, no I am not but at leat I am not theoretical.
What's in a name, what comes out the rear of a taurid by any other name would smell. Sticks and stones may break my bones but if you don't find out what I cal you behind your back you won't beat me up.
Gentles, let the naming abide. If need be we could let the Resonating Chambers design us asn opprobrious name and then, like other groups before us, proudly adopt it.
The real issue at hand, me thinks, is DO we organize, HOW do we organize, and what do we do exactly HAVING organized - other than leave a silver bullet when we have laid a zinger on an atheist?
iamnotaparakeet
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Well, no I am not but at leat I am not theoretical.
What's in a name, what comes out the rear of a taurid by any other name would smell. Sticks and stones may break my bones but if you don't find out what I cal you behind your back you won't beat me up.
Gentles, let the naming abide. If need be we could let the Resonating Chambers design us asn opprobrious name and then, like other groups before us, proudly adopt it.
The real issue at hand, me thinks, is DO we organize, HOW do we organize, and what do we do exactly HAVING organized - other than leave a silver bullet when we have laid a zinger on an atheist?
How should we organize? As an army and yet be more than just conquerors.
Dogmatism tends never to be an attractive trait except among like-minded dogmatists.
From an atheist's point of view, theists seem to value among themselves their faith most strongly, so I would say fidelity or a similar concept such as loyalty would be it: Loyal Theists? Deference to authority figures and submission to norms of the group (variants of loyalty) tend to define religionists' behavior.
I'm not really sure that I like the name "Strident Theists". How about "Cacaphonous Christians"?
Joy-Filled Jesus Freaks?
Speakers in Tongues? ("Amma ganna ghet onna mahonda anna havamea gootym!")
...?
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If the name thing will not quit:
A. Stridency is a poor substitute for sense and hurts my speech mechanism
B. Not all theists are joy-filled, not all theists are into Christ, and not even all the atheists think all of us ar freaks.
C. Speakers in Tongues would need to be carefully defined - and will not apply to all.
Sounds interesting. I think it is better off not creating an us vs them environment on the PPR it is divided enough already. I have a feeling that the fact that there is a group of 'strident atheists' on WP and that there is competition within those ranks means that debates are more protracted and aggressive. I would prefer to see less of it not more.
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Life is real ! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal ;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
The first thing we need to do is think of a better name than that. I don't think we want to go for Strident Theist because I wouldn't want stridency to be the character aspect most honored; strident theists are every bit as annoying as strident atheists. I would like the adjective to show what character trait we theists would honor most. If we can come to any kind of agreement on that, we can discuss the next step.
Let the brainstorming begin.
We will bury you, like we did to the Union of Atheists and Agnostics united for Civil Action (or whatever that accomodationist group NeatHuminin started was called).
Dems fightin' words Vigilans likes, very strident. I also regret not being around to see this accomodationist union fall
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Opportunities multiply as they are seized. -Sun Tzu
Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many -Machiavelli
You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do
leejosepho
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How about the Strident Atheists be called the Stupid Atheists then? As long as you care to be insulting, prepare for getting some back.
**Barred for making the rest of us look bad.**
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leejosepho
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How about the Strident Atheists be called the Stupid Atheists then? As long as you care to be insulting, prepare for getting some back.
Not care to be insulting, just to lighten the atmosphere with some satire.
Satire is not funny to those being mocked, although I appreciate that your intent expressed is not as bad as it would seem from the suggestion.
"Strident Atheists" is tongue-in-cheek as well, as "strident" is not typically a compliment. I'm in favor of the term Religious Rabble if for no other reason than that I like alliteration.
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