Over the past couple of months, I've joined a few atheist and humanist groups on Facebook with the hope of finally finding people who think and see the world the way I do. At first, that's what I thought I'd found, but it wasn't long before I began seeing the same sorts of behaviors and rhetorical devices used by Christians (and by Christians, I am generally referring to the ones in the media these days: Biblical literalists and those who don't understand context or facts or what the word "theory" actually means). What bothers me even more is the number of people in these groups who think that it's okay to behave like that.
Atheists are the most distrusted and probably the most hated group in the US. No one is denying the lack of love coming our way. But acting like children or mimicking the behavior of those who hate us isn't going to further our goals or win us any favors. We have to be better than those who hate us. We have to be more respectful, more mature, and less incendiary when we speak. There are two behaviors in particular that bother me: the "religion is bad and here are some quotes that prove my point" argument and incendiary language toward theists.
The first is the frequent "this is why ______ religion is bad" posts. Generally, this sort of post is reserved for the Bible, but ever since the tragedy in Norway (weirdly enough, considering that the perpetrator was Christian), the subject has been Islam (apparently even atheists like to jump to conclusions). First of all, they're preaching to the choir, so to speak. I don't see the point in littering the news feed with things that most of us are already aware of. Secondly, exactly what is being accomplished by it? We're already atheist. They aren't convincing any of us to not be members of those religions.
The "Islam is bad" issue is one that really riles me up. For one thing, Muslims and Christians are still human. They come in many flavors and mind sets, so equating all of Islam with terrorism is hateful. All Christians are not Biblical literalists (I am aware that I often say "Christians" when I mean Biblical literalists...it's a difficult thing to get around without making it complicated). Many Christians have the same views of social justice that atheists do and we really shouldn't be alienating people who are on our side. For example, there are two churches in Louisville that refuse to perform any marriages until gay marriage is legal. I don't see a need to alienate them because I disagree with Michele Bachmann. Secondly, I'd like to leave the Islamophobia to the racists. Extremists are extremists regardless of their beliefs (or lack there of). I don't want to be associated with extremist atheists (though I am having difficulty thinking of any off the top of my head) anymore than all Muslims want to be associated with Osama bin Laden or all Christians want to be associated with Pat Robertson or Lou Eagleton. You can't have it both ways.
The second issue I have is with inflammatory language like "magical sky daddy" or "imaginary friends." Really? Do we really want to go there? Oh, because some Christians say hateful things about us, we should do the same thing to them? I'm sorry, but I thought we weren't in kindergarten anymore. Now I know that a lot of atheists would ask how those things are hateful. They're hateful because we are attacking something that a person takes very seriously. Faith is a deeply personal thing and when we use language like that (as opposed to asking questions or simply offering another side to the issue), a person of faith is going to take it personally. And anyone who uses that sort of language KNOWS THAT. Otherwise, there's no point in saying it. We say things like that precisely because we know how that person will feel when we say it and to claim otherwise is disingenuous at best.
Secondly, Christians have the right to believe in god. They have a right to take the Bible as literally as they want and we, as followers of the Constitution, should protect and respect Christians' right to believe, whether they return the favor or not. Frustrating as it is, if we want to gain any ground with Americans, that's what we have to do. It sucks. There's no denying that. But we have to be better. Period.
Finally, when we use that sort of language, people shut their ears. And not just Biblical literalists. Atheists have a reputation for being assholes (see the paragraph about all Muslims not being terrorists). I, for one, am not an asshole and I would like for the rest of the country to realize that the majority of atheists are, in fact, nice people. Our reputation is part of the reason that it's difficult for us to get support. Take the WTC memorial cross. Should that cross be there? Absolutely not. Should the president of American Atheists have said the thing about god not stopping 9/11? Again, absolutely not. It was irrelevant to the case and it made us look like assholes. That case is about representation. If all beliefs aren't equally represented, then none should be represented. That's what he should have said. He could have stated the numbers of Jews and Muslims who died on 9/11 who won't be represented by a 17 foot monument. He could have mentioned that the cross has been in a church for quite a while and suggested reasons for it to remain there. Those are the sorts of things that would have helped his position, not his personal distaste for Christianity. (see The Daily Show clip that has some atheists upset with Jon Stewart: http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/thu-august-4-2011-dick-durbin)
The bottom line is that we all, atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Pastafarians, etc., have the exact same freedom to worship (or not worship) as we see fit. We have the same freedom of religion. It is none of my business what anyone else believes nor is it anyone else's business what I believe. We are equals. Period. Whether or not we respect someone's choice to believe, we must respect their right to do so, especially if we're fans of the Constitution. The correct attitude is one of ambivalence. I don't give two shits what anyone else believes and that's how it should be.
