The Image Problem With Atheism in America

[Mister Agenda]

I heard about some atheists in Atlanta ranting about homosexuals on the radio. We can't control who's an atheist. And it's only gonna get worse. When most Americans are atheists, most atheists are gonna be like most Americans. Atheism is worthless, it's the freethought that matters, and when you no longer have to put any thought into becoming an atheist, we'll get more unthinking atheists.

[Faith No More]

Atheism is worthless, it's the freethought that matters...

QFT

[Rampant.A.I.]

This thread reminds me of the term "Race Baiting," otherwise known as how bigoted Americans blame a third party for exposing their intolerance.

[Brian37]

Atheism is worthless, it's the freethought that matters...

QFT

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No "atheism" is not worthless. Is accepting that Santa is not real "worthless"?

It is called growing up. When you have Stephen Hawkins saying "A god is not required" that is the same as "Santa is not required"

[Minimalist]

Faith-based institutions provide resources to these poor and working-class families. They also fight racial discrimination, offer a foundation for community organizing and create access to social welfare, professional networks and educational resources.

Some do...although their motives are more about marketing and gaining membership....and many are simply concerned with appearances.

Westboro Baptist is a "church," too.

[Faith No More]

No "atheism" is not worthless. Is accepting that Santa is not real "worthless"?

It is called growing up. When you have Stephen Hawkins saying "A god is not required" that is the same as "Santa is not required"

Why do you make a habit of always missing the point?

[Polaris]

It would be nice if more 'atheists of color' joined active atheist groups.

The problem is white atheists in America do nothing to encourage minority atheists to join their ranks...they're just like the Republicans who think it's a good idea to have a few token blacks and hispanics to entice the minorities, but that always fail quite miserably.

There's also no atheist kkk. Fucking atheists with their liberal bias!

Most of the conservative leaders that caused the most destruction in history have been atheists. It only took them 50 years to ten-fold outmatch the theists in terms of sheer brutality. But wait....next someone will use the No True Scotsman fallacy to bullshit out of that reality.

I do have to agree with Agenda though....most people don't have an issue with the religion of America so much as Americans themselves....Americans are going to act the same way whether they're Christian, Moslem, Jew, or Atheist. I have seen far too many American atheists who simply copy their beliefs from a blogger's website (sounds just like those Fundies with their Biblical interpretations). One Yank was such a dolt,. he thought that using an atheist blog to explain advanced evolution principles was valid when basic university (state college evolution courses) websites thoroughly disproved it.

Min, from your comments, you have agreed with many positions made by the WBC. You really want to act like them?

[Bad Wolf]

Most of the conservative leaders that caused the most destruction in history have been atheists. It only took them 50 years to ten-fold outmatch the theists in terms of sheer brutality. But wait....next someone will use the No True Scotsman fallacy to bullshit out of that reality.

Did these evil atheists do these evil things because there was no god? I'm being serious here, was that specifically their reason for doing bad things?

And as for outmatching theists in terms of sheer brutality, I'm sceptical of that, remind me again, how many crusades were there? 6? 7? How many witch burnings? How many stonings?

[Cato]

The problem is white atheists in America do nothing to encourage minority atheists to join their ranks...they're just like the Republicans who think it's a good idea to have a few token blacks and hispanics to entice the minorities, but that always fail quite miserably.

Evidence please. Atheism is colorblind. The arguments do not depend on race. People that accept there is no god are welcome, regardless of color.

Do the arguments for atheism somehow change because of someone's race in your opinion?

[archangle]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteveryt...-atheists/

Faith-based institutions provide resources to these poor and working-class families. They also fight racial discrimination, offer a foundation for community organizing and create access to social welfare, professional networks and educational resources. These are essential issues, and atheists of color often find themselves allied in these missions.

White atheists have a markedly different agenda....White organizations go to battle over church/state separation and creationism in schools. They largely ignore the fact that black nonbelievers face a racial and gender divide....But when we look to atheist and humanist organizations for solidarity on these issues, there is a staggering lack of interest...

Ultimately, if people of color don’t see atheists and humanists stepping up on issues that directly affect their communities, atheists proselytizing about the evils of organized religion will be dismissed as empty paternalism.

Thoughts? This has been an issue for many years where the outspoken atheists in America are seemingly dominated by mainly middle-class, white men who are are often seen as self-serving by minority atheists. I have even read articles by minority atheists that view these white atheists as closet white supremacists and want absolutely nothing to do with them.

until we realize its people and not beliefs we will be hated just like any other large group. I don't like some theists (no a)because they are assholes. Until some atheists understand this simple notion they will be blaming the wrong thing.

If we act like an asshole and get treated like an asshole; then suck it up. That's why I care about hitch's death as much as I care about any asshole's theists death. He was nice "front man" tho. Cannon fodder while the adults talk in the back ground.