Get Ready for More Borat Atheism

Because every critique of religion must be in formal logic form, delivered by people who wave post-docs in politeness. No humour is allowed. No mockery is allowed. No kids may laugh at the naked emperor. We must at all times treat religion with the seriousness and respect its proponents think it deserves and not with the contempt and ridicule it actually deserves. It's always better to meet the enemy on his own ground; more polite.

I agree with Greta Christina: Every movement needs both its diplomats and its firebrands; take down these stupid ideas from all sides.

I bet you loved the last 36 hours. For once you got to go unchallenged without deleting every comment that disagreed with you.

Where's the part where this has something to do with atheism?

It's an embarrassing time to be an atheist in America

It's never embarrassing to not believe you have an invisible friend who can do magic.

Sorry Matthew but I don't see the connection between this new movie and Atheism. Has Sasha Baron Cohen abandoned his religion and become an atheist?
If not then surely its just a member of one religion making jokes about the teachings of his own and other faiths.
That's hardly a new thing, is it?
Where's the connection to Atheism?

Sure is embarrassing. I mean imagine atheists actually speaking out, standing up to the systematic abuse in a country whose former president tells them they're not even citizens, and - even worse - doing so in a light-hearted vein. Oh, the shame...

First, pretty much all the article says they did is have a black man portraying Jesus, so it is presumptuous to assume that the joke is at the expensive of Christians in general.

Second, and much more significantly, what on Earth does this have to do with atheism (New or otherwise)? The film is written and performed by Sacha Baron Cohen. Baron Cohen is a extremely observant religious Jew (see his Wikipedia page). (As it happens Maher doesn't self-identify as an atheist either)

I suppose facts that don't fit your "Outspoken Atheists are responsible for all evil" frame are to be ignored.

Out of interest, since you used this an example of how it's embarrassing to be an atheist in America do you now hold that all American (religious) Jews should be embarrassed because of the actions of one of their (British) co-religionists? I suspect you don't. If not, what is your justification for this apparent double standard?

You may be embarrassed, Matty, the rest of us atheists could care less. You may think of yourself as spokescritter for Atheists of America Inc, but that's a minority view.

One of the things that i love about science is that no one is above reproach.

One of the things that i love about science is that no one is above reproach.

Maybe I am being stupid, but why would a film made by a British Jew portraying Jesus as being a black man be a problem for atheists in America ?

But the guy who plays borat isn't an atheist himself, he is a religious jew. So why be embarrased about it?

Why would a devout Jewish Englishman mocking Jesus embarrass an American atheist?

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/sacha_baron_cohen_the_real_…

I thought you were all for hearing many voices on an issue? That's why you allowed the guy talking about James' "the biggest hoax on the american people" Inhofe's report? Perhaps we should just shutup and go back to the shadows?

Sasha Baron-Cohen is Jewish, and while the article didn't describe the "offensive" content in any detail, it doesn't sound any worse than South Park.

Your concern is noted, and stupid.

You do realize Sacha Baron Cohen is religious (an observant Jew) and not an atheist right?

Shame nobody cares about your opinion!

Are you going to rename your blog "Framing Anti-Science"?