I really need to re-read and refresh my memory on Nietzche's genealogy of morals as the whole 'god is dead' part is REALLY coming into fruition.
The lack of a moral structure that religion provides can lead to 3 different conclusions for a person:
They use previous work and history to create their own moral structure that they live by
They become extremely nihilistic and self destructive
They end up adopting a 'religion in all but name'
A lot of the former atheist prominent figure on YouTube have gone into the 3rd option. If there were openings to join cults like Aum Shinrikyo or Jonestown they'd join for the 'stability' they provide. People claiming to be atheist often forget the most terrifying part is accepting your own mortality and permanent end and that often terrifies people to join these cults to not think about it.
As an atheist since the mid-2000s (now also consider myself Culturally Christian), I am embarrassed to admit I used to subscribe to his Youtube back in the day around 2006 when “new atheism” was a thing and a culture of online logical argumentation against theism was big amongst mostly white, mostly millennial young men.
At the time, he mostly posted videos arguing for atheism with a tinge of humor and was generally agreeable. Cracks in his respectability began though when a video was leaked of him performing disgusting faggy sex acts. Surprisingly around 2012 when the rise of 4th wave feminism hit its stride, he actually became one of those anti-feminism/anti-SJW channels for a few years, and now apparently he’s devolved into a Gender Religion follower.
It was pretty naïve for people like him to have thought that the decline of Christianity and traditional religion in the west would be the start of a moral and rational utopia, because it’s turned out to be the exact opposite, and he himself is now a prime example of why. Turns out Christianity was important to maintaining the fabric of Western society… VERY important.
That’s the difficulty though, isn’t it… if you don’t believe, and if society overall continually loses belief (in Christianity), how do you maintain the facade of it without genuine belief underpinning that?
How do you actively protect the religious belief “vacuum” from being filled with a fanatical regressive secular religion like the one we’re dealing with today?
Indeed. I think the other part of the challenge is developing a solidly grounded and cohesive framework. Especially one that isn't co-opted or sabotaged by fanatical ideologues.
The most solid and consistently valuable value with almost no backfiring, I think, is simply: integrity.
Generally, a person can maintain a certain level of integrity regardless of their vices and pitfalls. Because integrity is about honesty in words as well as deeds. Both with oneself and others. It's about an earnest effort to strive for the truth and not succumbing to intellectual or moral laziness. It's about taking responsibility for your own mistakes and not just taking shortcuts to run away from the consequences of your own actions. It's about acknowledging your own flaws and limitations.
Most leftists don't even understand the concept anymore. Everything they push now is about being sneaky little sniveling cowards trying to blame all their problems on someone else. Dodging the hard questions whenever possible, never admitting a mistake, lying and covering up the truth at every turn. Circle jerking with other leftists as they pretend that they're all saints. Coming up with any range of nonsensical concepts with the most retarded ass names so they can keep prancing away from reality. Arrogantly inserting themselves into every crevice of society and proudly claiming to be experts on everything, because they're spoon-fed propaganda and have a compulsive need to regurgitate it to everyone.
It was pretty naïve for people like him to have thought that the decline of Christianity and traditional religion in the west would be the start of a moral and rational utopia, and he himself is now a prime example of why.
Couldn't it be that the reason they promoted the breakdown of Cultural Christianity is precisely because they wanted to be free to do butt stuff without any public shame? In their minds, civilization will not reach Enlightenment until we throw off the shackle of irrational belief in a sky god, and get rid of moralizing and shame. Then we will become sexually liberated to 1) do butt stuff and 2) diddle kids.
Not saying you or every atheist is that but the loudest "allies" on our side often have an ulterior motives behind the ideas they push. It's not all that different from the various Alt-Right grifters we've seen, or the minister who grows his flock so he can buy a new mansion. At some level they do believe what they preach, but they preach because it is in their self-interest.
Honestly, it didn't take me long to realize just what a disingenuous fuck TJ was, even back when he was popular.
I'm almost certain the main reason I was even briefly drawn to his videos was because I was still in an angry and rebellious state of mind after bailing out on religion myself and still having to put up with it where I lived. I don't think I'll ever "rubber band" back to religion, but it has become outright disturbing how areas I once would've considered as more appealing places to live are now dumping grounds for the country's worst trashiest of people.
