 |
|
|
|
|
September 14th, 2013
08:01 AM ET
Hey atheists, let’s make a deal
(CNN) - Famed atheist Richard Dawkins has been rightfully criticized this week for saying the “mild pedophilia” he and other English children experienced in the 1950s “didn’t cause any lasting harm.” This comes after an August tweet in which Dawkins declared that “all the world’s Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge. They did great things in the Middle Ages, though.” Dawkins is known for pushing his provocative rhetorical style too far, providing ample ammunition for his critics, and already I’ve seen my fellow Christians seize the opportunity to rail against the evils of atheism. As tempting as it is to classify Dawkins’ views as representative of all atheists, I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t bring myself to do it because I know just how frustrating and unfair it is when atheists point to the most extreme, vitriolic voices within Christianity and proclaim that they are representative of the whole. So, atheists, I say we make a deal: How about we Christians agree not to throw this latest Richard Dawkins thing in your face and you atheists agree not to throw the next Pat Robertson thing in ours? Now I’m not saying we just let these destructive words and actions go—not at all. It’s important for both believers and atheists to decry irresponsible views and hateful rhetoric, especially from within our own communities. (Believe me. There are plenty of Christians who raise hell every time Robertson says something homophobic or a celebrity pastor somewhere says something misogynistic.) READ MORE: Why millennials are leaving the church But what if we resist the urge to use the latest celebrity gaffe as an excuse to paint one another with broad brushes? What if, instead of engaging the ideas of the most extreme and irrational Christians and atheists, we engaged the ideas of the most reasonable, the most charitable, the most respectful and respected? Only then can we avoid these shallow ad hominem attacks and instead engage in substantive debates that bring our true differences and our true commonalities to light. It’s harder to go this route, and it takes more work and patience, but I’m convinced that both Christians and atheists are interested in the truth and in searching for it with integrity, without taking the easy way out. Pope Francis took a step in that direction this week with a letter in a Rome newspaper responding directly to questions posed by its atheist director and inviting respectful open dialog between nonbelievers and Christians. READ MORE: Why millennials need the church So, yes, Richard Dawkins is an atheist. But so are authors Greg Epstein and Susan Jacoby. So is my friend and fellow blogger Hemant Mehta. So is Sir Ian McKellen. So is ethicist Peter Singer, who may or may not be the best example. And yes, Pat Robertson is a Christian. But so is Nelson Mandela. So is acclaimed geneticist Francis Collins. So is Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee. So is Barack Obama. So is Stephen Colbert. And I'm willing to bet that the same collective groan emitted by millions of Christians each time Pat Robertson says something embarrassing on TV sounds a lot like the collective groan emitted by millions of atheists when Richard Dawkins rants on Twitter. Still, in the end, it’s not about who has the most charismatic or generous personalities in their roster, nor about who has the most “crazies.” It’s about the truth. So let’s talk about the truth, and with the people who most consistently and graciously point us toward it. Rachel Held Evans is the author of "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" and "Evolving in Monkey Town." Evans blogs at rachelheldevans.com, and the views expressed in this column belong to her. soundoff (5,916 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 Next »
Next entry »What makes Jerusalem so sacred?
« Previous entryIt's Yom Kippur, and this goat wants your sins
|
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
Opinion by Rachel Held Evans, special to CNN
We only donkey punch palliden cause she caused the shooting in arizona
Xtards r responsible for all killings
9/11 was caused by xtards
Oh please! I can't tell you how many times Christians bring up Stallin or Mao and think that's a retort to the Inquisition or KKK.
See, non-believers are independent. We don't have a doctrine or central, unifying belief. Someone can be an atheist and be a bigot or even a mass-murderer like Stallin, but being an atheist is inherently bigoted. Christianity is, both by doctrine and tradition, inherently bigoted and judgmental. There was no Grand Atheist Church commanding Stallin or Mao to commit atrocities. The Catholic and Protestant Churches has actually commanded it's people to do so. There's a paper trail!
Stallin and Mao were evil men, but they weren't evil because they were atheists. Christians are evil because they follow Christianity, which has hatred, oppression, and bigotry inherent in it's doctrine. Many of them commit their crimes BECAUSE Christianity demands they do it. Any Christian who does not embrace this bigotry is a "cafeteria Christian" who is not fully embracing his faith.
Its, not it's.
Agreed. Mao and Stalin committed their atrocities in the name of communism not atheism. And anyone would know that communism is a political group.
The KKK worships Ba'al, that is the reason they burn crosses. A modern version of that alternative religion is burning man.
