Comments on: The New Outcast Minority http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: The Word of the Day… at EcoPunk http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/#comment-18354 The Word of the Day… at EcoPunk Sat, 07 Apr 2007 06:41:57 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/#comment-18354 [...] …is gaytheist, or gay atheist (coined over at The Friendly Atheist). I’m seriously not sure why I find this so funny. Perhaps because it’s an example (though definitely a tongue-in-cheek one — I do get the joke) of our obsessive need to label ourselves past any point of actual utility. Perhaps because it makes me think that English is becoming like German, and pretty soon I’ll be able to create every new word I’ve always wanted by simply smooshing some suitably descriptive phrase together. Or perhaps it’s just because “gaytheist” is fun to say out loud. Try it. [...] [...] …is gaytheist, or gay atheist (coined over at The Friendly Atheist). I’m seriously not sure why I find this so funny. Perhaps because it’s an example (though definitely a tongue-in-cheek one — I do get the joke) of our obsessive need to label ourselves past any point of actual utility. Perhaps because it makes me think that English is becoming like German, and pretty soon I’ll be able to create every new word I’ve always wanted by simply smooshing some suitably descriptive phrase together. Or perhaps it’s just because “gaytheist” is fun to say out loud. Try it. [...]

]]> By: txatheist http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/#comment-1474 txatheist Wed, 13 Dec 2006 05:19:19 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/#comment-1474 <blockquote>sure, i haven’t studied all the trends, but i would bet that the direction of causation here isn’t the same every time.</blockquote> Dr. Michael Shermer has studied it and there is a direct correlation to those problems and religiousity. It's not a direct confirmation they cause it but it sure is correlated.

sure, i haven’t studied all the trends, but i would bet that the direction of causation here isn’t the same every time.

Dr. Michael Shermer has studied it and there is a direct correlation to those problems and religiousity. It’s not a direct confirmation they cause it but it sure is correlated.

]]> By: pius http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/#comment-1471 pius Wed, 13 Dec 2006 01:20:05 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2006/12/12/the-new-outcast-minority/#comment-1471 you have to be careful though about what causes what, when it comes to the issue of religiosity being correlated with things like crime, lower literacy, and stuff. sure, i haven't studied all the trends, but i would bet that the direction of causation here isn't the same every time. it could still be that poor circumstances in a society just lead to more people in the society wanting to believe in something: that something being religion or religious ideas... when people are in bad circumstances, maybe they want hope from sources like faith. btw, hi hemant-- uic represent! ha. right. you have to be careful though about what causes what, when it comes to the issue of religiosity being correlated with things like crime, lower literacy, and stuff. sure, i haven’t studied all the trends, but i would bet that the direction of causation here isn’t the same every time.

it could still be that poor circumstances in a society just lead to more people in the society wanting to believe in something: that something being religion or religious ideas… when people are in bad circumstances, maybe they want hope from sources like faith.

btw, hi hemant– uic represent! ha. right.

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