Michel Onfray and European Secularism subject of "Word" on Colbert Report

[cyris8400]

Find it somewhere here (http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/index.jhtml). (premiere was 5/3/2007)

Michel Onfray (atheist, French philosopher, self-described hedonist, author of Atheist Manifesto) and European secularism were the subject of "The Word" on tonight's episode of The Colbert Report. (catch it on TV tomorrow some time or watch it on the internets)

While delighted for more press, I was a little dismayed that the gist that was portrayed wasn't that much better than how South Park misunderstood some of the positions of atheism in their two parter episode with Dawkins and dogmatic atheist intelligent sea otters. And yes, I know Stephen's acting, but the one-two punch script follow-up suggested that they were basically saying "atheism is becoming a religion, and they're going to have authorities and build atheist churches and gather on Sundays to hold hands and praise nothingness."

At least that was the vibe I got. Other thoughts?

[wordy]

The fact that he is a self-described hedonist shows how futile it is for our outreach to use labels as "atheist". We get compared to self-described hedonists. Which not all of us are. Or mysticists like Sam Harris, no wonder so few allow themselves to self-identify as atheists.

[cyris8400]

Well, he might not have all the qualities of being a "hedonist" as the term comes to mind. From what I know, he's type of hedonism only involves swinging. He's had the same girlfriend for a number of years and there's an agreement between them that they can sleep around or something like that.

[Stacey Melissa]

While delighted for more press, I was a little dismayed that the gist that was portrayed wasn't that much better than how South Park misunderstood some of the positions of atheism in their two parter episode with Dawkins and dogmatic atheist intelligent sea otters. And yes, I know Stephen's acting, but the one-two punch script follow-up suggested that they were basically saying "atheism is becoming a religion, and they're going to have authorities and build atheist churches and gather on Sundays to hold hands and praise nothingness."
That's exactly what I was thinking, right down to the comparison with the South Park episodes.

[Copernic]

And yes, I know Stephen's acting, but the one-two punch script follow-up suggested that they were basically saying "atheism is becoming a religion, and they're going to have authorities and build atheist churches and gather on Sundays to hold hands and praise nothingness."

At least that was the vibe I got. Other thoughts?

I took it as satirizing organized religion and the absurdity of it all. Now that secular thought is becoming more mainstream and "out of the closet", it needs that ol' time religion methodology to get it over the hump. Brilliant if you ask me.

[cyris8400]

I took it as satirizing organized religion and the absurdity of it all. Now that secular thought is becoming more mainstream and "out of the closet", it needs that ol' time religion methodology to get it over the hump. Brilliant if you ask me.
Yes, I can agree with that, as I think we need some culture and some appeal, but I still think the way The Colbert Report spun it was "Those French atheists are crazy! They become atheistic and tried to break away from religion altogether but just founded a different religion in the process! Extreme irony! It's like when colonials left Britain for America to escape theocracy and in the process became theocratic, close-minded, and judgmental!"

[Stacey Melissa]

It's like when colonials left Britain for America to escape theocracy and in the process became theocratic, close-minded, and judgmental!"
The Pilgrims left Europe because they wanted a place where they would be free to shove their own brand of theocracy on everyone. Fortunately, by the time the U.S. was founded, our leaders were wise enough to create a secular nation.

[wordy]

The Pilgrims left Europe because they wanted a place where they would be free to shove their own brand of theocracy on everyone. Fortunately, by the time the U.S. was founded, our leaders were wise enough to create a secular nation.

I find that to be the most likely explanation too. Could explain why US is so much more religious than old Europe.

Here our old Kings and Queens forced religion on us from birth. So the reason we are secular is to oppose the opression from the reactionaries of old here.

In US the christian families tried to keep their bran of christianity to continue within the family and slowly more and more kids stop following their grandparents faith and drop out of organized religion and maybe get indifferent to such issues as gods or Jesus or become non-religious though still "spiritual life" interested and become New Age of Neo-pagans and such.

Secularism in Europe is varied. Turkey and France maybe have rather nationalistic versions of secularism.

Your not only secular in Turkey, you secular in the way that Ataturk suggested. In France your secular in a very French way of being it.

As far as I know all Humanists here in Sweden are secular but not in the way a Turkish or French secular put into that word.