How Did New Atheism Fail So Miserably?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Who are all these woo believing atheists? Would be interesting to know on what basis they reject Gods but accept other supernatural claims - name some names here and we'll ask them.

Not sure it is reasonable, Vlad - so you need to back-up this assertion.

It's called entertainment, Vlad - people go to see horror films without being worried about demons etc being real.

Perhaps you should squeeze your 'New Atheism' thought onto a sandwich board and wander around your local shopping centre seeking your own converts.

Then of course there is the homeopathy etc. And of course paganism, new age ideas, visualisation, positive thinking, reframing, managerial woo, motivational woo etc.

Hardly a victory for the New Atheism is it.

[Gordon]

Then of course there is the homeopathy etc. And of course paganism, new age ideas, visualisation, positive thinking, reframing, managerial woo, motivational woo etc.

Hardly a victory for the New Atheism is it.

I wasn't aware that these 'New Atheists' (whoever they actually are) were fighting anyone, Don Quixote.

[jeremyp]

Does that mean that some atheists have evidence for spirits, magic, leprechauns  and flying saucers?

Nobody has any evidence of those things.

It can't all be about evidence only

Why not?

I know that atheism is not the cause of skepticism. Rather, I think  habitual skepticism born of an adolescence mindset that many people have not outgrown, results in scorn for all sorts of things including religious beliefs and God. This scorn is also towards science and scientists whose thinking may not match with their own.   

The trouble is that your thoughts tend to be rather juvenile

In fact, if patron saints like Dawkins and Harris suddenly change their stand and express sympathy towards spiritual or religious thinking...most atheists will disown them.

Only religionists have saints.

Atheism and skepticism are not really about evidence but about a mindset that is difficult to change.

Wrong, scepticism is about evidence. Atheism is about not believing in God.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I wasn't aware that these 'New Atheists' (whoever they actually are) were fighting anyone, Don Quixote.

For who believes in what woo. Here is the YouGov poll of last year.
Gordon I think it blows your surprise at there being any woo in the atheist camp.

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/26/o-we-of-little-faith/

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Nobody has any evidence of those things.
Why not?
The trouble is that your thoughts tend to be rather juvenile
Only religionists have saints.Wrong, scepticism is about evidence. Atheism is about not believing in God.

New atheist IS a stealth religion.

[Maeght]

New atheist IS a stealth religion.

No.

[ProfessorDavey]

New atheist IS a stealth religion.

Come on Vlad - when you make up terms at least be consistent - I thought it was New Atheism.

[ProfessorDavey]

New atheist IS a stealth religion.

No it isn't.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Paranoia?

No Dr SloanWilson..............he's an atheist you know.

[Gordon]

For who believes in what woo. Here is the YouGov poll of last year.
Gordon I think it blows your surprise at there being any woo in the atheist camp.

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/26/o-we-of-little-faith/

I can only assume that either you didn't read it, or if you did read it you didn't understand it.

[ProfessorDavey]

No Dr SloanWilson..............he's an atheist you know.

Maybe he is - never heard of him.

[Maeght]

No Dr SloanWilson..............he's an atheist you know.

Took the p word back incase unfair.

What relevance is the Dr Sloan reference?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I can only assume that either you didn't read it, or if you did read it you didn't understand it.

The important thing is that more people believe in ghosts than God. Which makes Sriram justified and your surprise at atheists believing in woo....less so.And that goes for your suggestion that the interest in ghosts among atheists being only for entertainment purposes.

[ProfessorDavey]

The important thing is that more people believe in ghosts than God. Which makes Sriram justified and your surprise at atheists believing in woo....less so.And that goes for your suggestion that the interest in ghosts among atheists being only for entertainment purposes.

And did the survey you link to actually look at the sub-set who are atheist and their belief in ghosts? If so I can't see it from the article. What is apparent is that Christians are more likely to believe in ghosts than non Christians.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

And did the survey you link to actually look at the sub-set who are atheist and their belief in ghosts? If so I can't see it from the article. What is apparent is that Christians are more likely to believe in ghosts than non Christians.

According to the survey less people believe in God than ghosts.
There are also other categories of what Gordon terms as woo in which there has to be an atheist believership.

[Gordon]

The important thing is that more people believe in ghosts than God. Which makes Sriram justified and your surprise at atheists believing in woo....less so.And that goes for your suggestion that the interest in ghosts among atheists being only for entertainment purposes.

I think you need to read it again, Vlad - when you do perhaps you canthen point out the specific bit that says some atheists believe in ghosts.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I think you need to read it again, Vlad - when you do perhaps you canthen point out the specific bit that says some atheists believe in ghosts.

The belief in the creator column compared with the ghost column

[Walter]

According to the survey less people believe in God than ghosts.
There are also other categories of what Gordon terms as woo in which there has to be an atheist believership.

FFS, read it and understand it before making statements on it , you are beginning to REALLY annoy me now !!!!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

FFS, read it and understand it before making statements on it , you are beginning to REALLY annoy me now !!!!

I've read it Walter more people believe in ghosts than a creator.

Here is another YouGov survey for you which has 26% saying they are religious but 34% saying they believe in Ghosts

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/10/31/ghosts-exist-say-1-3-brits/

[ProfessorDavey]

According to the survey less people believe in God than ghosts.
There are also other categories of what Gordon terms as woo in which there has to be an atheist believership.

The survey is completely silent on the beliefs of atheists. They are presumably a subset of those who say they have no religion, but, unlike Christians there is no specific analysis of their views.

So you cannot conclude from this survey that 'there has to be an atheist believership' - that is complete speculation. It is possible but there is no evidence to support this as the data are also entirely consistent with there being no atheist believership in ghosts, with the approximately 20% of non Christian people who believe in ghosts being entirely made up of people who aren't Christian but also aren't atheist.

[jeremyp]

I think it blows your surprise

Excellent

[Maeght]

You can have no belief in God but believe in gods therefore not be an atheist, hence the simple conclusion being drawn is not necessarily correct.

[Walter]

I've read it Walter more people believe in ghosts than a creator.

Here is another YouGov survey for you which has 26% saying they are religious but 34% saying they believe in Ghosts

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/10/31/ghosts-exist-say-1-3-brits/

either I'm missing something or the link is equating ;one in four as 39% ?

[Gordon]

The belief in the creator column compared with the ghost column

Doesn't specify atheists.

[Walter]

Doesn't specify atheists.

''they'' only see what ''they'' want to see . whoooohoooa!!!