Jason Snell @jsnell:
@GlennF I’m certainly not [Richard Dawkin’s] version of the term [“atheist”]. Not believing is not same as despising those who do.

Scott McNulty @blankbaby:
@jsnell @GlennF I’m an atheist but not a militant atheist like Dawkins.

Jason Snell @jsnell:
@blankbaby @GlennF Not being militant makes sense to me. Who would we shoot? Related: What does God need with a spaceship?

Aayush Arya @aryayush:
@jsnell @blankbaby @GlennF “The God Delusion”, in particular, is an excellent intro to modern atheism. And not of the militant sort.

Scott McNulty @blankbaby:
@aryayush @jsnell @GlennF I read that, and isn’t the whole thesis that religion is responsible for most bad things and is horrible itself?

@blankbaby @aryayush @jsnell @glennf Rephrased: religion gets away with ideas that would be called delusional were it not religion.

@blankbaby @aryayush @jsnell @glennf Dawkins argues against all such delusions, but each argument can be treated separately.

Scott McNulty @blankbaby:
@jeffporten @aryayush @jsnell @GlennF I am of the mind that religions have done, and are capable of, doing good things.

@blankbaby @aryayush @jsnell @glennf Right. Many atheists agree, & *also* say that religion shouldn’t get a pass on delusional beliefs.

@blankbaby @aryayush @jsnell @glennf Some atheists think religions are negative on balance—Dawkins’ view—but that’s a separate issue.

Aayush Arya @aryayush:
@jeffporten @blankbaby Exactly. And I agree with Dawkins on this, to be frank. They do good things, but we’d be better off without them.

Aayush Arya @aryayush:
@jeffporten @blankbaby That is not a militant thought in and of itself. Seeking to eradicate religion through conversion is militant.

@aryayush @blankbaby I agree, but pragmatically, that’s an argument not worth making when not preaching to the choir. As it were.

@aryayush @blankbaby “Militant” atheism is defined various ways. Not worth debating the term—too many sides attempting to claim/project it.

@aryayush @blankbaby Many evangelists think saying “I am atheist and you might consider it” is itself a militant act against them.