http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/atheists-temple_n_1231848.html?ref=religion
<ninja edit>Title should have a "WTF???!!!" at the end</ninja edit>
I know how the FFXIAH regulars probably despise such religious rant threads, but as an agnostic/atheist this wound me up beyond belief. Plus I felt it different enough to not constitute the standard religion bashing threads that go on (and I would appreciate it not becoming one thanks guyz ^^) and at least put it in the right category.
Now, my thoughts
This man is a money grabbing douche-bag, ill-representing atheists world wide. He is essentially the Joseph Smith of atheists. He will take advantage of the disillusioned people who need to be led to feel like they belong, while continually gaining bad press for atheists. Would surprise me not if he were on the Pope's payroll either.
This seriously irks me. Is this honestly trying to portray all Atheists as immoral hedonists? Any non retard can tell you there is much to be taken and learnt from religion. Most atheists I know have a larger understanding of religions inner teachings than generic religious "I go to church once a year making me Christian" folk.
If the author of this article had simply read a little about the author of these books, who's other works look close to "12-step self help" style nonsense. He would come across gems like:
"In August 2008, he was a founding member of a new educational establishment in central London called The School of Life (crazy?). In May 2009, he was a founding member of a new architectural organization called "Living Architecture" (that would explain why he wants to build temples)"
and a quote:
"The idea is to challenge traditional universities and reorganize knowledge, directing it towards life, and away from knowledge for its own sake. In a modest way, it’s an institution that is trying to give people what universities should I think always give them: a sense of direction and wisdom for their lives with the help of culture."
Does countering the pursuit of knowledge to "give direction and wisdom" while building temples of worship and demanding payment for your books sound bloody Atheist to you? No, it sounds more like 'The Way to Happiness'. Author L. Ron Hubbard
Basically he is taking the most fundamentally hard part about being atheist, ie. removing the prospect of some fluffy afterlife, not trying to answer "the meaning" of life with a two thousand year old self help book etc.; Then filling that void with his artificial life-purpose & "faith" books & temples to make living seem worthwhile again (presumably for those who feel they need these things in life for it to have validity) for the sake of lining his pockets. I get it, I do, He saw a market to making Atheism more accessible and easier for the semi-religious to migrate to... but it is not atheism, it is something fundamentally manipulative and evil and I would rather said people stayed religious for their own benefit and mine. I would rather they believed in a magical non-existent sheep that made them feel better about themselves, than a real wolf in sheep's clothing that slowly chomps on their leg. (metaphorically speaking, don't be insulted please)
It is the underlying attitude that life without "faith" of some description is somehow not worth living that angers me most about this and religion debates in general. I live a perfectly happy moral life accepting there is no purpose, safe in the knowledge that if there were a purpose, I would probably be conforming to it anyway by default simply by being alive.
I also highly respect those WITH faith as being people with a level of devotion to something I will likely never feel. Granted I still think they are crazies for believing nonsense (personal opinion, sorry) but I am not going to try and strip away from them the grounding in belief that keeps their life happy.
It almost seems wrong to paraphrase 'The Matrix', but in more ways than one it is a perfect analogy for my agnostic belief. A lot of people are simply not ready to wake up.
That is all
