NOTE: Meet Margaret Downey at our Winter Solstice Party!
By Tom KrattenmakerBeing an atheist is not easy in this age of great public religiosity in America. Not when the overwhelming majority of Americans profess some form of belief in God. Not when many believers equate non-belief with immorality. Not when more people would automatically disqualify an atheist for the presidency (53%, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll) than a gay candidate (43%), for example, or a Mormon (24%).(snip)Mindful of atheism’s reviled reputation, a new current in non-belief is intent on showing the public what atheists are for. You might be surprised by what’s on their short list. Because, save for the belief-in-a-deity part, it sounds a lot like what most Americans value. Care for one’s community and fellow human beings, love of country and cherished American principles, the pursuit and expansion of knowledge ? these are the elements of the new “positive atheism.”A new faceThe reputation of atheists has not been well-served by the surly attacks on religion by some of atheism’s highest-profile torch carriers. From the best-selling atheist manifestos of recent years to Bill Maher’s new Religulous movie, the loudest voices of non-belief have exhibited much of the same stridency and flair for polemics as the religious fundamentalists they excoriate.But if Margaret Downey keeps making progress with her campaign to show a different face of atheism, it’s possible to imagine the day when avowing one’s non-belief will not be political suicide. (It seems to be just that today, given that only one member of Congress, Rep. Pete Stark of California, has revealed that he does not believe in a deity; in view of polling data suggesting that some 5% to 15% of Americans are atheists and agnostics, it seems certain there are at least a few more non-believing senators and representatives in the halls ? and closets ? of Congress.) Downey, having recently finished a stint as president of the Atheist Alliance International, is now organizing a non-believers’ unity convention to take place in 2011. She is the poster person for positive atheism, a term she uses for a new face of atheism that emphasizes the good things in which non-believers do believe.Downey does not move in the ways of the late atheist spokesperson Madalyn Murray O’Hair, who was known for her caustic mockery of religion and its followers. And despite Downey’s friendship with the outspoken atheist author Richard Dawkins, of The God Delusion fame (who likens the religious indoctrination of kids to child abuse), Downey is more interested in building bridges than walls.
So. . . .
As long as we smile and pretend believers are all OK, some believers will say nice things about our “new” atheism that Madalyn expounded in her brief to the supreme court.
Religious indoctrination is child abuse. And if we say so, all the sweetness & light goes away.
Of course, it will go away anytime it damn well pleases, anyway.
An effective addiction treatment program on the needs of each individual resident.
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Britney
kansas drug rehab
Positive atheism my ass! Atheism needs no qualifier.
Somehow I get the idea that anyone not part of her group is now negative by default. The semantics of this are annoying , but I’m really gonna need an Atheist party in 2011.
It’s nice to see some positive atheism. Although I like some negative atheism too. It’s good to see that we are standing up and trying to change the image that has been assigned to us, for most of us know, that most atheists are good. Let’s not forget that religion itself should be tolerated. It’s the extremist viewpoints that Extremists portray and proselytize that are the real problems. The desire to integrate religion and government/education and to push unsubstantiated beliefs as facts, is in my opinion, the real enemy of atheists, who are by norm, rational thinkers. I fell this also the downfall of mankind. While most atheists are intelligent. There are a number of us that are just plain rude and end up making the rest of us look like idiots. So when some of us are running our mouths like we do, we are also justifying the opposition to act in a like rude and irrational manner. We are also setting a statement of other people that aren’t us. The gays/lesdians I feel are doing a much more mature method of representing themselves as a minority than we are, because of our over-negativity. Once we obtain a positive image, then we can be much more effective. I think it is far better to push our agenda of reality and science than to push the negative agenda of anti-religion, unless it crosses the above lines.
Why won’t this allow me to put the word lesdian in it?
Dare I say it?
Will atheist factions emerge from this?
Or will atheists be the more evolved subspecies of human and unite over this?
Will batman go to church and robin join American atheists?
Stay tuned.
I think the fact that Atheist groups are getting along as well as we do now shows that we’re much more rational, and we have a brighter future than religions.
We have several different labels we give to ourselves, Atheist, agnostic, Freethinker, Bright, secular humanist. If we were to compare those labels to denominations, and say Freethinkers belong to lots of different “denominations of Freethought,” I think it would show that we get along MUCH better than differing Christian groups have.
