Atheism Discussion Overflow Thread (Updated w/ Poll)

Hey all --

It looks like csquared's diary about Monique Davis ( http://www.dailykos.com/... ) is reaching 1,000 comments (which means we won't be able to continue the discussion for much longer), and I don't think csquared is still logged in to create an overflow, so if anyone still wants to chat or debate on these issues, feel free to post here instead!  :)

Update One: For those who requested the original diary's content by repeated (since many computers can no longer view or comment on the original thread), csquared's diary is repeated here:

From Crooks and Liars:

Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) interrupted atheist activist Rob Sherman during his testimony Wednesday afternoon before the House State Government Administration Committee in Springfield and told him, "What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous . . . it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!

"This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God," Davis said. "Get out of that seat . . . You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon."

http://media.richarddawkins.net/...

The audio is shocking. And this bigotry is coming from a Democrat in Illinois. No wonder atheists are the most mistrusted minority group in America. If she substituted muslim, jew or presbyterian for atheist her career would be over.

The story I linked to was posted on Sunday. And yet I can't find any evidence of an apology forthcoming from Rep. Davis. I am not holding my breath.

Update Two:  In the poll, I'm using the technical terms that we studied in college (Negative Atheism v. Positive Atheism).  Agnosticism is a generally accepted synonym for Negative Atheism, at least in the literature, even if colloquial definitions sometimes vary.  I recommend Atheism: A Philosophical Justification for a realllly detailed breakdown, or even modern pop-atheist titles like Hitchens, Dawkins, and Harris.  

The best defense to the question "how can you be an atheist??" was coined by Stephen Henry Roberts (1901-71).  Ask the person if they believe in Zeus, or Apollo, or Zoroaster.  When they inevitably say "no", reply:

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."