I really need to re-read and refresh my memory on Nietzche's genealogy of morals as the whole 'god is dead' part is REALLY coming into fruition.
The lack of a moral structure that religion provides can lead to 3 different conclusions for a person:
A lot of the former atheist prominent figure on YouTube have gone into the 3rd option. If there were openings to join cults like Aum Shinrikyo or Jonestown they'd join for the 'stability' they provide. People claiming to be atheist often forget the most terrifying part is accepting your own mortality and permanent end and that often terrifies people to join these cults to not think about it.
As an atheist since the mid-2000s (now also consider myself Culturally Christian), I am embarrassed to admit I used to subscribe to his Youtube back in the day around 2006 when “new atheism” was a thing and a culture of online logical argumentation against theism was big amongst mostly white, mostly millennial young men.
At the time, he mostly posted videos arguing for atheism with a tinge of humor and was generally agreeable. Cracks in his respectability began though when a video was leaked of him performing disgusting faggy sex acts. Surprisingly around 2012 when the rise of 4th wave feminism hit its stride, he actually became one of those anti-feminism/anti-SJW channels for a few years, and now apparently he’s devolved into a Gender Religion follower.
It was pretty naïve for people like him to have thought that the decline of Christianity and traditional religion in the west would be the start of a moral and rational utopia, because it’s turned out to be the exact opposite, and he himself is now a prime example of why. Turns out Christianity was important to maintaining the fabric of Western society… VERY important.
That’s the difficulty though, isn’t it… if you don’t believe, and if society overall continually loses belief (in Christianity), how do you maintain the facade of it without genuine belief underpinning that?
How do you actively protect the religious belief “vacuum” from being filled with a fanatical regressive secular religion like the one we’re dealing with today?
Indeed. I think the other part of the challenge is developing a solidly grounded and cohesive framework. Especially one that isn't co-opted or sabotaged by fanatical ideologues.
The most solid and consistently valuable value with almost no backfiring, I think, is simply: integrity.
Generally, a person can maintain a certain level of integrity regardless of their vices and pitfalls. Because integrity is about honesty in words as well as deeds. Both with oneself and others. It's about an earnest effort to strive for the truth and not succumbing to intellectual or moral laziness. It's about taking responsibility for your own mistakes and not just taking shortcuts to run away from the consequences of your own actions. It's about acknowledging your own flaws and limitations.
Most leftists don't even understand the concept anymore. Everything they push now is about being sneaky little sniveling cowards trying to blame all their problems on someone else. Dodging the hard questions whenever possible, never admitting a mistake, lying and covering up the truth at every turn. Circle jerking with other leftists as they pretend that they're all saints. Coming up with any range of nonsensical concepts with the most retarded ass names so they can keep prancing away from reality. Arrogantly inserting themselves into every crevice of society and proudly claiming to be experts on everything, because they're spoon-fed propaganda and have a compulsive need to regurgitate it to everyone.
Couldn't it be that the reason they promoted the breakdown of Cultural Christianity is precisely because they wanted to be free to do butt stuff without any public shame? In their minds, civilization will not reach Enlightenment until we throw off the shackle of irrational belief in a sky god, and get rid of moralizing and shame. Then we will become sexually liberated to 1) do butt stuff and 2) diddle kids.
Not saying you or every atheist is that but the loudest "allies" on our side often have an ulterior motives behind the ideas they push. It's not all that different from the various Alt-Right grifters we've seen, or the minister who grows his flock so he can buy a new mansion. At some level they do believe what they preach, but they preach because it is in their self-interest.
Honestly, it didn't take me long to realize just what a disingenuous fuck TJ was, even back when he was popular.
I'm almost certain the main reason I was even briefly drawn to his videos was because I was still in an angry and rebellious state of mind after bailing out on religion myself and still having to put up with it where I lived. I don't think I'll ever "rubber band" back to religion, but it has become outright disturbing how areas I once would've considered as more appealing places to live are now dumping grounds for the country's worst trashiest of people.
1 https://nitter.1d4.us/WingsScotland/status/1650132622452875264
2 https://nitter.1d4.us/wil_da_beast630/status/1650203050496147459