Comments on Mississippi Atheists: Coming Out Atheist

Freedom is probably the single most important conc...

2008-04-19T06:59:00.000-05:00

Freedom is probably the single most important concept to me and one that I think about often. I believe it's critical that each person be free to choose what to believe or not to believe and what to reveal or not to reveal.

It's easier for me to take risks like I did in my last post because I have no children and my job cannot be taken away from me without serious risk of legal action. However, not everyone has these circumstances.

I was friends with a wonderful atheist couple who moved to Eupora a few years ago. When they discovered that their son was being taught about hell and crucifixion in his public school class, they asked the prinicipal to put a stop to it. Before they knew it, the community was up in arms against them and their names and address was put on the news for all to see. They were terrified and chose to move out of state rather than put their son through that grief (he had already started having nightmares and reverting to thumb sucking because his classmates mistreated him).

So I said all that to say this: it would be great if we could all come out; however, it's just not feasible for many. That's why I think it's so important that those of us who do choose to be a public face for atheism work diligently to let people know that we are good folks with morals and values. Hopefully, one day, it will allow these other people to stand up and be counted too without fear.

n dropping hints to family for years. Sometimes i'...

2008-04-19T06:32:00.000-05:00

n dropping hints to family for years. Sometimes i'll do it in the form of a question. I'm amazed at how they avoid my points/questions; i'm not sure how it happens, but it does. I'm a grown man, and my mother thinks it's a phase. My sister and niece came by after attending istrouma baptist (well, now it's actually called "exciting istrouma baptist church" really). My sister said that i could come along next time, and i would like it because they play guitar there. So, after years of reflection, thought, research, and being comfortable as an atheist, i think i'll do a 180 because "exciting istrouma baptist" has a band with guitar players in it. I'm sorry but my sister is ignorant like the rest; they think this is a quick decision.

On that remark about Carter: as I read the article...

2008-04-18T18:55:00.000-05:00

On that remark about Carter: as I read the article, the author is saying that his theology is conservative rather than his political views. I wouldn't call his politics conservative, but since he identifies as an evangelical, his theology probably is pretty conservative.

One other point I need to make here. Demonization is a big deal. Demonization is an enabling factor in the worst sorts of human rights abuses. For example, when we look at specific cases of genocide and try and figure out why they happen, we usually find a chain of events that begins years before the killing actually starts.

More often than not, an early stage in the chain of events is that the target group is demonized as a way of denying them participation in political and economic life. If the demonization isn't checked, it eventually reaches a point where people dehumanize the target group with labels like "parasites" or "vermin."

That's why the political tactics of our modern conservatives trouble me so much. They're way too comfortable using that sort of eliminationist speech against a lot of different people, and when people call them out on it, they rant and rave about political correctness. It seems to me that this tendency is getting more common among conservatives by the day, and some of the worst offenders are fundamentalist "christians."

Good points, VJack. The need to find other lefties...

2008-04-18T18:09:00.000-05:00

Good points, VJack. The need to find other lefties is the main reason I started my blog. One of the reasons a lot of groups who find themselves in the minority have such a hard time asserting themselves is because they're distributed far and wide and it's difficult connect with others who have the same values.

The need you identify for a support system for people who are trying to be more open about beliefs that are unjustly labeled as deviant is very important. It's also important for people who are trying to figure out how to be more open with their beliefs to have safe spaces to talk openly with other people and compare notes. Blogs can be very good for that.

I think you're right not to encourage all atheists to be open about it, regardless of their circumstances. It's not a simple and easy thing to do. It can have some significant consequences. And to me, it seems a little disrespectful of the right of people to make their own choices about how they live their lives to say things like that.

I won't pretend to know what it's like to deal with the stigma against atheism, but I do know what you mean about the feelings of isolation and disingenuousness that come along with concealing one's beliefs. Those feelings about some of my beliefs are one of the big reasons I decided to start being vocal about some of my views in the local community, and one of the big reasons I started blogging under my own name.

It sucks that we live in a society that puts so many people in that sort of bind. People shouldn't have to choose between being shunned and deprived of their rights, or hiding their beliefs. It's not healthy for individuals or for society. The double standard in the public discourse on religion in particular really gets under my skin.

"Unlike many others, we have the advantage that we...

2008-04-18T13:37:00.000-05:00

"Unlike many others, we have the advantage that we can easily pass for members of the Christian majority when necessary."

Yes, I admit to being a fake-Baptist when necessary. Although there is a large atheist community in Austin, I live/work in a tightly knit Southern Baptist enclave. If word got out that their librarian was an atheist, I'd be fired. It's bad enough that I have a daughter and no wedding ring...LOL!!!!!

I feel that if I commiserate, it'll be a token ges...

2008-04-18T13:26:00.000-05:00

I feel that if I commiserate, it'll be a token gesture. I have minor problems with telling my family that I'm atheist, but the wider world couldn't give a monkeys. I don't mention it, because I don't want other people to tell me about their religion. If they've started doing that anyway, I often drop it into the conversation.

There's a humanist club here in Oxford and I went ...

2008-04-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

There's a humanist club here in Oxford and I went to a meeting. I was one of three people to show up. Three people barely counts as a community. It makes being open about the topic difficult.

Carter was certainly an evangelical Christian, but...

2008-04-18T11:05:00.000-05:00

Carter was certainly an evangelical Christian, but I agree that it seems odd to describe him as extremely conservative. Of course, this has very little to do with this post.

When I looked at your link to the article, it desc...

2008-04-18T08:39:00.000-05:00

When I looked at your link to the article, it described Jimmy Carter as a conservative Christian. Jimmy Carter is not conservate politically and he is not a conservative Christian.

No offense, but when atheists start making theological judgments, they often miss the mark badly. This is just an example.