So atheists, do you have problems with your leader being alright with pedo's? Kinda gross to have somewhat ADMIT that they are alright with it. Sure, christian priests have been caught, but Dawkins admits to it and LIKES it.
Disgusting.
You are disgusting for lying about him and his experiences.
Oh, sad little donna, you've lost your hero. I know, it must be rough. It's ok...you'll get by. Surely there's someone out there that can tell you how to think that ISN'T a pedo...
What a sad little liar you are. How can you believe your god is great if you need to lie to defend him?
Voice of Reason,
Seems to me you have not actually read his respective comment, and neither his clarification of it. – But you can judge it, anyway. Not so smart.
Pedos, not pedo's.
Didn't know you had such a close relationship to the abbreviation....
I had this long answer all ready to go. Systematically and irrefutably burying all substance by every single nasty and pious little retort you've posted here. Then it dawned on me. You're a troll. Another faceless little troll. trollalalalelujah.
Doesn't sound like you have a problem bearing false witness.
"Famed atheist Richard Dawkins has been rightfully criticized this week for saying the “mild pedophilia” he and other English children experienced in the 1950s “didn’t cause any lasting harm.”
He's saying his life wasn't ruined, not that pedophilia is okay. You are such a liar.
You're going to be ok. There is therapy for Stockholm syndrome. You can talk about your own experiences and NOT have to support others that advocate such evil practice.
Dawkins is not my leader. That is ridiculous. I do not follow him, I do not read his works, I do not go to his lectures.
I am my own atheist.
I doubt that. We're all a result of all the influences in our lives.
The A&A's leaders, errr teachers are OK with it. Google the Neal Erickson story.
He's not my leader. I don't need anyone to tell me what to think. I am my own person.
I've never read one of his books, but I've heard of this "controversy" before. It's meant to discredit him by taking his personal experience and extrapolating a complete falsehood from it.
Ms. Evans isn't exactly known for her journalistic integrity. She's more like Nancy Grace for Christians.
OH! Dawkins isn't your leader NOW! Now you think for yourselves. NOW you don't read his books and applaud his anecdotes, quotes and wisdom. NOW that he's humiliated your ranks, you run from him like a bunch of scared, leaderless, mindless rats.
""So, atheists, I say we make a deal: How about we Christians agree not to throw this latest Richard Dawkins thing in your face and you atheists agree not to throw the next Pat Robertson thing in ours?""
Deal. Pat says enough crazy things that we can let one slide and just throw the one after that at you.
Dawkins said nothing wrong. They are making a false controversy out of a man stating a fact and sharing his personal experience. Pat Robertson is a profiteering bigot. This is a case of comparing oranges to rotten apples.
Oh sure, and by the truth I suppose you are referring to your truth of mythology.
The truth is, if Atheists didn't have to listen to all of the religion being slung our way and in our faces every day we probably wouldn't be out there slinging it right back at you.
The deal is...just shut up and perhaps we'll do the same.
Until then, let the truth and reason against mythology mud slinging continue full steam ahead!
How do you compare truths when you have Science vs. Mythology? Why is it Christians and Atheists? Shouldn't it be religions and Atheists.. one sided.. very stupid read.
For god so loved the world that he drowned everyone on it.
Why did he give us life to begin with? And families?
You seem to know that answer JM. Why did he?
Count your blessings.
And yet, still not an answer, but an automaton. Huh.
JM, grow some courage and try to answer the question.
Not that I am expecting that you can...
Ever stop to think that perhaps life is a product of the swirling gases and particles of the universe mixing together over billions of years like soup in a bowl to create cells that in turn mixed together creating other cells and eventually formed into DNA? It's all part of evolution.
Families came much later as a byproduct of mammals feeding and protecting the young from predators in the sea.
Our minds have not evolved enough to understand the complexities of the universe and perhaps never will, but Physicists are piecing together more of the puzzle every day using proven scientific methods.
To believe that a god simply waved his hand or whatever and created everything is totally unacceptable, child like and without reason in this day and age.
People really need to read some science books if we are ever to advance as a race.
You have good intentions in writing this piece, but you totally miss the mark by making it sound like the extreme elements of christianity and atheism are comparable. The extreme elements of christianity call for the executions of certain people and eternal hellfire for men who love other men. You also claim that both atheists and christians should ignore these extremists because in the end we are all just seeking some sort of "truth". How is Dawkins' tweet not truthful? What he said might've been offensive to some people, but it was an actual FACT about Nobel Prize Winners, not an opinion. However, most extreme christians only have their beliefs and opinions to go off of, like gays being responsible for hurricanes. Dont create false equivalencies here. "Extreme" atheists are much more intelligent and rational than extreme christians.
