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[LostOne4Ever]

11. The Oxford definition of militant

[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Oxford Dictionaries[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]militant
Line breaks: mili|tant
Pronunciation: /ˈmɪlɪt(ə)nt /
Definition of militant in English:
ADJECTIVE

Favouring confrontational or violent methods in support of a political or social cause:
the army are in conflict with militant groups

[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','comic sans MS',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]This is the Webster dictionary (not my favorite dictionary by a long shot) definition:[/font]


[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Merriam-Webster[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]mil·i·tant adjective \-tənt\
: having or showing a desire or willingness to use strong, extreme, and sometimes forceful methods to achieve something

Full Definition of MILITANT

1
: engaged in warfare or combat : fighting
2
: aggressively active (as in a cause) : combative <militant conservationists> <a militant attitude>
— militant noun
— mil·i·tant·ly adverb
— mil·i·tant·ness noun
See militant defined for English-language learners »
See militant defined for kids »
Examples of MILITANT

[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','comic sans MS',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]Finally google itself:[/font]


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ˈmiləd(ə)nt/
adjective
1.
combative and aggressive in support of a political or social cause, and typically favoring extreme, violent, or confrontational methods.
"a militant nationalist"
synonyms: aggressive, violent, belligerent, bellicose, vigorous, forceful, active, fierce, combative, pugnacious; More
noun
noun: militant; plural noun: militants
1.
a militant person.
synonyms: activist, extremist, radical, young turk, zealot
"the demands of the militants"



[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','comic sans MS',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]Please note what they all have in common. [font style="font-family:'chiller',''gigi','parchment',fantasy;" size=6 color=purple]War[/font] and [font style="font-family:'chiller',''gigi','parchment',fantasy;" size=6 color=purple]violence.[/font]

Just look at the examples you gave. Militant Islam is used to refer to the likes of [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]Isis[/font], militant Christianity is used to refer to [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]abortion clinic bombers[/font], and militant Buddhists are carrying out [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]a campaign of violence[/font] against the Muslim population living amoungst them.

There are militant atheists, in Maoist China being a good example, but that is not what is usually meant when the term is used here in the US. Normally it is meant to disparage anyone who takes an activist or enthusiastic or aggressive stance on atheism, not just those who resort to or advocate for violence or extremism.

Of the examples you gave it is the most similar to militant Jews. According to the very first link from your list of results from militant Judaism:[/font]


[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Real Life Villians Wiki[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Militant Judaism has often been refered to a Zionism - which has caused considerable controvery, as listed below.. The term "Zionism" and "Zionist" are controversial due to many anti-semite groups using the term to justify the oppression of Jews or the Isreali state - to the point some mistakenly believe that those who oppose Zionism are inherently anti-semitic. Critics of the term believe it encourages a hatred or mistrust of all Jews and their culture, however others argue that this controversy has been used by some to silence criticisms of the more extreme sections of Zionism - who often have little to do with moderate Jews or the state.

[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','comic sans MS',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]Yes there are militant jews, and militant atheists, but in both of these cases they are distorting the word in a hateful bigoted way against activists for both groups instead of just those that advocate or resort to violence.

Yes, some atheists do use the word to refer to themselves. Some do it ironically, some are trying to turn a negative into a positive, and then there are poes {*} and those who use it to troll other atheists. But the same happens with slurs used against other minorities as well. It does not make them any less a slur.

I consider it a [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]slur[/font]. I consider it a slur against agnostics, atheists, and agnostic atheists. Same goes with [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]fundamentalist atheists[/font], or [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]dogmatic atheist[/font] or just about anything that tries to connect atheism with religion in such a manner. Many of us were hurt in one way or another by religion and simply don't want to have anything to do with it.

Might I ask if the online atheists you are referring to threatening you or your family with [font style="font-family:'chiller',''gigi','parchment',fantasy;" size=6 color=purple]violence?[/font] Are they really militant atheists or they just being [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]abrasive?[/font] If the former, then you are justified in calling them militant atheists, but if it is the latter then I doubt they were "militant" atheists. There are jerks in just about every group, but that does not mean they are advocating harming people.

Also, even if you disagree with someone, it is important to remember we are all human and have our faults and strong points. Accusing those you disagree with of having a "reptilian" brain dehumanizes them and makes it easier to dismiss what they have to say. It is the beginning of the very thing you are advocating against. Seeing things only in black and white, and Authoritarianism.

To Quote Nietzsche:[/font]

[div class="excerpt" style="margin-left:1em; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-radius:0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]“[font style="font-family:'Baskerville Old Face','Lucida Fax','Helvetica Neue';" size=4, color=maroon]Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.”[/font]

[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','comic sans MS',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]*Not this type of poe =P[/font]