Thoughts on Shame

Today I am ashamed. I woke up to some terrible news. Three Muslim students were killed in North Carolina by a gunman who by all appearances was motivated by his militant atheism. In a way, I shouldn't be surprised by what has happened, every group be they Atheists, Muslims, Christians, Jews or whoever have radicals who cannot be reasoned with. Yet we all think our group is special and that the killer must've been motivated by something else. Well I am merciless when religious extremists commit atrocities, so speaking as an anti-thestic atheist who wants to see religion defeated, I am disgusted, appalled and ashamed by what has happened.

I never thought I'd see the day when an atheist-extremist would make the news with such an attack. All Craig Stephen Hicks has succeeded in doing is tarnishing the reputation of atheists everywhere. He has made himself a poster boy for people like Pat Robertson who want to label all atheists as immoral godless thugs. I wish I could say that Hicks is not a true atheist, that he in no way represents us, but that would simply be false. I could say that this is just one isolated incident and that this sort of attack is rare, but I can't say that with certainty. Even if this is a one-off incident, one is too many times. Hicks has only set our cause back with his stupid, barbaric and shameful act.

I want to see religion defeated. I want to live in a world where we don't credit successes and failures to the will of a supreme being. I want to live in a world where bills aren't prevented from becoming laws on the grounds of flimsy ancient beliefs. I want to live in a world where the gods of the Bible, the Koran and all other holy books are treated like myths like Thor, Zeus or Ra. The way to do that is to educate people and encourage skepticism. We must question claims made by priests, rabbis and imams just like we'd question the claims of those who claim to have been abducted by aliens. Atheists tend to be atheists because we are skeptical people. We tend to be the people who believe scientific theories because they have the evidence. Hicks instead decided to kill Muslims. This in addition to being abhorrent is counter-productive because now Muslims will take solace in their faith. This attack only drives them closer to their religion.

Craig Stephen Hicks is one man, but his actions will affect all atheists. We must minimize the damage he has done by condemming his actions loudly and repeatedly. Richard Dawkins (who Hicks actually looked up to) asked "How could any decent person NOT condemn the vile murder of three young US Muslims in Chapel Hill". Richard Dawkins knows that he will come under scrutiny as Hicks was a fan. The difference between Hicks and Richard Dawkins is that Richard Dawkins is not a vile man, but a good example of how atheists should fight religion.

I am angry and ashamed right now so I know I am not being rational, but right now I must say it s a pity that there isn't a hell for Hicks to go to.