Atheism on the Rise

An article in today's NYT describes how "the ranks of atheists are growing" at the same time that more and more athiests are "coming out of the closet": --Percy

I always figured we were under represented in polls. I think people are realizing that even though atheist are the most reviled group in America, there are a lot more of us than people realize.A lot of atheists are "in the closet' for the same reason homosexuals tended to be for years. They are afraid of being ostracized and afraid of family reaction.My basic reaction to what others thought of my atheism was "f' em".

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Facts don't lie or have an agenda. Facts are just facts

I agree with theodoric. My experiences as an atheist in a christian dominated culture has been similar to the experiences of gay people in a straight dominated culture. You know how it's always ok for us to talk about our wives and kids, but as soon as the only gay man in the group mentions he's got a boy friend people would be jumping on him telling him to shut up and asking him why he had to rub his sexuality in our faces. Well, people tend to do that to me regarding my disbelief in god(s). They would ask what religion I am and then as soon as I tell them I don't believe in any god they'd start taking offenses where there were none.

It's great to see this being reported on by a news group with such a wide circulation as the New York Times.I think (and hope) this is just the tip of the iceberg for the coming out of atheist!One thing I would like to see is more atheist participating in charity or more charitable organizations that are openly atheist. I think this would help greatly in changing the way atheist are viewed by the religious.

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You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill.
I will choose a path thats clear, I will choose free will. - Neil Peart"Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts." -Albert Einstein"I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."
~ Gerry Spence

Would it surprise you to know that myself and my atheist friends donate considerable amounts of money to charity and do volunteer work? We just don't talk about it as much as christians do.To us, participating in such programs is more than just free choice. It's being part of the human race. To the christians, however, it's buying a ticket to heaven... or buying a ticket out of hell, nothing more.

No, it doesn't surprise me at all.I myself am very charitable and an atheist as well. But I think it's about time that we do talk about it, that we let it be know that atheist care about our fellow humans just as much as Christians do! And that we give to others without believing that we will be rewarded by god.We do good for goodness's sake and not because we are kiss god's ass. Which is far better in my book!

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You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill.
I will choose a path thats clear, I will choose free will. - Neil Peart"Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts." -Albert Einstein"I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."
~ Gerry Spence

I do not think atheist are any less charitable than religious people. We just tend not to need to justify our intentions. I retired at a young age(married to a physician), and I volunteer at least 4 days a week at the local schools. If I were a christian, I would probably be doing it to secure myself preferential seating in some sort of post life paradise. As an atheist I do it because I know it will improve my community, which will in turn improve my life.

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Facts don't lie or have an agenda. Facts are just facts

This may be off topic, and I usually don't defend christians, but this seems to be a pretty simple view on christian charity. I think claiming that christians only do nice things to secure a place in heaven is just as ignorant and claiming that all atheists are amoral/immoral. Having worked with a few christian charities in my time I can assure you that there are many christians out there that are just as interested in bettering their community as you, and it has nothing to do with their place in the afterlife. It's also important to mention that most protestant christians don't believe that good deeds will get them into heaven, only a belief in Christ, so they really have no more to gain from doing charity (post-mortem) than an atheist.That said, I think all people should do more for their fellow humans, I know I should. And honestly, what is more important, helping others, or your reasons for doing it?

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We have many intuitions in our life and the point is that many of these intuitions are wrong. The question is, are we going to test those intuitions?
-Dan Ariely

I don't either, I think atheist are just as charitable as religious people. That's why I like to see this brought to light in the public. How better to do this then by a charitable organization that is openly atheistic?

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You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill.
I will choose a path thats clear, I will choose free will. - Neil Peart"Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts." -Albert Einstein"I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."
~ Gerry Spence

Every atheist and agnostic has been asked the following question in one form or another: if you don't believe in god how can you have any moral? Of course nobody is going to admit that they only reason they do charity or that they have any moral at all is because they're afraid to go to hell. But the fact that they can't even imagine morality and good deeds without the fear of a vengeful god should be clue enough of what they believe deep down. Me, too. Next time, you should ask them why they do what they do and think about the meanings behind their answers.

Hi Sammy Jean, I second than emotion.Three or four of you need to get together and start a non-profit coropration and get busy.We need lots of help trying to feed the hungry that come to the food shelters, also to keep the shelters for battered women open, the shelters for young teenage mothers, as well as the homeless.God Bless,

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"John 5:39 (KJS) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

Sure that's true for SOME christians. Just as it's true that SOME atheist don't give a good goddamn about their fellow human beings. My point was that you were making blanket statements about christian charity that are just as ignorant as a christian who can't imaging morality without hell.So do some christians do charity because they fear hell (either consciously or subconsciously)? Yes. But not all. I have, and I have found exceptions to what you claim. I'd also like to point out that many atheists/agnostics have taken umbrage on this very site when theists think they know better the underlying reasons for why they do things. (see the Are We Prisoners of Sin thread)Just as there are christians that do not take the bible literally and do accept science, including evolution, there are christians who really do want to make their communities better places, because they want to be christ-like, not because they fear damnation.

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We have many intuitions in our life and the point is that many of these intuitions are wrong. The question is, are we going to test those intuitions?
-Dan Ariely

Hi Taz, I can assure you that no born again child of God has ever asked anyone that question.They know morality is hardwired into each individual by God not nature.Now I will not say that religious people have not asked that question.Taz I accepted God's offer for a free full pardon a long time ago and I don't have to do anything other than that to go to heaven.It didn't cost me a thing.I don't have to do any work to obtain it.It is a present posession because I accepted His offer.Therefore all the things I do and have done over the past 60 odd years is because I want to.It makes me feel good.It gives me great satisfaction to help someone along life's journey.Sorry Taz but I do take offence at your statement.God Bless,

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"John 5:39 (KJS) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

That's a really bold statement. You can ASSURE Taz of this? Do you guys all have a meeting to make sure?

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We have many intuitions in our life and the point is that many of these intuitions are wrong. The question is, are we going to test those intuitions?
-Dan Ariely

It gets asked here all the time. Go back to sleep.--Percy