Atheism Myths #2

Category : Atheism

In my previous "Atheism Myths" post about Atheism requiring faith, I lightly touched on something that I wish to expand on today. The myth in question is that secular atheists and Religious folk are the same, more specifically that secular atheists are not only actually religious but that all the "faults" they see with Religion they are also guilty of.

"Tu Quoque!"

I have found that this is one of the most pervasive and often used tactics of Religious apologists and atheists-who-think-atheists-should-STFU. Most of the time it is little more than using specific language or phrases that implies that they're being hypocrites, sometimes the accusation is slightly less superficial...though still just as insipid and invalid.

For example!

"Atheism requires faith!" falls into the latter category, but phrases like "Atheist fundamentalist" or "Militant Atheist" fall into the former. But the overall tactic is to say "You're just as bad as us, therefore you cannot criticize us. Hypocrites!".

I've always found it a little strange that this tactic is used so often by religious people (though it is not so strange when other atheists use it) mostly because it seems to me like they're cutting off their nose to spite their face. The Religious think that "Faith" is a virtue, a good thing...So why would they present "Atheists have faith!" as a bad thing? Surely thats like an Atheist saying "Religious people use REASON!" and saying it is a bad thing.

Its tacitly admitting that your own position is so undesirable that you can use "you're just like me" as a weapon.

But beyond the weird mental-acrobatics required to even use the tactic, it is demonstrably inaccurate. We've already been through how atheism doesn't require faith, so I won't go through it again, but I haven't touched on the stupidity behind "Atheist Fundamentalists" as a phrase. Luckily, though, it doesn't take long to poke holes in.

RELIGIOUS Fundamentalists Stone people to death for everything from eating a hamburger to not letting your husband rape you.

ATHEIST Fundamentalists write books on Religion.

RELIGIOUS Fundamentalists Fly planes full of innocent people into buildings full of innocent people.

ATHEIST Fundamentalists promote science and education unapologetically.

RELIGIOUS Fundamentalists Kill their own children because they think that going to a doctor would be "Against God's will"

ATHEIST Fundamentalists start summer camps for children of secular parents/children with an interest in science.

RELIGIOUS Fundamentalists Stand in the way of Justice, liberty and human rights wherever they go.

ATHEIST Fundamentalists write blog's on the internet. Like this one.


If you can't see how the comparison is ridiculous, then you can't see.