Comments on: A temple to atheism, for crying out loud

By: Articles. « Loftier Musings

Articles. « Loftier Musings — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:47:05 +0000

[...] A temple to atheism, for crying out loud – Jerry Coyne. [...]

By: Occam

Occam — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:56:41 +0000

UPDATE, Jan 30, 2012:
The Guardian today carries a Botton plug, viz., an editorial:
In praise of … Alain de Botton
Gems:

Ritual and ceremony are useful ways of giving structure to our moral commitments.
De Botton’s project may well be a glorious flop in the making, but there is certainly space for a more creative conversation about the purpose of religion.

Jerry is going to blow a gasket

Fortunately, the Guardian’s readers, as of this writing, are giving this nonsense a fearful pasting in their comments.

By: Wyocowboy

Wyocowboy — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:36:24 +0000

I listened to a talk he gave on Ted.com and I thought he was way to lunch…

By: amelie

amelie — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:39:54 +0000

Occam if only there were a lysosome to blow the place up! (Oh well that analogy barely works…..)

By: Occam

Occam — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:09:11 +0000

In that case, is creatiinism kinase the enzyme which mediates the stultification of creationism through phosphorylation?

By: Cliff Letts

Cliff Letts — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:51:41 +0000

Too right. The very idea that any rational being would assemble for no other reason than disbelief defies logic. Mind you,it could be a master plan to get us all together in one place so that extremists could put an end to us and our dissent from God.
Can you imagine it? “Dearly beloved, we gathered here today in disbelief so now let us not pray’. To err is human to forgive is humane. I can see me getting very inspired.
Enjoyed your comment.

By: Albert Bakker

Albert Bakker — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:21:07 +0000

Is it possible that this purported temple to next generation atheism: voluntary remission to religion without the actual belief, but with extra bullshit to compensate, is actually a front – and a rather transparent one at that – for erecting a monument to de Botton himself?

I mean he already seems to regard himself as some sort of a prophet, the founder of bottonism, so it would be fitting if in the absence of a flock worth mentioning or ideas worth thinking about, the great man does have a pile of concrete in one of the world’s great cities to show for his formidable legacy.

By: Diane G.

Diane G. — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:41:14 +0000

Well, in the US, at least, probably Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

By: Ant Allan

Ant Allan — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:35:21 +0000

Nevertheless, it remains that he’s not Dutch, which is the important point.

By: Ant Allan

Ant Allan — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:33:50 +0000

Who else then? Who are the “embarrassing” atheists, the ones that are held up by some as positive examples but make the rest of us cringe?

(I suppose to someone like de Botton, Dawkins and Hitchens would go on their list! )