PZ Throws Down
Carnival of the Godless #27 is up at Pharyngula, including a post by yours truly. PZ Myers attempted to split the carnival into positive submissions about atheism and negative submissions about religion, but found that the latter outnumbered the former by 19 to 2. As a result, he has put forth a challenge to all participants, including the next host (who happens to be me).
The next edition will be at The Evangelical Atheist on 27 November. I’d like to propose a challenge to the freethought community: for every link you send in to cotg-host@brentrasmussen.com that mocks the foolishness and futility of religion, I’d also like all of the submitters to write one post that doesn’t reference religion at all, that highlights the virtues of godlessness, and send that in as well. The next host is under no obligation to heed this challenge, of course, but it would be grand if the next edition were flooded with glorious tales of the righteously secular, rather than only tawdry complaints about the damnably credulous.
Think of it as a writing exercise. One that would be good for us all.
I think this is a wonderful idea by one of the only hosts with enough clout to move the carnival in such a way. If I’m provided with enough quality material to do so, I will meet the challenge. So, if you have a blog, start thinking positively. Watch The Sound of Music if you have to. Just try not to get angry at the singing nuns.
You can find out the results right here on November 27 in Carnival of the Godless #28.
~I AM~
November 14th, 2005 at at 5:58 am
I’m contemplating starting a blog just to finally be able to submit to COTG– but given my workload and trackrecord of lazyness, the odds are looking grim.
And what’s up with the new layout? It’s like being trapped inside a neon sign.
November 14th, 2005 at at 1:22 pm
Virtue of godlessness ? There is no virtue in godlessness. There is virtue in secular morality, but to ask for a positive about godlessness is to not understand what it means. “Godlessness” simply means - without gods.
November 14th, 2005 at at 1:24 pm
In fact, the more I think about it, the less sense “virtue of godlessness” has to me. It seems totally absurd. Whatever virtue exists in godlessness exists by virtue of us being human beings, and why should atheist blogs write about that ?
November 14th, 2005 at at 3:53 pm
I haven’t managed to get anything submitted to COTG yet, but I will certainly try for this one. I’ve had a post along these lines in mind for awhile.
November 15th, 2005 at at 2:11 am
While I understand what you are saying Francois, it is a common complaint among Theists that Atheists never have anything positive to say, and from that standpoint, it’s worth at least addressing. I just posted tonight, actually, about why I love being an Atheist. I don’t talk about the ‘virtues of godlessness’, per se, but I do talk about why I am so much happier as an Atheist then most of the Theists I know.
Anyway, here’s my submittal:
http://relevant-relativism.blogspot.com/2005/11/freedom-of-atheism.html#links
-olly
November 17th, 2005 at at 6:44 am
Franc, please stop being so dammit petty. I appreciate your writing, but your arrogance and elitism are proportionate to your talent (appropriately - elitism being an increasingly chronic failing of Libertarians).
It is somewhat semantic to argue about this use of words “virtue of godlessness.” The obvious point that’s trying to be conveyed is that one who is godless can indeed be virtuous, and those virtues can be had independent of religion or belief in god/s.
This is a worthy endeavor, especially since theists claim morality and virtue are impossible without god.
The new look is nice, but I liked the understated simplicity of the old look, and especially religious significance (background & heaven/hell header/footer).
November 22nd, 2005 at at 9:09 pm
The virtue of godlessness lies in the explicit denial of absurdities. It’s not a commitment to emptiness or nothing — it’s a commitment to human and material values.