I suppose that if one wants to get conspiratorial about things, it should be noted that most of the authors of the new atheist books are connected one way or another with Paul Kurtz's Center For Inquiry, especially Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens, and Harris. And the Center has taken the lead in promoting the writing and publishing of books promoting atheism. What is more interesting, however, is what Dwayne has been pointing out that these books have been enjoying excellent sales and not all those sales can be coming from overprivileged white male intellectuals. -- Dwayne Monroe wrote: Ravi: The idea of a meetings involving [many of] these angry white men is not a conspiracy at all. Dennett hosts Dawkins and others of the ilk for brain-storming sessions. Now that they have milked the reductionist and "I speak for science" cow to the hilt, they are moving on to other left pastures such as questioning religion, bringing to it their trademark privileged white male intellectual faux rage. ................. All that aside, the AP piece's point is the strong sales of these "anti-religion" books. Who's buying these books? If the audience was limited to "privileged white male intellectuals" (the only folk who have a problem with religious thought I guess) they'd be gathering dust. But apparently, the opposite is happening. Why? Also... Does it really matter if Dennett, Dawkins and friends sharply (even rudely) criticize religion? People have been religious in one form or another for as long as we've been human; no doubt the urge to worship...something...will persist far into the future: probably till the last monkey draws the last monkey breath. These so-called reductionist "assaults" on religion, which so clearly offend you, are little better than shooting arrows at an aircraft carrier. In other words Ravi, religious expression is doing quite alright for itself without your eager defense. Why are you so quick to rush, sword in hand, to help a fighter who has the situation well under control? .d. ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk