Mississippi Atheists

Steve Schlict: A Mississippi Atheist With Much to Teach Us

2011-05-14T10:55:00.001-05:00

As some of you know, Mims Carter is the Biloxi Skepticism Examiner, bringing the light of reason to the dark reaches of Biloxi, MS. In this post, I'd like to bring your attention to a recent article he wrote about Steve Schlict, another member of the reality-based community in Biloxi. Mims provides an in-depth profile of Steve, a true role-model for atheists in Mississippi.

Steve has clearly given a lot of thought to the subject of secular morality and makes some excellent points about how it compares with the sort of morality based on belief in supernatural entities. I appreciate his willingness to share his perspective in such a public forum.

Whenever I hear from Mims or Steve, I can't help feeling a bit more optimistic about atheism in our state.

Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists

No, Not All Atheists Are White

2011-04-15T16:13:00.001-05:00

Greta Christina has been compiling a list of prominent atheists of color. Now there is no excuse for conference organizers who complain that they want greater diversity but aren't sure where to look. I think it is important for us to spread the word about resources like this.

I have heard from a few Black atheists here in Mississippi that it is even more difficult for them to be open about their atheism because of how much more religious the Black community tends to be around here. In many respects, they stand to lose even more by identifying themselves as atheists. That is a scary thought indeed.

Mississippi may not have many strengths, but our racial diversity is one. If you know any Black atheists in our state who would like to share their experience of being an atheist in Mississippi, I hope you will encourage them to submit a post. It would be great if we could make what we're trying to do here more relevant to a wider audience of atheists in our state.

Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists

Connecting Atheists in Mississippi

2010-12-26T09:09:00.002-06:00

I realize that blogs can serve as useful hubs for providing information, but they are not particularly well suited for connecting people. This is part of why I finally set up a Mississippi Atheists page on Facebook. However, that is inherently limited to those who are reasonable "out" about their atheism. I previously tried an email group through Google Groups, but I have not done a good job promoting it and it is rarely utilized.

I'd like to revive the Google Group idea and see if we can turn it into a state-wide listserv that atheists in our state can use to communicate and share information. If you'd like to participate, you can subscribe here:

Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists

Email:

Visit this group

I have adjusted the settings in an effort to accomplish the following:

Maximum privacy (group content can only be viewed by group members, and only managers have access to full list of subscribers)
Membership is restricted to atheists residing in Mississippi
Messages sent to the group will have the prefix "[MS Atheists]" to make it easier for subscribers to filter group messages as desired

I think this is worth trying again to see if we can indeed build a community of atheists throughout our state, but I am also open to other ideas. If anybody has ideas for how we might do a better job of helping to connect atheists in our state, I'd love to hear from you.

Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists

Have A Wonderful Season Of Celebrations

2009-12-04T08:18:00.005-06:00

Everyone can help; caring knows no color, no religion, no boundaries

As a loving husband, father of three great children, veteran police officer, atheist and secular Humanist who has volunteered to feed those in need alongside many good folks of diverse ethnicity, culture and world views for nearly 20 years, I encourage all people who are able to participate in these events (and others throughout the year) to help out for the greater good of the human family.

During my childhood after Hurricane Camille, I would explore the streets of Gulfport and play with other kids amongst all the wreckage and steps to nowhere. I was amazed at the resiliency of our human existence and those simple kind gestures that keep a community together regardless of our station in life.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we worked side by side with volunteers from the entire theological, economic and ideological spectrum. Many volunteers with no belief in the world’s assorted religious claims selflessly came and immersed themselves in the heartfelt simplicity of natural human empathy, caring and reciprocity along with those of religious convictions who are lovingly commanded to help others as a matter of faith.

The beauty of it all was clear: We were all human beings who cared for each other in a time when the walls, both physical and psychological, were brought down. We helped those in the midst of despair and loss simply because it was the right thing to do.

In the traditional world view of our family, friends and other secular, non-religious Humanists who have been a vital part of these sorts of community events for many years, this has always been a moral imperative.

We hope that all our friends within the predominant religious denominations will recognize this more inclusive interconnected moral standard is a shared commonality with those who are also secular and non-religious.

Have a wonderful winter solstice of all seasonal celebrations everyone and a safe and happy new year!

