Why Must People Always Personally Attack Apostates?
It's typical of human nature to say nasty things about someone who leaves a church, ministry, or social grouping of any kind. "He wasn't one of us in the first place." "He has some big problems." People do this. When it happens we should expect it. Christians do it with former believers. Skeptics do it too. They do it with people who become believers again. They also do it when one leaves their social grouping. I left Freethought Blogs. Now the attacks have started even though up until recently I have not said anything negative about my experience there. If Natalie Reed's post is not indicative of the “mean-spirited” atheists at Freethought Blogs then what is, even if many of them are not like her at all.
Not only this, but she is utterly ignorant to say I think my way of changing the religious landscape is the only way. "No, no, no," I said, "I am the very last person to say my way is the only way, that my strategy is the only one that works. I emphatically deny that. When it comes to changing the religious landscape I endorse most if not all approaches, ridicule, activism, academics in various disciplines [and so forth]. If I do anything I will adamantly defend that position of mine." She misunderstands it.
Expect more attacks. I do. I do not have the fire power to defeat them in numbers. PZ Myers is the draw over there. He's brilliant, knowledgeable, funny, and just plain cool. But some of the others, who would have a blog readership of a hundred people or less, use the platform he and Ed Brayton give them to attack others of us who earned it the hard way.
Bring it. I'm a big boy. Attack one of your own, someone on your side, someone who has more passion than you could imagine to rid this world of religion. Go ahead. Turn people away from what I'm doing. Who cares? All that matters is that you have the power to do so. You like it don't you? Then show the world what you can do with it. It's not like I'm not viciously attacked from the other side or anything.
I value your contributions. Why do you feel the need to drown out mine? Sheesh.
Not only this, but she is utterly ignorant to say I think my way of changing the religious landscape is the only way. "No, no, no," I said, "I am the very last person to say my way is the only way, that my strategy is the only one that works. I emphatically deny that. When it comes to changing the religious landscape I endorse most if not all approaches, ridicule, activism, academics in various disciplines [and so forth]. If I do anything I will adamantly defend that position of mine." She misunderstands it.
Expect more attacks. I do. I do not have the fire power to defeat them in numbers. PZ Myers is the draw over there. He's brilliant, knowledgeable, funny, and just plain cool. But some of the others, who would have a blog readership of a hundred people or less, use the platform he and Ed Brayton give them to attack others of us who earned it the hard way.
Bring it. I'm a big boy. Attack one of your own, someone on your side, someone who has more passion than you could imagine to rid this world of religion. Go ahead. Turn people away from what I'm doing. Who cares? All that matters is that you have the power to do so. You like it don't you? Then show the world what you can do with it. It's not like I'm not viciously attacked from the other side or anything.
I value your contributions. Why do you feel the need to drown out mine? Sheesh.