The Inside Assyria Discussion Forum #5

=> Re: Reza Aslan and the Misrepresentation of Atheism ...

Re: Reza Aslan and the Misrepresentation of Atheism ...
Posted by pancho (Moderator) - Saturday, November 26 2011, 4:18:49 (UTC)
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"My hope is to inspire religious scholars, leaders and practitioners to listen to the every day concerns that atheists speak about."

...the use of the word "scholar" in the context of religion is misleading and meant to be. Being a scholar is more than just studying about things...it matter very much what those "things" are. Who would claim to be a scholar of ball bearing....or duct tape? No matter how much you "studied" those topics, no matter how many years you spent detailing and listing the beliefs about and uses of duct tape...or screwdrivers, you could not call yourself a scholar.

...religion is superstition wedded to money-grubbing...that's all it is; a carnival trick...a side show...something from our dim and hoary past which is kept alive by indoctrinating helpless children by just such "scholars". It is valid to be a scholar of the HISTORY of religions...or their psycholgy or practices...that is a valid field of academic study...but to call someone a scholar OF religion is to mock true scholarship.

...there can be no useful dialogue between atheists and religious people...just as you can't discuss a flat earth with those who believe in it...or creationism...there is no common ground between opposing sides...they don;t even oppose each other, it's more accurate to say they have nothing to do with each other.

The earth is flat...there is nothing to explain or discuss...there are not "two sides to the issue"....and true scholars have to stop treating these people like they are rational or sane or worth the time of day...of course, like any crazy person, the rest of us have an obligation to keep an eye on these people and their beliefs....but just because there is a plague of cholera going around doesn't mean you have to chat with those who are infected...and you should keep them away from children as well.



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