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Votes, Values and Religion Go to the Primaries

The New School
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dj4infoe Avatar
dj4infoe
Posts: 4
Posted: 08.21.08, 05:22 PM
Jacques,

I'm intensely familiar with the data upon which your claims are based, and I find nothing to disagree with. I do however find it notably ironic that you chose to op-ed the "new atheist" movement.

Having read Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, et al, I wonder how it is that, though I agree there's little more than harsh criticism in their writing, you have come to believe that the "[huge] other half" of secularists would find agreement with you on any issue you raise other than your insistence on distancing yourself from the "new atheist" movement.

Have you considered the possibility that many "new atheists" welcome your findings and interpretations as well as your call for solidarity among secularists?

You paint far too broad a stroke with your claim that social theory and understanding of religion are missing in the dialog of modern non-believers. Surely you're aware of the significant portion of non-believing secularists with decades of experience in religion and social science whose regard for their families and communities have held their views to a whisper.

I find myself in an information "tug-of-war" attempting to return the pendulum to balance. I invite you to add a third secularist category which includes non-believing secularists who support religion apart from government along with social theory based on global equality.

I'm confident you'll find us on the same side of many of the important issues.

cordially,

dj4infoe
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