Of course it helps a group behave to HAVE to behave. Being in the minority has helped shape our growth as a movement by keeping our heads out of the clouds, so to speak. Our goals for growth are reasonable, and one reason for that is that we have had to struggle so much for every inch of freedom we’ve gotten.
I think we’re much better as a movement because of this. Now we’re growing by leaps and bounds, but still within our own reasonable scope of growth. Again, I like that. I think that’s the safest way to grow, as a movement.
Joe Zamecki
Austin
Does this mean I have to smile when I ridicule silly superstitious unverifiable exaggerated claims that exist in my public life….
I know it’s off topic… but does anyone else feel like the US economy is about to collapse (for real this time)?
OT
Stem Cell Breakthrough
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7735696.stm
This changes everything and will revolutionise medicine. Now with Obamas victory we are going to see real science being funded here in the USA for the benefit of all humanity.
Poster
The right to be religious and as goofy as you want to be is guaranteed under our constitution and I fully support that right but religion should no more be tolerated than should any other superstition.
CEH
Well it depends on what you mean by collapse. 9.5% unemployment? Yep. Not until home prices readjust to their historical norm will we begin see stabilization in the large economy – emphasis on begin. In most regions where the housing ponzi scheme was active we have a year more to go before housing hits bottom but it could be more precipitous than that. Any widespread efforts by the government to meddle in mortgage agreements will only prolong the inevitable and create more moral hazard.
I think there are some institutions that are too big to fail and the government should help them now but change dramatically the rules under which they operate. The rest should fail. It’s better that we get back to a sustainable economy quickly or people will just not want to take part in it.
Joe Zamecki
When I was growing up a Southern Baptist I was taught to respect individual liberty. Our heros were people like Roger Williams of RI, and the VA Baptist (I forget his name) who ran against James Madison in the 1st congressional election, withdrew on Madison’s pledge to work for adoption of the Bill of Rights. In those days, Southern Baptists bragged that they had invented separation of church & state!
Let’s hope we do better, if we ever become powerful.
I agree.
Man, when am I going to learn to stop reading the *comements* attached to the bottom of articles linked in these blog posts. Just makes me ill to my stomach.
Wonderful logic such as “If you can’t see any proof of God, you’re incredibly blind. This planet itself is the proof of God…”
or
“Reading the Bible will support the fact that the world is in fact in His control. One day every knee will bow and acknowledge the fact thet Jesus is Lord.”
..this is what atheists get for being positive? All the same, I do support being positive about atheism whenever possible.
mdetrano
I saw that thread, too. That girl is a real piece of work, isn’t she?
What really made me shudder was when I found out George Gallup was like that. The pollster, the guy who’s supposed to be telling us all what we think. . . .
What:
With the Republicans playing “Russian rou1ette” with entire US economy, because of their opposition to the automaker bailout, I think things are much worse than they were a month ago.
If this continues, we are going to have 13% unemployment, further (record breaking) deterioration of the housing market, and many more bank failures by the end of next year.
Our elected officials better figure out a compromise soon.
Comment from: CascadiaEventHorizon
If memory serves me correctly the Dems have been in control of the economy since 2006…I wonder how long into the “messiah’s” reign that you’ll be able to blame the Reps…
Why do you look to the government to solve the very crisis that they created? That’s exactly what they want you to do…
Cradle to the Grave care from your master…
Some day you’ll understand that “It’s ok to leave the Plantation”…
http://tinyurl.com/6eovu2
“a new face of atheism that emphasizes the good things in which non-believers do believe.”
this seems to suggest there are also bad things in which non-believers believe
the truth may not be pretty, but that doesn’t make it bad
sorry, there can be no mutuality with those who truly believe non-believers are immoral monsters…those who would banish us from existence
no quarter will be given…but we must fight with knowledge, reason and compassion, not god, guns and glory
you live by the sword, you die by the sword
we should use the sword that cuts to the truth, not through the flesh
use the cards that trump all hands: the facts….the cold hard facts of our reality
theofanatics need to man-up….but we should be there to hold their hands as we lead them out of the darkness
Tuen…
Why are your morals any more valid then say…these guys?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5192674.ece
Word phred.
No reason to keep Detroit afloat.
Toyota, Honda & Kia are making plenty of cars here that actually satisfy market demand.
