When I began this blog about a month ago, the intent was to begin a primarily dispassionate project in which I would, in a loose, conversational, blog-appropriate way, analyze how atheists are being portrayed and treated in politics, media, and culture, and how atheists themselves are navigating those waters.
Not only have I not been totally successful in being dispassionate, I think I may be failing miserably. Well, of course, you say; you count yourself among the subject of your blog! You're an atheist!
Right. Tough to be detached when you are on the receiving end of what I am analyzing. For example, I think I'm too, well, emotional in this post. I want to do better than what one would find in the frothier comments in some Daily Kos diaries.
But again, this is a blog, not a journal of political science or philosophy. So I believe that striking the right tone is a matter of degrees. I have opinions, and I will share them, but I will also try harder in future posts to be more questioning and objective rather than simply reactive. Of course, at my catch-all personal blog, Near Earth Object, and in my posts at Unscrewing the Inscrutable, I make absolutely no pretensions to moderation!
If you are one of the handful who has been paying attention to this blog, many, many thanks. Stick around, spread the word, and keep talking back.
Monday, January 5, 2009
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4 comments:
I found your blog through an ad in Facebook. I'm not an atheist, although several of my friends are. However, I tend to keep my faith private, and use humanist methods for determining my moral code, which conveniently enough coincides closely with the parts of religious moral code that I agree with.
Anyway, I appreciate your writing, even when you feel you are being more emotional than rational - after all, that is part of being human, isn't it? I typically strive for rationality in my life but there are definite moments when I fail, particularly when I feel like I (or my loved ones) are under an unjustified attack.
Thanks again for an interesting read!
As an atheist, I'm not sure it would be good to be able to handle all the bigotry and hate thrown at you by Christians simply for being an atheist without getting at least a little irritated. I'd say it shows your humanity and is nothing that requires any sort of apology.
Perhaps I'm reading too much Pharyngula: I don't find your blog to be shrill whatsoever. In fact, even at your most emotional, it's clear that you are working hard at objectivity. Keep up the good work -- you're a thoughtful and interesting writer.
Thanks all for the encouragement, all who have commented. I appreciate the leeway, no doubt, but I will still try to keep things under at least extreme temperatures of snideness - I do want this blog to be informative and insightful rather than just cathartic. A mix of course, is fine, too!
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