What's wrong with 'atheism'?
Nothing as far as I'm concerned, so I have to admit to being slightly nonplussed by the Brights movement, which says it aims to promote a "naturalistic worldview, which is free of supernatural and mystical elements."
I agree with Pandagon that calling yourself a 'Bright' simply sounds nerdy and superior - see Pharyngula for further interesting discussion.
I have no problem calling myself 'atheist' when I want to express the fact that I do not believe in anything divine, and 'humanist' to say that I believe in making judgements about right and wrong without referring to supernatural concepts. I also call myself 'secularist' because I think the only way to avoid one belief group unfairly dominating all others is for states to not align themselves with any.
Despite the fact that I do think religious beliefs are at best silly and at worst downright dangerous, I'm suspicious of atheists clubbing together to tell other people what they should and shouldn't believe (I'm perfectly good enough at doing that on an individual basis). I'm also not convinced that the apparent growing zealotry of Richard Dawkins and others is at all constructive in dealing with the very real threats posed by anti-secular groups.
I agree with Pandagon that calling yourself a 'Bright' simply sounds nerdy and superior - see Pharyngula for further interesting discussion.
I have no problem calling myself 'atheist' when I want to express the fact that I do not believe in anything divine, and 'humanist' to say that I believe in making judgements about right and wrong without referring to supernatural concepts. I also call myself 'secularist' because I think the only way to avoid one belief group unfairly dominating all others is for states to not align themselves with any.
Despite the fact that I do think religious beliefs are at best silly and at worst downright dangerous, I'm suspicious of atheists clubbing together to tell other people what they should and shouldn't believe (I'm perfectly good enough at doing that on an individual basis). I'm also not convinced that the apparent growing zealotry of Richard Dawkins and others is at all constructive in dealing with the very real threats posed by anti-secular groups.
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