atheists (Des Moines, Iowa City, Ames: subdivision, live, buses)

[thtapler]

I'm not sure about the rules regarding religion on this forum, but I think I should be ok because atheism is not religion and I'm not trying to enlighten anyone

I wonder how many atheists there actually are here, since I believe there are far more than what surveys show. When I was younger I thought it wasn't socially acceptable to deny religion, but a few years ago I stopped caring and I've been finding that other people I have known for a long time are also doing this too. So how about you? Or your city?

I think besides my mother and her mother, who don't go to church, nobody in my family is religious, but they probably just dont talk about it for face reasons. It wasn't until last year that I kinda tested the waters to see what my family had to say about religion but only my uncle would declare his atheism.

[iowegian]

Have you heard of the Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers Alliance? If not, you might be interested: Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers |

I'm personally an atheist, and most of my friends from Iowa City are too. I think there's probably a pretty strong atheist presence in Iowa City, and in Des Moines as well. Here in Ames, I don't see it as much, but ISU does have a campus atheist group.

Unfortunately, most of Iowa still finds atheism unacceptable. I think an atheist would feel very uncomfortable in most small towns, and especially in more conservative western Iowa. Even in Des Moines, when the Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers ran ads on buses with slogans like "Don't believe in God? You are not alone," (which is hardly a confrontational ad) people were very upset. There's still a loooong way to go before atheism is accepted by society at large, and especially in the Midwest.

[Luke9686]

Also, don't mistake non-religious people for being atheists. Just because someone either denies, or doesn't have a religion, doesn't mean they are an atheists. They still may believe in a God. I personally know of a few that don't believe, but not many. I myself am religious, however I don't look down on others who don't believe. To each there own. But yeah, in a small town one would have a hard time, especially if the let their views be heard. In most big cities, nobody cares...

[swlmc2]

Whether one is a theist, atheist, or agnostic, I personally believe that the key to acceptance is to be open and accepting of others who don't share your beliefs.
By and large, one's religious views or lack thereof are personal, so unless you intend to go around proclaiming your identity as an atheist, there is no reason for anyone else to know your views, unless you wish to share them.
True, most people hold some form of religious belief, but anyone worth knowing or being friends with won't exclude you from their life based solely on whether your share their beliefs or not....
More important, I think, than one's religious beliefs is whether an individual lives their life with integrity, lives up to their responsibilities, and gives back to society. jmho.

[wade52]

In Iowa?

[Chicago60614]

I would agree with there being a lot of atheists/non religious in Iowa City.

Growing up my family wasn't religious in the slightest, and neither were any of their friends. They weren't hostile or against religion, but it was obvious that growing up they had all been raised in religious families, and resented the controlling and way it creeped through their personal lives.

I know none of the families in our subdivision went to church on Sundays, but I don't know if they were believers or not. They certainly weren't overly religious.

Of course that entire generation grew up in the Iowa City area in the 1960's, so were more apt to walking away from religion if they just saw it as a controlling measure. It was accepted by that point.

Except for my grandparents, and 3 coworkers I have here in Chicago - I don't know anyone that goes to church on a weekly basis. Even my coworkers that go to church are quite the heathens, haha. It's more just what they grew up with and what they do to appease the parents.

[thtapler]

Well I'm quite relieved at the mild reception this thread got, and I really like the iowaatheists link! It kinda helps me put some faith (no pun intended) back in humanity.

[Dport7674]

I've had moments in life, standing on the side of a mountain, staring out over the ocean, being in a large crowd of people, where I've felt a certain... connected-ness I guess you'd call it. Almost a religious experience maybe..

But I consider myself an Atheist. My personal belief is that we have no idea, no clue, as to what we are, who we are, "how" we are.

But if a person gains strength or a certain connected-ness from a religion or being in church, then knock yourself out. Who am I to judge? I've met "holier than thou" Atheist that turn me off almost as much as religious fanatics.

I'm a strong supporter of keeping Church and State seperate, but I also don't really give a sh*t if my money has In God We Trust on it either.

[BenRoethig]

Atheism is a religion, just one where it doesn't believe in god(s).