Comments on: High School Freethought Groups http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/ by Hemant Mehta Sun, 27 May 2012 17:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: TravisM http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164327 TravisM Tue, 13 May 2008 23:29:42 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164327 Phil fixed it post-haste. :) I too am glad that there are critical thinkers in our younger generation. I hope this "illNES" spreads to anyone you come into contact with, girly. Phil fixed it post-haste. :)

I too am glad that there are critical thinkers in our younger generation. I hope this “illNES” spreads to anyone you come into contact with, girly.

]]> By: Phil Plait is Wrong! « Splendid Elles http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164291 Phil Plait is Wrong! « Splendid Elles Tue, 13 May 2008 21:34:47 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164291 [...] So imagine my surprise when I found out, coincidentally just now, that she’s only 14. [...] [...] So imagine my surprise when I found out, coincidentally just now, that she’s only 14. [...]

]]> By: Evolved Rationalist http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164177 Evolved Rationalist Tue, 13 May 2008 17:18:52 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164177 Thank science that our Gould vs. Dawkins debates were not for no use, eh, Lucia? Thank science that our Gould vs. Dawkins debates were not for no use, eh, Lucia?

]]> By: Lucia http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164170 Lucia Tue, 13 May 2008 17:01:35 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-164170 I agree that I oughtn't follow Richard Dawkins unquestioningly. I understand your concern. I was concerned about that as well for a while, until I realized that we disagreed on punctuated equilibrium. That realization felt <em>really</em> good, oddly enough. :-) I agree that I oughtn’t follow Richard Dawkins unquestioningly. I understand your concern. I was concerned about that as well for a while, until I realized that we disagreed on punctuated equilibrium. That realization felt really good, oddly enough. :-)

]]> By: Asylum Seeker http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163988 Asylum Seeker Tue, 13 May 2008 03:55:59 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163988 <blockquote>Young people tend to have heroes. Hopefully they grow out of that quickly. Don’t make people into heroes. When you find extraordinary people, listen to them, admire them, accept their encouragement, but don’t turn them into something more than human beings. That kind of adoration demeans you and corrupts them. If you do that you are setting yourself up for embarrassment and disappointment. Then you might discard the valuable things those people offered.</blockquote> Wow. I've got to say I agree with this wholeheartedly. It's odd, because I've always felt rather embarassed that I never admired anyone blindly enough to even call them a "role model" let alone a hero. Thought that it was just one of many things wrong with me, being a pessimistic mope and all. Funny, but, for the all the reasons that Richard so eloquently presented, it does seem to be the preferrable position. Guess you can learn from people without worshipping them...and not enough people realize that (not going to point fingers at the church...not going to point fingers...).

Young people tend to have heroes. Hopefully they grow out of that quickly. Don’t make people into heroes. When you find extraordinary people, listen to them, admire them, accept their encouragement, but don’t turn them into something more than human beings. That kind of adoration demeans you and corrupts them. If you do that you are setting yourself up for embarrassment and disappointment. Then you might discard the valuable things those people offered.

Wow. I’ve got to say I agree with this wholeheartedly. It’s odd, because I’ve always felt rather embarassed that I never admired anyone blindly enough to even call them a “role model” let alone a hero. Thought that it was just one of many things wrong with me, being a pessimistic mope and all. Funny, but, for the all the reasons that Richard so eloquently presented, it does seem to be the preferrable position. Guess you can learn from people without worshipping them…and not enough people realize that (not going to point fingers at the church…not going to point fingers…).

]]> By: Seavee http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163976 Seavee Tue, 13 May 2008 02:34:46 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163976 I agree that young people need freethinker societies. I am wondering how to encourage this. I teach high school and I have encountered a couple of atheist students before, but more often than not they are unaware that there are others like them. I could sponsor a free thought club if a student asked but I can’t start one. I agree that young people need freethinker societies. I am wondering how to encourage this. I teach high school and I have encountered a couple of atheist students before, but more often than not they are unaware that there are others like them. I could sponsor a free thought club if a student asked but I can’t start one.

]]> By: Richard Wade http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163955 Richard Wade Tue, 13 May 2008 01:04:20 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163955 Lucia, I admire your intelligence and your pluck. Please accept a word of caution from someone who had far less of those at your age: Young people tend to have heroes. Hopefully they grow out of that quickly. Don't make people into heroes. When you find extraordinary people, listen to them, admire them, accept their encouragement, but don't turn them into something more than human beings. That kind of adoration demeans you and corrupts them. If you do that you are setting yourself up for embarrassment and disappointment. Then you might discard the valuable things those people offered. When you practice the discipline of critical thinking that Richard Dawkins encourages, be sure to <em>apply it to him as well</em>, not just everything else. Then you are really practicing what he hopes you will learn. A true freethinker is free to differ with the freethinkers she admires the most. If this advice is superfluous, my apologies. Lucia, I admire your intelligence and your pluck. Please accept a word of caution from someone who had far less of those at your age:

Young people tend to have heroes. Hopefully they grow out of that quickly. Don’t make people into heroes. When you find extraordinary people, listen to them, admire them, accept their encouragement, but don’t turn them into something more than human beings. That kind of adoration demeans you and corrupts them. If you do that you are setting yourself up for embarrassment and disappointment. Then you might discard the valuable things those people offered.

When you practice the discipline of critical thinking that Richard Dawkins encourages, be sure to apply it to him as well, not just everything else. Then you are really practicing what he hopes you will learn. A true freethinker is free to differ with the freethinkers she admires the most.

If this advice is superfluous, my apologies.

]]> By: Stacy http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163940 Stacy Mon, 12 May 2008 23:39:46 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163940 I hope my daughter is alot like you in 10 years, Lucia. Rock on. I hope my daughter is alot like you in 10 years, Lucia. Rock on.

]]> By: Lucia http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163935 Lucia Mon, 12 May 2008 23:21:44 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163935 <blockquote>Many of the 14-year-old girls I’ve known had posters of rock stars on their ceilings. I’m betting that Lucia has one of Dawkins on hers.</blockquote> I turned 15 last March, actually. Truth be told, I don't. I have a picture of a bunny on my ceiling, though. I'm not sure why I put that there... I do random stuff like that when I have too much caffeine. :-)

Many of the 14-year-old girls I’ve known had posters of rock stars on their ceilings. I’m betting that Lucia has one of Dawkins on hers.

I turned 15 last March, actually.

Truth be told, I don’t. I have a picture of a bunny on my ceiling, though. I’m not sure why I put that there… I do random stuff like that when I have too much caffeine. :-)

]]> By: Evolved Rationalist http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163929 Evolved Rationalist Mon, 12 May 2008 23:16:32 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/05/12/high-school-freethought-groups/#comment-163929 Although Lucia and I disagree about the fact that Gould pwns Dawkins, she is a great person and she will only be less famous than me in atheistland someday.... :) Although Lucia and I disagree about the fact that Gould pwns Dawkins, she is a great person and she will only be less famous than me in atheistland someday…. :)

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