I can't imagine I'm the only person who has grown tired of hearing that phrase repeated constantly. It implies the most ridiculous analogy "militant atheism" and "militant Islam". Every day we hear of "militant Islamic" groups attacking, bombing, and killing (for reasons most American's don't understand and don't really care to understand). But when was the last time one of these "militant atheists" tried to intentionally harm others, much less kill and slaughter in the name of their godlessness? Doesn't it seem odd to use the same word in both these cases?
Interestingly, the last time the phrase "militant Christian" was used in the New York Times was 1997, and before then in 1993. These uses referred to abortion clinic bombings, and unquestionably used the word "militant" in the violent sense. Atheists, it seems, become "militant" simply by writing a book.
——cs
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