Atheists are the most distrusted and probably the most hated group in the US. No one is denying the lack of love coming our way. But acting like children or mimicking the behavior of those who hate us isn't going to further our goals or win us any favors. We have to be better than those who hate us. We have to be more respectful, more mature, and less incendiary when we speak. There are two behaviors in particular that bother me: the "religion is bad and here are some quotes that prove my point" argument and incendiary language toward theists.
The first is the frequent "this is why ______ religion is bad" posts. Generally, this sort of post is reserved for the Bible, but ever since the tragedy in Norway (weirdly enough, considering that the perpetrator was Christian), the subject has been Islam (apparently even atheists like to jump to conclusions). First of all, they're preaching to the choir, so to speak. I don't see the point in littering the news feed with things that most of us are already aware of. Secondly, exactly what is being accomplished by it? We're already atheist. They aren't convincing any of us to not be members of those religions.
The "Islam is bad" issue is one that really riles me up. For one thing, Muslims and Christians are still human. They come in many flavors and mind sets, so equating all of Islam with terrorism is hateful. All Christians are not Biblical literalists (I am aware that I often say "Christians" when I mean Biblical literalists...it's a difficult thing to get around without making it complicated). Many Christians have the same views of social justice that atheists do and we really shouldn't be alienating people who are on our side. For example, there are two churches in Louisville that refuse to perform any marriages until gay marriage is legal. I don't see a need to alienate them because I disagree with Michele Bachmann. Secondly, I'd like to leave the Islamophobia to the racists. Extremists are extremists regardless of their beliefs (or lack there of). I don't want to be associated with extremist atheists (though I am having difficulty thinking of any off the top of my head) anymore than all Muslims want to be associated with Osama bin Laden or all Christians want to be associated with Pat Robertson or Lou Eagleton. You can't have it both ways.
The second issue I have is with inflammatory language like "magical sky daddy" or "imaginary friends." Really? Do we really want to go there? Oh, because some Christians say hateful things about us, we should do the same thing to them? I'm sorry, but I thought we weren't in kindergarten anymore. Now I know that a lot of atheists would ask how those things are hateful. They're hateful because we are attacking something that a person takes very seriously. Faith is a deeply personal thing and when we use language like that (as opposed to asking questions or simply offering another side to the issue), a person of faith is going to take it personally. And anyone who uses that sort of language KNOWS THAT. Otherwise, there's no point in saying it. We say things like that precisely because we know how that person will feel when we say it and to claim otherwise is disingenuous at best.
Secondly, Christians have the right to believe in god. They have a right to take the Bible as literally as they want and we, as followers of the Constitution, should protect and respect Christians' right to believe, whether they return the favor or not. Frustrating as it is, if we want to gain any ground with Americans, that's what we have to do. It sucks. There's no denying that. But we have to be better. Period.
Finally, when we use that sort of language, people shut their ears. And not just Biblical literalists. Atheists have a reputation for being assholes (see the paragraph about all Muslims not being terrorists). I, for one, am not an asshole and I would like for the rest of the country to realize that the majority of atheists are, in fact, nice people. Our reputation is part of the reason that it's difficult for us to get support. Take the WTC memorial cross. Should that cross be there? Absolutely not. Should the president of American Atheists have said the thing about god not stopping 9/11? Again, absolutely not. It was irrelevant to the case and it made us look like assholes. That case is about representation. If all beliefs aren't equally represented, then none should be represented. That's what he should have said. He could have stated the numbers of Jews and Muslims who died on 9/11 who won't be represented by a 17 foot monument. He could have mentioned that the cross has been in a church for quite a while and suggested reasons for it to remain there. Those are the sorts of things that would have helped his position, not his personal distaste for Christianity. (see The Daily Show clip that has some atheists upset with Jon Stewart: http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/thu-august-4-2011-dick-durbin)
The bottom line is that we all, atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Pastafarians, etc., have the exact same freedom to worship (or not worship) as we see fit. We have the same freedom of religion. It is none of my business what anyone else believes nor is it anyone else's business what I believe. We are equals. Period. Whether or not we respect someone's choice to believe, we must respect their right to do so, especially if we're fans of the Constitution. The correct attitude is one of ambivalence. I don't give two shits what anyone else believes and that's how it should be.
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