Moderator TrueFreedom Posted May 5, 2012 Moderator Share Posted May 5, 2012 Just a brief statement on Facebook: RE: "Thanks for all your candid comments on this wall regarding my short atheism-agnosticim clip on "Big Think". I found them illuminating for their breadth as well as their depth. I note a few other possibly unexpected things about me: Not only do I not embrace labels, you will never see me debating people on the subjects of UFOs, Religion, Alternative Health practices, Astrology, or Pseudoscience in general. My speeches at TAM 6 & 9 were given reluctantly (I don't normally attend). I don't sign petitions. I don't write to, or lobby congress (although I am happy to testify when asked). I don't lead or participate in rallies. I don't picket. And I don't publicly align with organized causes. Meanwhile, labels and causes have, now and then, aligned themselves with me. In any case, I'm rather specific about how I invest my energies. As an educator, I have found that people are more receptive to learning when they know you don't have an agenda, and when they determine that your goal is to teach them how to think rather than what to think. Such is the universe I have created for myself. -NDTyson" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted May 5, 2012 Author Moderator Share Posted May 5, 2012 Does the term "atheist" give theists more power than they deserve? How do you get someone to stop doing something or go away? Do you draw attention to them, or do you simply ignore them? We should all know better. Perhaps it's not worth our time debating and accepting a label so closely associated with their identity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 I prefer the term "agnostic non-deist". AND for short. "so what are you? Baptist? Pentecostal?" "I'm AND". "and......what?". " no, just AND". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Does the term "atheist" give theists more power than they deserve? I hear a lot of people bring this up (example: http://whywontgodhea...no-atheists.htm ) but it doesn't seem like anything else is catching on. This Brights movement is sort of related to that too I guess: http://en.wikipedia....rights_movement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted May 5, 2012 Author Moderator Share Posted May 5, 2012 It's not about coming up with another label for people to limit you with. It's about focusing on something positive and meaningful, rather than an anti-something or boxed-in something. It's about keeping your spiritual belief or lack of belief to yourself and presenting information that everyone can appreciate where they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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