"Militant Atheist" is yet another term that is incredibly misleading and loaded with a variety of myths and prejudices. Usually, it is used to identify some of the more publicly outspoken atheists. If those using it mean to imply that the person being labeled is confident or forceful there are better ways of indicating it (like the words I just used). But the term implies violence.
I am unaware of any atheist advocating the use of violence to advance atheist ideas or issues. It is true that Chris Hedges has falsely accused Sam Harris of doing so. In I Don't Believe in Atheists Hedges claims that Harris was promoting using nuclear weapons against Muslims in his book The End of Faith. I would have thought Hedges just misunderstood the passage that he so blatantly took out of context but Harris himself on numerous occasions explained to him that he was in fact not advocating any such thing. If anyone takes the time to read the entire passage it becomes clear that Harris is actually pointing out the futility and self-defeating nature of militant responses.
The truth is that when it comes to intellectual debate it is the theists who tend to resort to physical threats not the atheists. So there is no misunderstanding, I am in no way implying that the majority of theists are violent. They are not. In heated exchanges between the more ardent proponents of the God debate it tends to be the theists that encourage and condone violence to advance their beliefs. "Militant Atheist" is a slanderous term used to denigrate atheists. "Militant Christian" can be properly used since I can think of a large number of individuals who have advocated violence. A large percentage of the religious right fit the label quite nicely.
If any theists object to this I'd be happy to create a list of Christian individuals and groups who are on record supporting violence and I would at the same time challenge them to provide a list of their own on atheists that do so.
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