"The New Atheism" (2008), lecture by John Gray (part 1 of 4)

"The New Atheism", Theos/LICC lecture by Professor John N. Gray (June 16, 2008)

John Gray, the author of "Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia" and former professor of European Thought at the London School of Economics gave a lecture on the New Atheism at an event co-hosted by Theos, the public theology think tank, and the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity.

Originally published at Times Online (June 24, 2008).

See also the article by John Gray on the "atheist delusion": http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/mar/15/society

John Gray at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Gray

NOTE: Stay on topic. Irrelevant comments will be removed without warning.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• humanities
• atheism
• Christianity
• Islam
• Buddhism
• Judaism
• monotheism
• New Atheism
• secularism
• positivism
• agnosticism
• social sciences
• John Gray
• John N. Gray
• Theos
• LICC
• theology
• atheist delusion
• secular fundamentalism
• atheist fundamentalism

[totoaklan]

@thewideninggyre nietzche would agree.

[themikealike]

@unusintersepes I agree with saving "Christians" although its not my responsibility, my comments original intent was not to dissaude individuals from posing arguements, I just added mines. Likewise I feel the desturction of the Earth is a prophetic action designed by the bible as well as Satanism, it is a part of their belief system and teachings as they hold a thought in training it will come. Hence eco-destruction seems to align itself with wars waged by religious leaders from that religion.

[unusintersepes]

@themikealike

And yes, you most definitely did get me. Please disregard my other comments where I'm taking your joke seriously.

Definite props to your Poe, you effin' owned me brah!!! But seriously, Poe's law never fails!

I concede defeat, good sir, you have won the internet!

[unusintersepes]

@themikealike I would disagree and say that it's worth acknowledging something that's (most likely) nonexistent if your intention is to enlighten someone who has never heard opposition to their (rather weak) arguments. If a majority of Earth's population truly believed the incredibly improbable and certainly unethical proposition that killing your neighbors who disagree with your theology gets you a free trip to fairyland, then I think it's perfectly reasonable to argue against that.

[themikealike]

@unusintersepes why bother acknowledging something which does not exist or argue its consideration by denying it? The effort seems involved in its subject. I prefer to look at the bible. Adam & Eve have 3 sons, where did the rest of "us" come from? Eve would have had to had sex with one of her own to produce more population. Chrstians do not like me after I state this and come up with another story.....which isnt in the bible.

[themikealike]

@unusintersepes whats existence? whose to say after this realm that nothing exists-something beyond our comprehension could be anything. How does nothing exist though or do you know its nothing? Its indentical in its opposite-relying on its parrallel to force its opposition. I made a stupid joke before, do you get it :"a stupid joke" like ha ha ha, made you think

[themikealike]

@unusintersepes I was joking..............duh

[unusintersepes]

@themikealike In other words, no; but if I did then I apologize, my comment was made with the purest of intentions.

Sorry about the misunderstanding, if there is one!

[unusintersepes]

@themikealike

Lol, not at all; at least, that wasn't my intention, and I apologize if it came across as condescending or offensive. I was just trying to point out the flawed logic in the point that I think you were trying to make with my main motivation being solely to help you better understand exactly how your argument (or innocent, albeit ignorant, statement; sorry, but I'm honestly still confused as to what you were trying to communicate :/) was fallacious by using a relevant metaphor.

[themikealike]

@unusintersepes did you just call me a fag, in so many words or less?