I actually do enjoy reading intelligent atheists.
Permit me to introduce to you atheist/humanist, Tim O’Neill.
O’Neill is extremely erudite and articulate. Since I had studied the Middle Ages in my grad studies I already knew much of what he wrote in his blog, “The Dark Age Myth: An Atheist Reviews ‘God’s Philosophers.’” (linked for you here and at the bottom of the blog. )
The term ‘Dark Ages,’ a misnomer, was coined by an Italian scholar named Francesco Petrarch, who lived from 1304 to 1374. The truth is that he used the term merely because of a lack good literature at the time. Sadly, the name stuck.
But, with just a little bit of study anyone will see that the period commonly cited from 500-1500 A.D., was anything but “dark.” For it was during this period of time science exploded and what we know today as the “university” was begun.
O’Neill slices up the “internet atheists” who know little to nothing about history. He writes,
“One of the occupational hazards of being an atheist and secular humanist who hangs around [atheist] discussion boards is to encounter a staggering level of historical illiteracy.”
His thesis for his blog is as follows:
“The myth goes that the Greeks and Romans were wise and rational types who loved science and were on the brink of doing all kinds of marvelous things until Christianity came along and banned all learning and rational thought and ushered in the Dark Ages.” (Google Christian scientists and philosophers of the Middle Ages such as Robert Grossetest, Albertus Magnus, Nicole Oresme, and Thomas Aquinas.)
O’Neill continues,
“It’s not hard to kick this nonsense to pieces, especially since the people presenting it know next to nothing about history and have simply picked up these strange ideas from websites and popular books.”
You can access O’Neill’s blog here.
Below is the link I promised you. Nick