Framing Atheism? Sport and Spectacle in the SciBling Colosseum

Gladius in one hand and scutum in the other, I enter the SciBling Colosseum... Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant (Gladiators didn't actually say that, but adds a nice touch, no?) Matt and Revere are already battling over two topics that always seem to provide a good show for spectators and participants in the blogosphere: Framing and Atheism Read their posts for full disclosure, but to recap: Nisbet: * Dawkins et al. have generated more discussion of atheism and critiques of religion, but is the this particular brand of discussion productive? Not only is it polarizing, but it lacks a positive message about alternative values and forms of community that could replace religion. * The 'Dawkins et al. phenomenon' is very much a product of the Freak Show of modern media. * News attention gravitates to the most polarizing and extreme of views. Thus, the actual discussion that ensues distracts from ...