Steve Schlicht & Family

Biloxi, MS
humanistfamilies@hotmail.com

MS Coastal Clean Up - 2009

2009-10-18T13:19:00.005-05:00

Yesterday our atheist and humanist group, The Great Southern Humanist Society, again participated in the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup effort.

Our daughter, Erin, the recently elected president of the 7th grade Builder's Club from Biloxi Jr. High, helped her group along side members of The Great Southern Humanist Society in cleaning up Hiller Park in Biloxi, MS.

This is one of many annual events that we've joined over the past few years to keep our community involved in making the world a better place.

We have posted photographs of this year's effort at our website here:

GSHS

Past year photographs and data on garbage collected are also available on the MS Coast Clean Up website here:

Annual Clean Up

Next year our members have decided to work on cleaning up available locations in Hancock County.

Keep checking our calendar for other events as these next few months are always the busiest!

Renaissance Garden, Feed the Needy – Thanksgiving and toy collection are fast approaching.

Steve and Terresa Schlicht

c/o The Great Southern Humanist Society

An affiliate of the American Humanist Association, The Freedom From Religion Foundation and the American Atheists.

Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists

Mississippi on Twitter

2009-07-18T11:09:00.004-05:00

Image by jwinfred via Flickr

If you are new to Twitter, one of the more frustrating things can be finding people to follow. This can be an even bigger challenge if you want to find people in Mississippi. Fortunately, Mississippi Twitter List provides a lengthy directory of Twitter users with "Mississippi" or "MS" listed in the bio location of their Twitter profiles.

There sure aren't many on the list who have "atheist" or "atheism" anywhere in their bios. Maybe we can work on changing that. Of course, there are several who describe themselves as "Christ follower."

Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists

Advice for Atheists New to Mississippi

2009-05-23T06:17:00.000-05:00

I have received some e-mails from atheists who have recently moved to Mississippi from outside the deep South. Some simply want to know what to expect from an area that seems quite inhospitable to atheists. Others are looking for specific coping strategies, the most common of which involves where to find like-minded people to reduce feelings of isolation. I do my best to respond to all such queries and provide as much information as I can. However, such correspondence has led me to acknowledge that my limitations in these areas are many and my answers few. I thought it would be helpful for those of us contributing to Mississippi Atheists to do what we can to address such questions.

As someone who moved to Mississippi as an adult (and an atheist), I am in a decent position to address some of the issues involved with making the transition. At the same time, I am poorly equipped to address some of the social aspects of life in Mississippi as an atheist. I've never had a particularly strong need for affiliation, and many of my favorite activities are solitary pursuits. In this area, I can convey information reasonably well, but most of it does not come from personal experience.

I'm an Atheist Moving to Mississippi. What Can I Expect?

If you are relocating to Mississippi from outside the deep South, here are some things to expect:

Religion is an extremely important part of the daily lives of most Mississippians. Our state scores at the top of surveys asking respondents to rate the importance of religion in their daily lives. Note that this is very different from asking respondents about the importance of religion in some abstract way. This means that you can expect to be exposed to religion every day. This even holds true of the workplace.
Fundamentalist Christianity reigns supreme here. The Southern Baptists are very influential, and protestant denominations that might have been fairly liberal in other regions of the U.S. are so much more conservative as to almost be unrecognizable here.
When meeting someone for the first time, you can expect to be asked where you attend church within the first couple minutes. If you have been here more than a couple of days, you have probably already experienced this. If not, it is just a matter of time. I have found that nearly any response you give will be followed by the other party inviting you to attend their church.
Door-to-door proselytizing is an extremely frequent occurrence. Before adopting countermeasures, I could count on visits every week or two.
Anti-atheist bigotry is widespread. You can expect to hear atheist-bashing regularly, and it is not uncommon for Christians to either actively try to convert you or cut off all communication with you upon learning of your atheism.
There are other atheists in Mississippi. It may not be easy to find us, as most of us do not go around broadcasting it, but we are here.

This is Lonely. How Do I Find Other Atheists?

