Re: OT: Anti-Zionism is anti-semitism (NOT opera related)

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> G/P Dave wrote:
> << Undoubtedly there are atheists who would delight in the murder of
> Jews.>>
> 
> Dave, this remark stuck out from your otherwise thoughtful and
> persuasive post like a sore thumb; and has unfairly, I think,
> calumniated atheists and agnostics. Much more of the impassioned
> prejudice  and violence in the world stems from strongly held beliefs,
> such as those religious related, than from non believers. Atheists are
> no more inclined to delight in the murder of anyone, than are pious
> folk.

Dave's complete paragraph was:

<< Why limit this to proclivity to Christians and Muslims?  Undoubtedly
there are atheists who would delight in the murder of Jews. >>

I thought it perfectly obvious that his point is that believers and
non-believers are equal in their murderousness.

I'm inclined to agree with that, at least on the individual level. 
Some historians (eg, Paul Johnson) have made the argument that atheism
is more prone to lead to state-sponsored mass murder.  The 20th century
examples are pretty strong, but to me they demonstrate only post hoc
and not propter hoc.

mdl