Doubting Marcus

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Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0

This talk annoyed me right from the start. Instead of spreading the new solutions or ideas I’m accustomed to from TED de Botton begins by rehashing the same tired stereotypes of depressed atheists living in a joyless world devoid of any real “spiritual meaning.” Religion does not hold a monopoly on culture, community, art, the numinous or morality and it is not these things which make something a religion.

Worst of all this is a straw man. I have many disagreements with famous atheists but no popular atheist I know of desires the destruction of culture or art because religion incorporates these entities.

(Source: youtube.com)