Atheist Shmatheist Questionnaire

I was tagged by Mr. Hedyot

Q1. How would you define "atheism"?

Interesting question. I don't know, how about people who follow their heart desires and are immoral? I kid, I kid. The simplest answer is one who doesn't believe in a God. But then you have to answer what a God is, which gets complicated because different people have different ideas about that. I'd say that an atheist is someone who takes the world from a human perspective as a given and nothing else, while a theist believes in a higher existence outside of the human framework

Q2. Was your upbringing religious? If so, what tradition?

I was brought up in Orthodox Judaism. Somewhere in between modern orthodox and yeshivish. I don't believe that exists so much in Brooklyn any more. It seems like a dying breed

Q3. How would you describe "Intelligent Design", using only one word?

confused

Q4. What scientific endeavor really excites you?

neuroscience - the study of the mind

Q5. If you could change one thing about the "atheist community", what would it be and why?

I agree with Daas Hedyot's take. I think the basis of conversation should be to try to bridge gaps and see the similarities between people instead of creating more divisions and strife. That doesn't mean we will agree with everything, but I believe that having respect for the other person's opinion is a good way to create good will and maybe even convince a few to switch sides :)

Q6. If your child came up to you and said "I'm joining the clergy", what would be your first response?

Great. what's the question?

Q7. What's your favorite theistic argument, and how do you usually refute it?

arguments shmarguments

Q8. What's your most "controversial" (as far as general attitudes amongst other atheists goes) viewpoint?

The idea that I have existence that is separate from God is a myth. The question isn't whether God exists, rather the question is do I. I never claimed to be an atheist :)

Q9. Of the "Four Horsemen" (Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens and Harris) who is your favorite, and why?

I haven't read much of any of them. Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris come of as pretty unsophisticated. It's atheism for the masses . I don't recall reading anything from Dennett, so I can't comment.

Q10. If you could convince just one theistic person to abandon their beliefs, who would it be?

I don't really want to convince anyone to change their views. I would like to try to convince everybody to be more accepting of the other's point of view in regards to religion. Also, I wish that people would try to look past their individual religious traditions and try to understand their own nature and the connection to God from an objective point of view instead of just following what they are taught at an early age.

Now name three other atheist blogs that you'd like to see take up the Atheist Thirteen gauntlet:

Ben Avuyah,
David' Harp,
Big S Skeptic