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I think "coming out" as an atheist to people (in a relevant context) is similar to a gay person coming out. For years, many people thought they didn't know any gay people until they found out that their cousin/neighbor/nephew was gay. It had to change how they think of it.
If it's relevant in a conversation, I will say I'm an atheist. More than a few people (largely very religious ones) have said that I'm too nice to be an atheist, to which I say, "Atheists are nice. We don't try to convert people, we don't start wars to make other people atheists, and we don't even have our own country."
I consider it important to speak up, to "come out," in a relevant conversation- to normalize atheism as much as a religious or spiritual statement is normalized
Of course, I've fortunate to live in the pagan Northeast/East Coast area, where the only hyper religious people around seem to by my Nigerian co-workers.
That's it. I can well imagine that the more reasonable Christians can have a tolerant attitude towards atheists so long as they stay nice and quiet and in the 8% (TM) minority.
And we can be quite tolerant of the more reasonable Christians too, when they stay nice and quiet and are in a 8% minority. But that won't be done by sitting on our quoits and letting the theists have a clear field.
There are some who are not so reasonable, even beyond the dismissal of half of atheists as lapsed Christians with an axe to grind. Last poll I saw (1), half were lifetimers, including me. There are others even less reasonable, like the bods in the cartoon.
Ascerbic it was, but I have seen, in one form or another every one of those attitudes yea, even here, on these forums.
(1) quite some years ago on another board.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 08-23-2010 at 04:18 AM..
I reserve the right to get bent out of shape when Christians or members of any other religion--but let's face it, in the USA, it's usually Christians--try to turn their religion into law for all of us.
That's because most "true" atheists have nothing to prove and no need to yap on and on about it... it's like yammering on and on about not believing in Santa Claus or the Easter bunny... once I decided I didn't believe in any of this nonsense, there was nothing more for me to say.
Being in NYC, you probably don't encounter what those of us in more rural environments encounter, and, therefore, have little need or interest in discussing religion. If our gubernatorial candidates or Congressional candidates were campaigning to have students pray to the Easter bunny or to have "How Santa created the world" taught in classrooms, I think we'd all be talking more about bunnies and Santa. As it is, in Tennessee, some our political officials are trying to have ID taught in science class (though a federal judge struck this down) and prayer brought back into school. Books are regularly banned in schools and public libraries. The letters to the editor in my town are frequently those written by religious people protesting this group or that. It is difficult to sit back and say nothing, and I don't think that's the right thing to do.
My own experience with Christians judging atheists goes something like this:
Christian: They want anarchy! They want pedophilia! They want the destruction of all that is moral and pure!
Me: Do you know any atheists?
Christian: Uh, no.
Me: Yes, you do.
Christian: No, I don't.
Me: Yes, you do.
Christian: Who? Who's an atheist?
Me:
Christian:
Me:
Christian: Well, you're different.
I once heard one of my coworkers say that all atheists are drug addicted, jobless, worthless pieces of trash. I didn't mention that he, in fact, knows one atheist who is none of those things. Perhaps I should have, but I do value my job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by peppermint
Being in NYC, you probably don't encounter what those of us in more rural environments encounter, and, therefore, have little need or interest in discussing religion. If our gubernatorial candidates or Congressional candidates were campaigning to have students pray to the Easter bunny or to have "How Santa created the world" taught in classrooms, I think we'd all be talking more about bunnies and Santa. As it is, in Tennessee, some our political officials are trying to have ID taught in science class (though a federal judge struck this down) and prayer brought back into school. Books are regularly banned in schools and public libraries. The letters to the editor in my town are frequently those written by religious people protesting this group or that. It is difficult to sit back and say nothing, and I don't think that's the right thing to do.
And I've noticed that certain books are placed on the very bottom shelves in book stores, even at the large chain book stores. For example, I had to practically sprawl out on the floor to find Richard Dawkins' book The Ancestor's Tale at my local Barnes & Noble. And it wasn't in alphabetical order, they just had all of the books dealing with evolution in one section at the bottom. In the same shelf but at the top is a book that focuses on discrediting evolution, along with several books about God and science. At another chain store in town, they have literally row upon row of Christian-themed books, and the entire science section is comprised of two shelves that total about eight feet in length and are five feet tall. I can't say I blame the stores for doing it. They know what sells here and they know how to avoid complaints from irate Christians.
Not entirely related but of note, I've also noticed that most book stores here seem to think the only two events in history were the Civil War and World War II.
Yes, I have noticed all those things about bookstores here and in MS, where I grew up. The hardcore science books (biology, physics, geology, etc.) comprise usually no more than 2-3 shelves, usually small ones. I visited a friend in St. Louis not long ago and was pleasantly surprised and at home in a "large" science section, taking up two small bookcases.
On the topic of the OP, we haven't had to be secretive about our lack of faith with coworkers, but with family - well, that's a different matter. Christianity is definitely the faith of our ancestors. My husband's family has quite a succession of ministers. There are all sorts of assumptions made about atheists. I haven't heard the drug addict, jobless description. That's more pleasant than the murderous, warmonger mentality that was described to me.
Regarding the science books, many people say, "Ugh, how boring. They remind me of school!". No, you can't blame the book stores. At least my local B&N doesn't put the freethinker books on the bottom.
Lamplight: The Ancestor's Tale is a great book! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (I know, that can't be quantified, but it's a fine read!)
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Well, you're different.
