Those who know me, know that I am careful not to ridicule and mock a religious belief just for the sake of doing it. My personal aims have always incorporated making atheism acceptable (well, at least tolerable) to the world, and encouraging atheists to come out of their closets. Hence, the ends of mockery, often do not assist in achieving these goals. Of course, I work closely with those who are the walking definition of strident atheists, and I know they are just as crucial to our “movement” as me. It’s just that their tactics are different from mine.

That being said, there are a few subjects that I personally feel deserve nothing but ridicule. These include evolution deniers and young earth creationists. All the arguments and evidence against their positions have been presented, and they have as much ground to stand on as holocaust deniers and flat-earthers. At this point, the only way to win against them, is to make them the butt of jokes. When one’s head is buried in the sand, sometimes the only way they can free themselves is to begin choking on embarrassment and scorn. At least, that’s my opinion.

Over the last few days, I have been surprised by the number of “freethinkers” who have all but made excuses for the slaughter of the Charlie Hebdo staff. They haven’t said this outright, but they point to how tasteless and disgraceful the magazine’s cartoons were, and that it should be understandable that the offended responded the way they did.

I had planned to write on this subject, but the great Stephen Fry (the coolest atheist in the Hobbit movies) has written a wonderful article that does it much better than I ever could. He cleverly presents the argument that mockery is a necessity.

Here are some excerpts:

I cannot be sure exactly how many people since the murders have seen one or more of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons that ‘insult’ Islam or mock its prophet but I should imagine the number is now in the tens of millions. Had the brothers stayed their bloody hands it would have been 60,000 at the very most. Mohammed must be very cross indeed that his two cretinous representatives have spread the ‘insults’ so unimaginably far and wide.

And…

I have been told on twitter that the staff of Charlie Hebdo spewed ‘hate’. It is exceptionally important to remember that what they actually spewed, if you want to use that word, was contempt. Contempt for Islam, for Christianity, for Judaism – for anything they could have a go at. They were often, in the weasel word of our age, ‘inappropriate’. Their cartoons bordered on racist and repulsive. Had I been a Parisian I don’t doubt I would be a regular reader of Le Canard Enchainé (which approximates our venerable and superb Private Eye) and that I would look down my Parisian nose at readers of so vulgar and sophomoric an effusion as Charlie H.

It is definitely worth your time to read the entire article. I’d love to hear what you think.

Brother Richard