The World’s Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Sunday Paper Article about MLK

Check out the very first sentence of this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/king-in-word-and-stone/2011/...

I was drinking my coffee and reading the paper this morning and wondered what was actually MEANT by that statement: "so near-providential as to give the most hardened atheist pause". Providence still has a PLACE in our history? REALLY? Divine intervention is such a cop-out. I can't believe that people BELIEVE in that anymore but obviously I'm in the minority opinion here.

(On a side note: I suppose some people are looking at Hurricane Irene as some sort of sign that god doesn't want the memorial to be dedicated today...there must be a REASON for it......)

And I'm curious about the term "hardened atheist" because it makes it sound like we're a bunch of 'hard-hearted' people that have reached our viewpoints by being contrary just for the sake of being contrary.

I think it's also interesting that patriotism and Christianity are so tightly woven together. Anybody else has to put up with having their patriotism and loyalty and moral fiber questioned. The author of the article, Charles Krauthammer, refers to MLK as a 'prophet'. What a loaded term to use. He slips it right in there like nobody is going to notice!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 28, 2011 at 1:10pm

“No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God.”

George Bush

A lot of believers think that we aren't even to be considered citizens -- let alone patriots. Plus the fact that they believe that there are "no Atheist in foxholes", whereas there are many Atheists in the military.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by annet on August 28, 2011 at 1:32pm

Our atheist military are brave on many levels! http://www.militaryatheists.org/expaif.html

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 28, 2011 at 1:35pm

Yes, I agree! They are very brave and thanks for the link! : )

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by mojo5501 on August 28, 2011 at 4:25pm

This sounds like a valuable group and I'm glad there's a supportive place for the non-religious service members to 'vent' their frustration. Thanks for sharing that information.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve on August 28, 2011 at 7:33pm

That was George H. Bush who said that. Another smooth operator.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by mojo5501 on August 28, 2011 at 4:16pm

WOW...I didn't even realize I'm not an American citizen in some people's frame of reference. Not only my love of country is questioned, my citizenship too. NICE.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by annet on August 28, 2011 at 1:30pm

The author of that article is a fox news neocon. His opinion doesn't mean much to me. I find him to be much more hard hearted than any humanist I know. He uses the religious fervor to tamp down all the thinking.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Robert Affinis on August 28, 2011 at 8:24pm

What is interesting is how Mr. Krauthhammer utilizes the Christianized profile of Dr. King while deterring the universality of salvation believed by King. Albeit; Dr. King was a Christian, he also upheld the ideology that Christianity was not the only means of salvation. I guess that would be too much ammunition to us non-believers.

Cute how that perspective is loudly silent.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by mojo5501 on August 29, 2011 at 8:03am

Krauthammer also took issue with "transcending all forms of sectarianism to achieve a common humanity" (universalism) in order to complain that the monument didn't have enough reference to "America" in the MLK quotations etched within the stone walls. He, and others, didn't like the ideas of a Chinese man designing and sculpting this memorial much either! Too many socialist overtones...ha