Is “positive atheism” an oxymoron?
in a mythological sense? yes
in an existential sense? no
in an utilitarian sense? no qualifiers need apply…thx What
phreedm
thx for the question:
just going to bed…gotta work tomorrow…but if you’ll bear with me I’ll check out your link and bounce back asap….tuen
Comment from: mxracer652
Agreed…
Through the necessity of reciprocity, our distant ancestors selected certain altruisms which have become innate in us today.
These “morals” belong to all of us, even though religion tried to hijack them. To paraphrase Steven Pinker: the ubiquitous vice of self-deception always manages to put the self on the side of the angels.
In our evolutionary reality, the morals of the Somali pirates and myself are the same. The difference is that they apparently believe the angels are on their side and are willing to kill to prove it.
But the pirate issue is not related to the point of this blog. My contention is with the delusional, divisive theists of the world who believe they are morally superior to others of their species. In particular: atheists
Hey phreedm…yeah I’m almost awake…haha
the previous is in response to your question…
CEH
Yes it can potentially get that bad. I have talking about this since late 2003 but few would listen. They were just having to much fun spending the money they were taking out of the housing ATM. And then are these idiots:
That Phreek must really have to work at being that stupid. But, hey, s/he is why we are where we are today.
The GOP is going to have to dump the Phreekies of this world or it will die a certain political death. After that happens, which may be soon, how long do you think it will be before our resident idiot realizes that espousing his archaic ideology is just pissing in the wind? I think he will just continue to wet himself.
From the religion pages of the Washington Post
There wont be anything left of the RR when Arnie gets through with them.
Tuen
Why doesn’t religion understand that the devil they fight; they have created….Religion creates thier enemies and in that sense they fight themselves….stupid religion
What:
Isn’t that the truth, the Reagan call to deregulate everything seems pretty dead right now. I hope the GOP has learned its’ lesson (though, I won’t hold my breath)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/18/AR2008111802886.html
Godless
Parker is right. I mean correct.
Charlie
your right, their demons are all part of the crazy delusion
Charlie
It’s just like any “protection racket” – you create the problems so that you can extract payment from the “marks” for solving the problems. In this case the marks are so deluded that they don’t even realize that there really is no problem. Hello!
Comment from: CascadiaEventHorizon
This is truly frightening that you’d actually believe more government is the answer…
Government creates a crisis so that it can gain power…
If you did the least amount of research you’d find that it was regulations that got us into this mess…
The NObama administration has already stated…”No Crisis should be wasted”…
Huh? Is that what you want?
Where is your “messiah”? Why is he silent? He could stop this bleeding if he wanted to…
But why would he? History tells us that when a society is fearful of their future, that they are willing to give up just about anything for security…and that’s exactly what we’re going to get…
Stupidity Ruled on November 4th…
Methinks he doth project too much.
After 9/11, Bush & Co were able to push through all kind of changes that promised security to the fearful and took away a lot of freedoms.
Is it still lying after one has rationalised it to the point of believing the lies?
Poor, sad freak show.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin
Feb 1775
Bush Co seized 911 as an opportunity to remove civil liberties from Americans through the use of exaggerated fear which is why he was voted in for a second term. Republicans and the reliiogus feed on fear and are masters at its manipulation to control people. We got what we deserved in electing Bush.
Your right…Bush did take away some of our freedoms…
There is no doubt about it…but what about economic fears? Look what FDR was able to accomplish…
Do you know congress held hearings last month about confiscating IRAs?
Would you give them up for future security? No?
FDR was able to sell SSI in 1935 BECAUSE of the depression. It NEVER would have gone through in 1925…
Look at the morons who are fearful of making SSI private. How easily they’be been brainwashed into believing Washington has all of the answers…
Stupidity Ruled on November 4th…
Your=You’re
Wow. If a body was a mind to he could make a right fine career studying Phreeky’s complex of delusions. But don’t get any on you!
No it doesn’t.
phreedm sputtered:
If only he had managed to take away one more phreedm…
Typical to attack the messenger, when you can’t deny the truth…
You prove my point…
Very funny castletonsnob.
You keep stating this but it is never true. I really feel sorry for you.
By the way, you do not have to correct, your and you’re, or their, there, and they’re etc., since there are few here as petty as you. Everyone makes those mistakes. Work on your critical thinking skills instead.
The phrase “You prove my point” is widely understood to be an admission of failure.
Was this directed at me, massah phreedm?
Hungry hungry trolls.