Monday, March 29, 2010

Old fashioned atheist: Brendan O'Neill

Have a look at this: Why humanists shouldn’t join in this Catholic-bashing. It is Brendan O'Neill, he is an old fashioned liberal atheist. He is interesting on the Irish aspect of the present situation, and a little frightening on the future.

12 comments:

the owl of the remove said...

Fascinating piece, Father - probably won't get much publicity from the 'Guardian.'

Just another mad Catholic said...

The likes of O'Neill are the ones with whom one can sit down for an intelligent discussion over brandy and cigars, perhaps with a little Vivaldi playing in the background.

Whilst not professing the faith they will normally recognize and appreciate the fact that Western Civilization was built by the Church, and like Jurgan Habermass they recognize (for the most part) that Christianity actually has some pretty intelligent people in it, and that you can't simply dismiss Christianity based on the ravings of an american evangelist.

Contrast this with Hitchins (who was slaughtered by Dr William Lane Craig last year at BIOLA) and Dawkins (won't debate Craig at all)who are in their element when preaching godlessness to the masses but run tail turned when an Intelligent Christian confronts them with Philosophical arguments for God and historical evidence for the Ressurection.

The likes of O'Neill, Quentin Smith and Thomas Nagel will also (for the most part) admit that natrulism does not stand or fall with Darwin and don't mind if you offer to pray for them.

JARay said...

He certainly puts a better perspective on this whole business. In particular I note that the aim of several atheists is to prevent parents from teaching their religion to their own children. They are more concerned about "indoctrination" than they are about sexual abuse.
I pray that Brendan comes back to the Church into which he was baptised.
JARay

Crux Fidelis said...

I don't think that for the most part people like Hitchins and Dawkins are all that concerned about the victims of abuse. It's just a convenient stick to beat the Church with.

nickbris said...

Very good and a lot different from some of the claptrap one gets down at the Lord Nelson or in the Porn-Mongering British Press

PaulineG said...

You may be interested to know I am currently battling to try to get some truth onto the Times website here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/article7079471.ece

The moderators are apparently happy to post my message to them but not my full piece (in three parts and including a link to the O'Neill article).

Say one please!

Pastor in Monte said...

At the end of the very good O'Neill article, there are links ('Previously on Spiked') to several other good articles written by similarly well-motivated secularists. Thanks for alerting us to this, Fr Ray.

Crux Fidelis said...

JARay said "I pray that Brendan comes back to the Church into which he was baptised"

I'd rather he stayed where he is and fought our corner among the atheists! ;¬)

B flat said...

Long may Brendan O'Neill live according to his lights! His thinking is clear and independent. He offers very helpful insights into this media storm which is so upsetting.
Only God judges men truly, yet in my view, this article shows the fruit of a very good tree. Floreat auctor.
Thank you very much for linking to it Father.

Marc said...

Excellent piece. Its helpful to have the facts with which one can defend the Church.

Michael Petek said...

Justanothermadcatholic, I think you'll find that civilization was built around river plains of above-average fertility.

China has two very large rivers. Then there's the Tigris and the Euphrates in the west, and the Indus in the east enclosing the Assyrian-Persian-Indian civilization.

Finally there's the Nile, of which the Mediterranean Sea is but an extension.

upontheruth said...

It's refreshing to see this Humanist taking his time to present the case rationally, based on the evidence. Also criticising Dawkins is always necessary and showing him up as deluded and heavily prejudiced against religion is pleasing. But will this get airtime in the media? They read your blog all the time but they won’t want their readers to read this.

Brendan O'Neill has got my attention and I'm sure he can channel the media where there's a will.

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