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Weekly Rant: Frank Schaeffer and New Atheist Fundamentalists

As far as the religious go, you could say that Frank Schaeffer is one of the good guys. He is the son of one of the first televangelists, Francis Schaeffer, and in his book, Crazy for God, he did a great job explaining how he helped found the Religious Right, and why he now regretted it.

As being somewhat conservative, I wholeheartedly agreed with him when he said after President Obama’s inauguration, “How can anyone who loves our country support the Republicans now?” He went on to say that Barry Goldwater, William F. Buckley, and Ronald Reagan created modern conservatism, and that they all would be critical of today’s religiously controlled Republican party.

In his new book, Patience with God, Schaeffer declares the “New Atheists” are just as wrong as Christian fundamentalists. When asked to explain this view in an interview for OldSpeak, he said:
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Tags: Atheists, Frank, New, Schaeffer

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Comment by Shannon on June 13, 2011 at 3:25pm: I agree you are not a fundie. I don't call a lot of the atheist he calls Fundies fundies. I have heard an activist atheist call 'believers' a bunch of stupid rednecks on NPR a few years back. Some people go around looking for an excuse to get into people's face. A pal of mine knows of a family in Seatle that will not let their child befriend non-atheist. When dogma takes the faces of the individuals out of the equation and knee jerk intolerance is the rule- you are a fundie of some kind.

I think his calling out Maher for being rough on Christianity was a bit out of line. Those guys who went on camera with Maher without finding out who he is deserve what they got. Maher even stated that he had a period in his life when god was very important to him and helped him although he isn't a believer now.

I agree that there are some people who are Fundie Atheist- I don't agree with him where that line is. I don't put Hitchens in that category. He can talk to the religious. Some people can't or wont.

Comment by Monica S. on June 13, 2011 at 11:40am: I'll put it this way: I don't wear my disbelief on my sleeve, but if someone tells me how I am an awful person for being atheist and how I need Christianity to make me a good person, I will take their beliefs to task. Calling them stupid just seems like a douchebag thing to do. But if one just calls out the person on their ignorance(kindly) it's not the end of the world.

I'm not a fundamentalist. Frank Schaffer is doing the world a mal-service to state that it is even possible to be an atheist fundamentalist. I honestly think he is saying it from a position of one who is threatened by a new method of thinking.

Comment by Shannon on June 13, 2011 at 11:23am: I agree with the point that atheist fundies are about as bad and xtian fundies. An azzhole is and azzhole is and azzhole. Tolerance is real only when it is tested and passes.

Comment by Marshall on November 5, 2009 at 7:55pm: I respect Frank a good dea; however I just don't agree with him on this. Being in favor of one point of view and opposed to another does not mean you are indentical to others who do the same. We (should) judge beliefs upon their content and supporting evidence. If being a defender of truth makes you the enemy of superstition and ignorance, then so be it. As it happens, I don't know anyone who would force atheism upon others; the same cannot be said of theists.

Comment by Фелч Гроган on November 5, 2009 at 6:43pm: Well, Frank is the guy of village idiot fame.

Comment by John D on November 5, 2009 at 1:26pm: Looks like Frank still has a way to go before he cures himself of delusion.

Um... yeah Frank.... sorry to tell you this, but secular ethics ARE better than religious ethics.