If people claim to be Christian but aren't actually following Jesus' teachings, they aren't actually Christians. The Bible says that every person is a 'sinner' because every person has fallen short of God's holiness (obviously; none of us is w/o fault) and that He (the God of the universe) created us out of love and forgives us out of love and wants each of us to understand that He loves us. This world is not the end of the story.
All that you are saying is it your god's fault....and he blames us. Glad it is just a stupid myth.
A hopeless Egotist.
tallulah13
This whole sacrifice thing is one of the creepier aspects of christianity. It just makes me shudder when they rejoice that an innocent man was tortured to death so that they don't have to be responsible for their own actions. The joy they so often express at this thought is possibly the most selfish thing I have ever heard.
September 15, 2013 at 12:27 pm | Report abuse | Reply
Hell and destruction are never full
Well, you just keep on enjoyin' yer demobocracy death. The joy is the resurrection and comes from God.
You can't even prove that your god exists. Keep clinging to your little life raft of lies, sparky. Keep rejoicing in the thought that a man was tortured to death so that you can live forever and never have to be responsible for your own actions.
You'll be dead and gone in the end, just like the rest of us.
False prophet alert. 🙂 They turn you away from God, no matter the results of their bets.
Hell and destruction are never full,
Your comments seem to reflect the same maturity level as lol does.
Why do you think redneck baby talk impresses any adults?
This is lol?? Pithyism is a heavy cross.
The only inter peace I've felt is after I left religion and put aside its effects. Religion has tormented more people than atheism by far. Christian don't want to take responsibility for their own actions, so they blame a fairy tale character for their bad actions. They pray to God for forgiveness when they never think to ask the person or persons they have actually hurt for forgiveness. Once they pray, all is forgiven and they don't have to admit to anyone their transgression.
There are some interesting truths there – religion allows one to "let go the reigns" a bit of ones own life. That's easier than being an atheist.
Though gawwd don't exist, he is the source of all evil
No, that would be you. murdock...
So yeah, Dawkins...the whole pedophile thing...kinda creepy. Don't you think, atheists?
Is that the moral character you have as an atheist?
I don't even listen to the guy, so I don't care. But you shouldn't be speaking about morality issues when you have pedophile priests in your religion.
LOL. Typical atheist.
I'm not a christian. But go ahead, pass judgement, just like you did when you WERE a christian.
I doubt you aren't Christian. Also I wasn't born Christian I was born an Atheist. Both my parents were Atheists.
Wow, you're in a lot of denial and a bit of a liar, aren't you 'freedom?'
"Famed atheist Richard Dawkins has been rightfully criticized this week for saying the “mild pedophilia” he and other English children experienced in the 1950s “didn’t cause any lasting harm.”
That was for you, Henry, because apparently your reading comprehension stinks.
And you silly little girl tallhahah, whatever...
If you read the WHOLE article, he states his own experience and says that people that experience "mild" pedo are over reacting...that indeed, no harm is caused.
What a way to defend your leader. Blind as a christian, aren't you?
Voice of Reason the only little liar here will be you. I don't even listen to the Dawkins fellow. Hell I didn't even hear about him till two years ago. I kept to myself most of the time until fools like you tried to implement Christian laws in my state.
Did you read the article, lame nuts? Or are you blaming the victim here - because what Dawkins' said was that he was a victim, and it didn't destroy is life.
Is blaming the victim something you learned in church?
You sound like a victim with Stockholm syndrome. I feel sorry for you, but that doesn't make what Dawkins said, ok...by ANY standard.
Nothing creepy about what he said. he was being honest.
You know you're one when you defend one....
He didn't defend anyone. Try again.
We no gawwwwd rped mary
We know skydaddy hates all
Just like gaeewwd killed everybody err ven though all were innocent, we shall reward the xtards for all they have done to stone and obnoxious
Send Sam any suggestions on tips for torture including techniques on donkey punching
Jesus, as a philosopher is great.
Whether he ever existed or not, his story and words serve as a great role model.
It's just a shame that most of the people who follow him and call themselves Christians act nothing like him.
There are No True Scotsmen.
AMEN!!! I doubt that true Christians would even be commenting on this page.
Jesus is a great role model? You mean like how he told slaves to obey their masters? Or like when he told slave owners it was OK to beat their slaves as long as the slave recovered within 2 days? lol....
His dad is no better.
Anybody who would willingly kill his own kid for the crimes committed by "other" people is NOT the kind of parental role model we should be proud of.
Jesus as a philosopher is mediocre at best, at times his philosophy is terrible. It shows he was not divine.