Sam Harris - Greatest mind of our time?

RedskinRat · 05-30-2012, 11:23 AM

How Atheist Author Sam Harris Unites the Christian Right, Radical Islamists and Secular Leftists – Tablet Magazine

The great canard against atheism is that atheism is responsible for the crimes of the 20th century. An overwhelming demand for evidence was not responsible for the Nazis. What was wrong with these movements was that they so resembled religion. When I debated Rick Warren, he said that the reductio ad absurdum of atheism—although obviously, he didn’t use the phrase reductio ad absurdum—is North Korea. But North Korea is a political cult. It is a hostage situation where people have been brainwashed with a political and racial ideology that has many of the features of a religion. They think Kim Il Sung was born on a mountaintop attended by the spontaneous arrival of Spring. Flowers bloomed and rainbows were everywhere. They think that our shipments of food aid that stave off starvation there are actually devotional offerings to the genius of their dear leader. It’s an information-poor situation.
My argument is that no group of people, and certainly no society, has ever suffered because everyone became too willing to hear arguments and data and got too interested in other people’s points of view. The zero-sum contest is between believing things for good reasons and believing things for bad reasons, you know? And it just so happens that science, 99 percent of the time, is on the right side of that cut. And religion more or less 99 percent of the time is on the wrong side.

I'd argue that the number is a little closer to 100% for science and a damn sight lower for religion.

One of the better articles that I've read involving Mr. Harris. Yeah, I have a crush.....

firstdown · 05-30-2012, 11:57 AM

We need a new forum on this site for atheism and its religious like followers.

RedskinRat · 05-30-2012, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstdown

We need a new forum on this site for atheism and its religious like followers.

Not a religion, my superstitious little friend. I know you didn't even read the article as it would cause cracks to appear. If you see me post feel free to ignore it, mkay?

firstdown · 05-30-2012, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Not a religion, my superstitious little friend. I know you didn't even read the article as it would cause cracks to appear. If you see me post feel free to ignore it, mkay?

It was a joke and you also assume I'm religious. The left seesm to be a little on edge the past few days. Must have seen the latest polls.

RedskinRat · 05-30-2012, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstdown

It was a joke and you also assume I'm religious. The left seesm to be a little on edge the past few days. Must have seen the latest polls.

Bloody hell! I hope you don't think I'm a Leftie?

If it helps to profile me I'm a gun-toting, card carrying NRA member, vegetarian, anti-hunt, pro-choice, anti-big Govt., opera loving, punk rocker with Psychobilly tendencies.

But most importantly, I love the Redskins!

firstdown · 05-30-2012, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Bloody hell! I hope you don't think I'm a Leftie?

If it helps to profile me I'm a gun-toting, card carrying NRA member, vegetarian, anti-hunt, pro-choice, anti-big Govt., opera loving, punk rocker with Psychobilly tendencies.

But most importantly, I love the Redskins!

Sorry my bad. LOL And Hail SKins

05-30-2012, 11:23 AM	#1
RedskinRat Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: I'm in LA, trick! Posts: 8,700	Sam Harris - Greatest mind of our time? How Atheist Author Sam Harris Unites the Christian Right, Radical Islamists and Secular Leftists – Tablet Magazine The great canard against atheism is that atheism is responsible for the crimes of the 20th century. An overwhelming demand for evidence was not responsible for the Nazis. What was wrong with these movements was that they so resembled religion. When I debated Rick Warren, he said that the reductio ad absurdum of atheism—although obviously, he didn’t use the phrase reductio ad absurdum—is North Korea. But North Korea is a political cult. It is a hostage situation where people have been brainwashed with a political and racial ideology that has many of the features of a religion. They think Kim Il Sung was born on a mountaintop attended by the spontaneous arrival of Spring. Flowers bloomed and rainbows were everywhere. They think that our shipments of food aid that stave off starvation there are actually devotional offerings to the genius of their dear leader. It’s an information-poor situation. My argument is that no group of people, and certainly no society, has ever suffered because everyone became too willing to hear arguments and data and got too interested in other people’s points of view. The zero-sum contest is between believing things for good reasons and believing things for bad reasons, you know? And it just so happens that science, 99 percent of the time, is on the right side of that cut. And religion more or less 99 percent of the time is on the wrong side. I'd argue that the number is a little closer to 100% for science and a damn sight lower for religion. One of the better articles that I've read involving Mr. Harris. Yeah, I have a crush.....

05-30-2012, 11:57 AM	#2
firstdown Living Legend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: chesapeake, va Age: 60 Posts: 15,817	Re: Sam Harris - Greatest mind of our time? We need a new forum on this site for atheism and its religious like followers.

Sam Harris - Greatest mind of our time?

Debating with the enemy