This is an area which I'd particularly like my co-authors to help me expand. Like I said, it is not my strength. Still, here is what I'd suggest:

Check out Meetup.com and see if there are any active groups in your area. Do not limit yourself by searching only for atheists. Look for humanists, skeptics, freethinkers, and the like. If you have an active group in your area, this is a great place to start.
How far are you from the nearest university? Most universities, even those in Mississippi, will have a higher concentration of atheists than you'll find in the community. Most universities also host a variety of public events. Some even have secular student groups that may periodically sponsor public events.
Visit the website of the local newspaper in your town. If they have any sort of online forum where people can post comments, you may well find other atheists there.
Check out Atheist Nexus and/or Think Atheist. Both have groups for Mississippi atheists (In fact, I think I created both of them). Again, this can be an effective way to connect with others in your area.
Leave comments here at Mississippi Atheists introducing yourself. Even if the authors don't know anyone in your area, other visitors might.
Above all, don't give up. I know it can be rough, but even having one person around whom you can be yourself makes such a difference.

Now, I invite my co-authors, visitors to the site, etc. to help me expand this in any way you see fit. Together, we can make a difference. And yes, please feel free to continue to e-mail me directly if you'd prefer. I don't have all the answers, but I'll certainly try to help.

Picture of Atheist Ad on New Orleans Street Car

2009-02-07T10:47:00.000-06:00

We now have a picture of the street car ad the New Orleans Secular Humanist Association is running. I think it is one of the better atheist ads I've seen.

Tags: New Orleans, New Orleans Secular Humanist Association, ad, street car, atheist

More God in Mississippi

2008-08-03T09:19:00.002-05:00

Oliver snapped this picture along Highway 6 in Oxford. It seems that a resident of one of the most Christian towns in Mississippi (and that is saying something) is worried that they aren't Christian enough.

Southern Atheists Finding Each Other Via Atheist Nexus

2008-07-21T06:04:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't a post about online dating. I am referring to the sort of "finding each other" that happens when an atheist living in an oppressively religious environment discovers that there are others who understand what he or she is going through. This is happening now all over Atheist Nexus, a relatively new social networking site similar to Facebook in many ways. If you are an atheist, especially if you happen to reside in the American bible belt, you owe it to yourself to check out Atheist Nexus. You just might discover that there are more like-minded people around than you previously realized.

When I first registered on Atheist Nexus, there were fewer than 100 members. Now there are over 2,000, and new members are joining daily. Thanks to posts by many high-profile bloggers, atheists from all over the world are discovering Atheist Nexus and joining to participate in the forums, groups, chat, and all sorts of social interaction.

Some initial concerns over the possibility that the site could be a tool for Christians to collect information on atheists have been addressed to my satisfaction. The original administrator was replaced, and I have no hesitation in recommending the site.

The neatest thing about my experience so far on Atheist Nexus has been meeting atheists from all over the Southern U.S., including some right here in Mississippi. There are more atheists around than I had realized. They know what it is like to live around here. They have dealt - and continue to deal - with many of the same challenges I experience. Consider yourself invited.

The Painful Path of Atheism

2008-04-08T11:50:00.007-05:00

Anyone who thinks that atheists don't believe in any gods simply to avoid responsibility have obviously never had much to do with any atheists. Atheism is a very lonely and frightening path that leads us deep into the unknown. There are no guarantees and everything is subject to change as new evidence is presented. No wonder then that atheists would reach out seeking other non-believers with which to share their thoughts and experiences. You'd think that finding such a community would be a great source of comfort and joy.

But you might be wrong.

With atheism often comes a high degree of skepticism which is both healthy and necessary for our continued growth as educated people. However, the skeptical atmosphere can be very discouraging and intimidating for a budding atheist. When I first "came over to the Dark Side," I joined an atheist forum in order to discuss my feelings and ideas. Some people were very supportive but there were others who tore my posts apart and searched every nit-picking sentence for flaws. I felt so stupid and ashamed that I didn't post anything else for a couple of years.

Looking back, I realize that learning to accept criticism is a good thing because it keeps us on our toes. Nevertheless, it can be very difficult for someone who has not had much exposure to skeptical or scientific thinking. Putting these people on the defensive is probably the last thing we need. And as our small Mississippi community of atheists grows, I hope we will all keep in mind that not everyone who joins us started on the same level as we perhaps did. We can be critical thinkers and questioners without being harsh or overly critical. If our goal is to increase the number of confident, educated minds in this state, I think it's imperative that we always remember that our path is painful enough without causing any more needless sorrow.

Tags: atheist, atheism, community, skepticism, criticism, Mississippi