Stephen Fry hits back at accusations of Islamophobia
344 replies, posted
[quote]
Stephen Fry has spoken of his frustration at being labelled an "Islamophobe" for criticising the violent acts committed by some Islamists.
In a strongly worded blog post, the actor and comedian lamented that the "squeezed liberal finds himself in the position that he cannot criticise Islamofascism because it's somehow 'racist'".
He continued: "It is a topsy-turvy smothering of debate and an Orwellian denial of free speech to declare that speaking out against violence will cause violence."
Fry decided to write the piece after attracting criticism for giving his support for the prominent atheist and evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins, a noted critic of Islam.
In on online exchange last week, Fry said Prof Dawkins was justified in singling out Islam for more criticism than other religions, tweeting: "Wonder why. Oh, have a look around the world and see them slaughtering each other, let alone others. So charming to women too …"
Clarifying his views in a blog post titled "Am I an Islamophobe?", Fry wrote: "Do I hate Muslims? Absolutely not. Any more than I hate Christians. Or Jews, or Hindus, or anyone on account of their beliefs, or lack of them. I am simply not interested in laying into one religion or another. To me they are all as untrue as the next, which is the point and the only point of being an atheist."
[/quote]
[url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/stephen-fry-hits-back-at-accusations-of-islamophobia-8793025.html[/url]
It's 2013 guys, being an atheist is pretty over rated now.
Agnostic masterrace
he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
I have respect for other people's cultures but when it impacts society in a way that is violent or misogynistic and holds back scientific development and research, fuck their culture and their religion.
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
a culture that disenfranchises and abuses women doesn't deserve respect
[QUOTE=Gatsby;42047707]It's 2013 guys, being an atheist is pretty over rated now.
Agnostic masterrace[/QUOTE]
Agnosticism is pretty much a non-stance; you either err one way or the other.
[editline]2nd September 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
Culture is not an excuse for barbarism.
[QUOTE=Alex_DeLarge;42047734]I have respect for other people's cultures but when it impacts society in a way that is violent or misogynistic and holds back scientific development and research, fuck their culture and their religion.[/QUOTE]
The middle east used to be great and an golden age of scientific advancement. It is a shame how things turned out.
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
Nobody has the right to respect, it's earned.
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;42047736]a culture that disenfranchises and abuses women doesn't deserve respect[/QUOTE]
You could accuse western culture of more or less the same.
[QUOTE=Gatsby;42047707]It's 2013 guys, being an atheist is pretty over rated now.
Agnostic masterrace[/QUOTE]
You're either a theist, an agnostic theist, an agnostic atheist or an atheist. There is nothing in between. Pick one.
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
Islamist's are bad people.
[QUOTE=barttool;42047772]You could accuse western culture of more or less the same.[/QUOTE]
I do.
[QUOTE=barttool;42047772]You could accuse western culture of more or less the same.[/QUOTE]
well if it helps i criticize every facet of western culture that does this too. except when i do that people can't just cry and say i'm being a westernophobe
[QUOTE=Alex_DeLarge;42047775]You're either a theist, an agnostic theist, an agnostic atheist or an atheist. There is nothing in between. Pick one.[/QUOTE]
areligious
[QUOTE=barttool;42047772]You could accuse western culture of more or less the same.[/QUOTE]
I won't deny western culture has its issues with sexism; but they really are on a totally different level.
[editline]2nd September 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;42047789]areligious[/QUOTE]
-is a synonym for "Atheist"
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
Shit, Fry is one of the most learned men on the planet
[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;42047789]areligious[/QUOTE]
Even if you're areligious you still lean one way or another.
[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;42047791]I won't deny western culture has its issues with sexism; but they really are on a totally different level.
[editline]2nd September 2013[/editline]
-is a synonym for "Atheist"[/QUOTE]
atheism is rejection of deities, areligion is the lack of religious thoughts
you know there are a lot of athestic religions, right
[QUOTE=barrab;42047716]he's a prick with no respect for other's cultures.[/QUOTE]
people frown that i chopped that girl up and sacrificed her to the sun god but THAT'S MY CULTURE AND YOU BEST RESPECT IT
[QUOTE=barttool;42047772]You could accuse western culture of more or less the same.[/QUOTE]
Women aren't forced to marry their rapist, they can express their opinions, run for public offices etc. Parts of the middle east are held in a constant state of repression because of the extreme, fascist version of Islam imposed on them.
[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;42047806]atheism is rejection, areligion is the lack of religious thoughts[/QUOTE]
I would say that the only way to be truly areligious, then, would be to have never been introduced to the concept of a God and therefore cannot have an opinion.
[QUOTE=Alex_DeLarge;42047734]I have respect for other people's cultures but when it impacts society in a way that is violent or misogynistic and holds back scientific development and research, fuck their culture and their religion.[/QUOTE]
because all religious people are the same. get with the real world.
[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;42047806]atheism is rejection, areligion is the lack of religious thoughts[/QUOTE]
So you have absolutely no leaning towards any side? I completely doubt that. I believe that the only people that have ever avoided that question are people that lack the mental capacity to ask themselves that question (severely mentally disabled and children)
[editline]1st September 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=barrab;42047826]because all religious people are the same. get with the real world.[/QUOTE]
Don't give me that "oh well some religious people aren't like that" cop-out bullshit. Their teachings are misogynistic in nature.
[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;42047825]I would say that the only way to be truly areligious, then, would be to have never been introduced to the concept of a God and therefore cannot have an opinion.[/QUOTE]
it is very much possible to not be concerned at all. agnosticism is the belief that there could or could not be, alreigion is for the most part being indifferent to matters
i believe irreligion is a synonym. i just never hear people use it
[QUOTE=Gatsby;42047707]It's 2013 guys, being an atheist is pretty over rated now.
Agnostic masterrace[/QUOTE]
Everyone is an agnostic unless mentally ill. "Being an agnostic" isn't an answer to the binary question of "do you think / believe there is god" (and all variations there of)
[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;42047836]it is very much possible to not be concerned at all. agnosticism is the belief that there could or could not be, alreigion is for the most part being indifferent to matters[/QUOTE]
Indifference does not mean the absence of opinion. You either believe in something or you do not.
[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;42047850]Indifference does not mean the absence of opinion. You either believe in something or you do not.[/QUOTE]
uh yeah, of course. that's how anything works. that doesn't make irreligion/areligion any less of a valid stance
[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;42047750]Agnosticism is pretty much a non-stance; you either err one way or the other.
[editline]2nd September 2013[/editline]
Culture is not an excuse for barbarism.[/QUOTE]
Not true, agnosticism is when you simply believe that there is not enough evidence to fully believe in an god but there is still a possibility that the universe was created by some sort of being.
Us humans is almost at a level(or maybe we already are?) where we can created life out of scratch. Why cant some other smart being created life? Whether we were an accident or not.
But we can all agree that god is most likely not some dude who wants us killing eachother over a desert.
[QUOTE=barrab;42047826]because all religious people are the same. get with the real world.[/QUOTE]
when a group of people willingly adhere to a certain philosophy or belief system you can generally infer what those people are like judged on the system or philosophy
[QUOTE=FlubberNugget;42047862]uh yeah, of course. that's how anything works. that doesn't make irreligion/areligion any less of a valid stance[/QUOTE]
Yes but if you don't hold a belief in a deity you still are by definition an atheist. This includes not caring and not having an opinion.
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