Comments by gkatheist

Comment #208876 by gkatheist on July 11, 2008 at 10:46 am

I find myself in a rare disagreement with Professor Dawkins. I recently finished a degree in linguistics, and one thing that they pound into our brains is the fact that language change = language use. If people use "address" with "issue," then that is a proper use. As they say, the slang of the past is the standard usage of the present. Judging language use by a predetermined set of rules is called proscriptivism, an absolutely verboten -ism in linguistics.

I would think that Professor Dawkins would actually find this an interesting topic. There are many linguists who equate biological evolution to linguistic evolution. Slangs and nonstandard useages are developed, those that have a higher communicative ability survive, while those with equal to standard or less than standard disappear. Sounds like natural selection to me.

2. U.S. Congress Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith

Comment #98455 by gkatheist on December 13, 2007 at 4:03 pm

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."

Do they just not teach the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in civics classes anymore?

3. Atheism's Wrong Turn

Comment #93265 by gkatheist on December 2, 2007 at 2:40 pm

Unless I'm completely misreading this article, the author's main idea is that Atheists shouldn't be Atheist because Atheism isn't a liberal idea. Well, my response would be one befitting my generation and sociolect: D'UH!!!! Of course Atheism isn't only a liberal idea. Does he seriously think that Atheism only has to do with American politics? This author really needs to take some time outside the beltway.

Couple other things that bug me in this article, as well. 1) He seems to think that the force in which Dr. Dawkins presents his argument would turn people away from Atheism. As someone who considers himself a recovering theist because of this book, I resent that implication. 2) The author seems to be in the denial stage of grieving: "We don't have to listen to these guys because of all of these things I'm about to say. They're so silly!"

Anyway, I would expect more from the New Republic, but not much.