NEW RULE: If your philosophical differences to an "opposing" group can be summed up using a 30 year old comedy bit, your argument is officially invalid.

So at this point, the whole atheism plus debacle has been pretty well discussed and dissected by anyone with any interest in doing so, I'm not one of those people. Primarily because, there really isn't much to discuss where the group itself is concerned. Particularly since the groups "leaders" (founders, creators, divine movers, or whatever your adjective of choice may be) insist -when it suits their purposes- that they aren't really the leaders of a group, which -when it serves their purposes- they insist isn't REALLY even a group yet. Unless you attack or even mildly criticize said group that isn't a group. In which case, they are a group, and you're opposition to them clearly demonstrates you to be a close minded bully, foolishly resisting the will of social evolution which was itself responsible for beckoning said semi-corporeal social entity spontaneously into existence.

All of which, has predictably helped turn this whole thing into a muddled mess of name calling, nit picking, and posturing. One which serves only to completely distract and derail the conversation from the issues it was supposedly meant to draw attention to. Turning it instead, to attacking the personal agendas of all involved parties, for the sake of declaring who get's to be "right" and therefore- morally superior. Which is why, other than this entry, I'm opting out of the conversation- at least until there's something more specific to argue about. Because arguing over labels, is absurd, simple minded, divisive (which is another thing I'm not supposed to say) and self defeating.

On a more personal note, I choose to identify myself as an atheist, because I don't believe in god, nothing else. I do not consider myself to be part of any particular community or movement, nor do I want to be. In fact, I'm still not clear on what exactly that means. I mean, what's actually required for one to be considered a "member" of a community? Was I supposed to have been issued some sort of special decoder-ring or a laminated badge or something when I decided god probably wasn't really a thing and logic and reason was likely the best way for me to figure out the world? Are there special, secrete meetings or some kind of ceremony I'm supposed to attend? Or does simply holding any particular position or fitting someone else's definition of a specific category of person automatically make you a member?

Either way, I'm not good with conformity and I'm not interested in joining ANY of your little clubs.  If that means you're gonna tell all the other kids on the playground I'm a Dodie-face, as you take your ball and go home, I'm okay with that. Because, I'm used to feeling unwelcome, I always have. And honestly, at this point in my life- alone and on the outside of things, is where I feel most comfortable anyway.

-CAINE-