#PZMyers, unintentional master of irony, still mismasters religion

Irony usually becomes ironic in part because the person writing doesn't recognize the humor value. Hence, I introduce one Paul Zachary Myers,  warning about the dangers of non-egalitarian church-like organizations within movement atheism.

The irony, of course, is that PZ's Pharyngulacs are a cult just this side of, oh, ... Scientology?

Or, to go to the secular, and non-liberal world, as Rush Limbaugh and his dittoheads?

So, to hear him warning about cult followings (and it's really "movement skepticism," not "movement atheism," that he's throwing hand grenades at along with warnings, in the second half of this blog post) is funny on the one hand, and funny as a rubber crutch on the other.

Meanwhile, PZ again puts all organized religion in whatever stereotyping grab bag suits him at the moment:

What we need to construct are egalitarian institutions that do not simply co-opt the corrupt schema of existing religious institutions. We should be modeling democratic political forms rather than buying into destructive ecclesiastical patterns of organization.

There are many religions denominations and branches not like that.

Quakers sprang to mind immediately. Unitarians are somewhat that way. Arguably, at the local level, Mormons are, for that matter.

Outside of Christianity, Sufi Islam immediately popped into mind. Many animistic/nativist religions also fit the bill.

Anyway, back to the main point.

P.Z. forgot that one you point a finger at someone else, if your hand is doubled into an angry fist, you've got three fingers pointing back at yourself.

It's also funny that P.Z., with his Maoist talk of wanting to create atheist "cadres," would want to preach about egalitarianism.

And also, though P.Z. doesn't like the Block Bot that Atheism Plusers are latching onto, he reportedly does like blacklists.

Well, isn't that a hierarchical thing, too?

Finally, democracy can become mobocracy.

Rush's Dittoheads would never vote against his wishes. Neither would P.Z.'s Pharyngulacs.

And he knows it.

He can even quote another Freethought blogger unblushingly:

One of the joys I celebrate in escaping from religion and church is no longer participating in this unbridled authority and reverence given to the pastor; the position of entitlements. Their needs and desires are always met or a concerted effort is attempted by the membership with much toil and sacrifice. The pastor is doused with honor and respect, given a god-like public image, and proclaimed a truth teller. A celebrity is added to the culture.

After receiving these former religionists with open arms and nurturing their non-belief, how will the secular community respond when they seek leadership positions? Will the secularists, humanists, freethinkers, atheists, agnostics, and skeptics embrace these individuals with greater enthusiasm just because they are ex-pastors? Will they seek to find the true character and uncover those holy skeletons? Will they put forth adequate vetting to determine that their integrity matches their charisma? These are my concerns, because a secular church in the hands of a cult personality is a religion disguised as a humanist community. Will there be a secular church on every corner filled with sheeples?

And, simply not take notice that there's plenty of sheeples posting comments on his own blog.

I mean, I've seen people there, over things like P.Z.'s grenade-throwing at Michael Shermer, say their trust in him is absolute, they'd never disagree with him, etc., etc.

Please, P.Z. don't have a SeaOrg.