EAllusion wrote: I don't know why my comments on Harris were so disappointing. He's often not sharp in his arguments and relies on rhetorical bluster even when he's spotted the high ground through holding the most reasonable position. He also does defend som new age/eastern religious views that are just as dubious as the religious views he condescends. He also defends some morally abhorrent ideas with his trademark cockiness. It might help to listen to how he argues his positions when he has some internal dispute with atheists, such as whether it is appropriate to use that term to describe themselves. He seems terminally incapable of not reducing opponent positions into ridiculous strawmans.
He's a pretty bad spokesman for atheists, which is why some people interested in seeing bad spokesmen for atheists are all too happy to prop him up as one. It's not unlike an LDS message board apologist wanting pretend that, I don't know, antishock is representative of critics and getting to neglect someone like Beastie.
Well, it's disappointing (to me, anyway) that you would quote such a mischaracterization of the guy.
I've never heard him describe himself as a "spokesman for atheists" so perhaps he's not trying to be? Given that he doesn't like the word "atheist," that would make sense. I see him as simply trying to point out the obvious problems with religion and god belief. I don’t really like the term “atheist” either, and don’t refer to myself that way. I understand his point about it.
I'd be interested in some references where he tries to "defend some new age/eastern religious views that are just as dubious as the religious views he condescends." I've heard him talk about the value of meditation, but I wouldn't call that a religious view, so I imagine that's not what you're talking about. I also listened to him extensively at the Beyond Belief conference held a couple years ago where he did talk to fellow atheists, and I thought he generally crushed them. And I don't see him as cocky at all. I actually consider him one of the more easy going, even tempered guys out there talking about this stuff. You want cocky, listen to Hitchens, or perhaps Dawkins.
Anyway, you're obviously entitled to your opinion, and I generally value your input. I was just surprised to hear you talk this way about him.
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.