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"Coming out" as atheist
November 2, 2013 at 11:49 pm
What is your opinion on people "coming out" as atheists? Or closeted atheists. Do you think it's necessary to tell friends and family that you are an atheist? A part of me is like, well no. There's no need to but if it comes up be honest. Others say that we need to do it so we can rid the stigma and hate of atheists (at least here in the USA).
I don't feel lgbt should even have to come out! It should be like "this is my gf/bf" or "I like the same sex." and the other people take it like someone saying they like blondes. You know?
In this society this isn't possible yet. What are your thoughts?
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 2, 2013 at 11:56 pm
I think it's different for everyone, depending on circumstances.
For myself, I've always been an atheist and never had to defend my views against Christian family members. We were taught it wasn't polite to ask about these things, so I didn't. But that said, I never shied away from saying what was true if the issue was made a topic of discussion. Usually the fact of my atheism has been enough to discourage further discussion on the subject -- but not always. And if someone pushes, I am quite comfortable and well prepared to go to the mats over it.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 3, 2013 at 12:14 am
I don't advertise my atheism with friends or family members but if asked I'm going to be honest. I hate the fact that in my professional life (running a small business in a predominantly Catholic town) I have to keep it under wraps, but I'm not going to hide in my private life. If I didn't live in such a red state, I might feel more comfortable being out in the open (that is, if anybody asks).
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 4, 2013 at 1:52 pm
(November 2, 2013 at 11:49 pm)Wunsbee Wrote: What is your opinion on people "coming out" as atheists? Or closeted atheists. Do you think it's necessary to tell friends and family that you are an atheist? A part of me is like, well no. There's no need to but if it comes up be honest. Others say that we need to do it so we can rid the stigma and hate of atheists (at least here in the USA).
I don't feel lgbt should even have to come out! It should be like "this is my gf/bf" or "I like the same sex." and the other people take it like someone saying they like blondes. You know?
In this society this isn't possible yet. What are your thoughts?
i think people shouldn't use "coming out" for atheism. it's in not comparable to coming out gay, and it's appropriation of gay struggles.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 4, 2013 at 1:54 pm
I have a 'you ask, I'll tell' policy. I don't bring it up apropos of nothing.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 4, 2013 at 2:02 pm
(November 4, 2013 at 1:52 pm)echo Wrote: i think people shouldn't use "coming out" for atheism. it's in not comparable to coming out gay, and it's appropriation of gay struggles.
Perhaps the gay community first used 'coming out' as its way of using simple language to express the action of revealing one's inclination. Similarly, the word 'gay' was once used to express a state of happiness, and the homosexual community has adopted this word as their very identity term, yet I do not complain. I do not see how sharing a common language expression diminishes one side's position or value. For many atheists, 'coming out' can have as devastating an affect upon their lives/careers as can coming out gay for some others. Trust me, if I 'came out' atheist at my job (which means nothing more than revealing my inclination), I will most certainly 'suffer'.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 4, 2013 at 2:09 pm
I'm open about my atheism, when it comes up in discussion.
My mom and sisters know what I feel, I don't talk to much of the rest of my family often. I wouldn't be able to have the conversation with my gram because she's pretty catholic, and I think it would quickly get to a point where I would be perceived as disrespecting my elder.
I find it's not something that comes up often, though.
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Thanks to Cinjin for making it more 'sig space' friendly.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 4, 2013 at 2:27 pm
(November 2, 2013 at 11:49 pm)Wunsbee Wrote: What is your opinion on people "coming out" as atheists? Or closeted atheists. Do you think it's necessary to tell friends and family that you are an atheist? A part of me is like, well no. There's no need to but if it comes up be honest. Others say that we need to do it so we can rid the stigma and hate of atheists (at least here in the USA).
I don't feel lgbt should even have to come out! It should be like "this is my gf/bf" or "I like the same sex." and the other people take it like someone saying they like blondes. You know?
In this society this isn't possible yet. What are your thoughts?
I think it depends entirely on the situation and whether or not that person deems it important enough. If I were the son of a fundamentalist preacher, I might feel it more important to proclaim my atheism than if I were the son of a watered-down Christian that didn't go to church.
It's up to the individual to determine.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 5, 2013 at 1:48 am
For me it was tricky, but I thought of it as a matter of honesty, so I came out to my parents and it wasn't that bad, better to be honest to your family and self
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: "Coming out" as atheist
November 5, 2013 at 2:49 am
(This post was last modified: November 5, 2013 at 2:50 am by Sejanus.)
I personally never had to "come out"... atheism for me is just a rejection of belief in that which has no supporting evidence. My parents could be described religious in the loosest sense of the word, frankly do not give a flying fuck. I only really talk about it if it comes up in conversation, which is usually only when theists are peddling their shit. For example, a man offered me the New Testament on the street recently, to which I replied "No thanks, I'm an atheist."
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