Excusing Anti-Atheist Bigotry: I Don't Really Hate Atheists, Honest!
Monday July 21, 2008
Perhaps the most hypocritical response to atheists' denunciations of anti-atheist bigotry is the excuse that "I don't really hate atheists." Typically heard from a person who just finished complaining that atheists have no reason to be moral, that atheists are responsible for prayer being taken out of school, and that atheists are responsible for persecuting Christians, this statement appears intended to convince people that all of these scurrilous attacks were made in the name of love.
Read Article: Anti-Atheist Bigotry: I Don't Really Hate Atheists, Honest!
Comments
To be fair, I would say I have spoken to atheists who hate theists–who would, if they could, end religion and religious belief (not make it illegal–but if there were a magic pill hypothetical).
My thought on hatred on either side is: So what?
I understand your post, and I think it’s an accurate assessment–don’t get me wrong.
But I don’t really care how people _feel_ about each other. I care what they _do_ to each other. If someone hates me, but lets me live my life without imposing on me, I really don’t care. I don’t need other people to “like” me.
The problem arises in that it’s difficult for many people to act without bias toward people they dislike (or hate). And so then we _do_ end up with problems because groups are discriminated against.
Of course, as atheists, being in a minority, we feel the pressure more than the theistic majority. What I mean is: If I’m part of the 90 percent of the population running the nation, I may be aware that part of the 10 percent minority has a bias against me–but so what? Even if they discriminate–what harm can they do? But if I’m in the 10 percent, and a part of that 90 percent discriminates against me…ouch!
So, yeah, if it could just be realistically limited to “hate”–I really wouldn’t care. And, I don’t care about anyone’s hate. I care about their behavior–and unfortunately, it’s hard (but perhaps not impossible) to separate hate from action.
Just to add–I started at the newest blog post, and started to read down. I just saw this line in your prior blog:
>It’s true, of course, that people have a personal right to be homophobic and express those views, but it is a grave error to ignore the fact that such views have practical consequences for the real world.
Exactly the point I’m making above–but far more concise when you say it.
The cooment that atheists are to blame for taking prayer out of schools begs the question: why do you think prayer belonged there in the first place? Since this is a nation of all peoples and religions, to force one’s personal religion into a non-church public institution is probably one of the most non-Christianlike things one can do.
Anger is a weakness. A habitual black hatred of enemies, who are out to destroy you, is serene “Without something to hate, we should lose the very spring of thought and action” (William Hazlitt)