Atheists Are Not Necessarily Skeptics

Atheists are not necessarily skeptics, or vice-versa. One would assume that the same reasoning and logic that goes into the dismissal of religion would be used to an equally satisfactory extent in other aspects of an atheist's life. To be skeptical as to the origins of religion and to understand that the foundations on which it was built were entirely man-made takes a lot more than the blind faith that is so revered in the followers of a god. The skeptical skills used to reveal religion for what it truly isn't can easily be adapted to expose the quackery behind the pseudosciences, for instance.

In the video above is Bill Maher, a prominent atheist who has recently had great success with the documentary 'Religulous', is one of the best examples of this skeptical skill-set adaptation not taking place. The man actively denies the importance of vaccination, amongst other outlandish pseudoscientific claims generally put forth by the holistic community (read ignorant morons).

To proudly call oneself a rationalist, yet actively deny scientific evidence regarding most modern medicine, is laughable. Everyone has their sacred cow though, I guess. I hope to rid myself of as many of them as I can.