Atheist Coming Out Day

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 4:57 pm

Atheist Day Declaration

Preamble

We atheists and atheist allies hereby declare that from now on, March 23rd is Atheist Day. We recognize the struggle of atheists to live authentic lives in many parts of the world. The struggle to openly affirm one’s atheism. The fear of intolerant governments, mobs, and religious zealots.

This struggle often includes the risk of professional, social and familial ostracization. Sometimes, this authenticity results in paying the ultimate price — one’s life. Many of our brethren have been brutally murdered for professing the very principles that this day represents: the freedom of and from religion, the right to be free of discrimination and persecution, and the freedom to profess one’s beliefs.

Many of us happily interact with people whom we admire and trust who unbeknownst to us, are closeted atheists. The world is full of atheists who are silent about their true convictions. Why? Simply this: a fear of reprisal and discrimination based on misinformation, ranging from the subtle to the life-threatening.

People should not be persecuted for their lack of belief in a god or a religion. That’s all we’re asking.

Some people however, believe that disagreeing with deeply held beliefs is hate. But it’s not.

We wish to remind our fellow human beings that many of the most powerful ideas — ideas that changed our world — were once heretical.

Many of the most radical thinkers and reformists in past eras were blasphemers against the established order of their day.

Freedom and Self-Determination

Atheists, just like adherents of religion, deserve the freedom to openly identify, profess and promote their views. No belief system or perspective on belief should enjoy special treatment.

Rejection of Bigotry and Discrimination

While atheism is a position on only one very narrow question — the evidence for a god or gods — we the proponents of Atheist Day also share a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As such, to be associated with the Atheist Day campaign — whether you are a believer or not — is to necessarily reject bigotry and discrimination based on religious belief (or lack thereof), on race and on sexual orientation.

Just as you don't need to be gay to support gay rights, you don’t need to be an atheist to show your support for Atheist Day.

Awareness Campaign

A central component of Atheist Day is raising awareness of the discrimination and stigma faced by atheists around the world. Atheists are your loved ones, your friends, your doctors, your social workers, your teachers, your police officers and in short, the people in your life who are hiding in plain sight.

Our awareness campaign seeks to clear some misconceptions too. We Atheists and Atheist Allies want our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity to realize that we needn’t believe in an external force to encourage correct moral action. Isn’t true morality that which is done for its intrinsic value, and not under the threat of punishment or reward? Surely it is possible to act morally from intrinsic motivations, rather than extrinsic ones.

Many atheists would argue that our modern sensibilities, our ability for empathy, and our sense of universal human rights today often surpass the moral codes of largely subscribed-to religious scriptures of the past. Proof positive that we can live moral and ethical lives without a belief in the supernatural. This perspective also does not preclude atheists showing solidarity with religious people and their right to believe and to be inspired by their respective religious traditions.

To help atheists realize that they are not alone, we will promote a unified coming out on social media. Whether an atheist or an atheist ally, please support the campaign with the hashtag #AtheistDay.

Our Atheist Day awareness campaign is focused on removing the misconceptions, removing the stigma, and remembering the fallen. We aspire to normalize atheism so that people who are atheists no longer need live double lives.

We aspire to hold information events, public talks, marches, and embassy protests for those countries who would persecute us. Events will be organized at the city level, across the world.

Whether we march in the streets or we protest in secret, our voices will be heard. Your marching with us will encourage people in the Arab world to be steadfast. Many people in such regions of the world don't know that they have your support. Show them. Let them hear you. Stand with us.

A Coordinated Coming Out

Many who leave religion are fearful of “coming out”. For those who live in a region of the world where leaving their religion doesn’t entail a risk of physical harm, we also have a coordinated coming out campaign.

This campaign is central to Atheist Day. Even if you’ve not adopted the atheist label but have chosen to leave your religion, your conscious choice to come out is what our day represents.

We believe that people who leave a religion need not keep it to themselves for lack of solidarity. Atheist Day is your day to tell your story. To share your pride in making a conscious choice to define your own identity vis-a-vis religion.

A Celebration of Life

In addition to our awareness campaign, Atheist Day will encompass a second vital theme: a celebration of life.

This is a day for atheists especially, to meet face to face. It’s a day for atheists in hiding in many parts of the world, to connect with one another, where that can be done safely. These real world connections are vital. They help atheists overcome the feeling of isolation that need not be felt.

As this life on Earth is the one and only life that we can be certain of, we believe it wise to live this life to it’s fullest potential, and to help others who are less fortunate, also do the same.

We will host dinners, parties, concerts, and festivities across the world in a celebration of life, freedom, dignity and our common humanity. As an atheist or atheist ally, you are most welcome to join us in these celebrations.

Gratitude

We the founders and proponents of Atheist Day are grateful to our Atheist Allies. You do not need to be an atheist to be a vocal supporter of Atheist Day and an Atheist Ally.

Respect for the right to self-determination, free speech and a level playing field for ideological criticism is what we and our allies all share — even those Atheist Allies who profess a strong religious belief.

It’s not about respecting ideas; it’s about respecting people and their right to choose their own beliefs.

For our Atheist Allies across the entire belief spectrum, we are truly and deeply grateful for your support. We may not share a god-belief, but know that we see you as our brothers and sisters in humanity. Gratitude, solidarity, and love.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 7:56 pm

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:20 pm

I like that. It's certainly a great day for celebration.

God bless us all.

Joe Guy · Post by **Joe Guy** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:40 pm

I don't believe in atheists.

Gob · Post by **Gob** » Sun Mar 24, 2019 7:08 am

Joe Guy wrote:I don't believe in atheists.

But do they believe in you?

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:29 am

Well that's some lovely speeching, and I certainly agree with this:

We Atheists and Atheist Allies want our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity to realize that we needn’t believe in an external force to encourage correct moral action.

I know this to be true for a fact because I have a number of Atheist friends who have quite strong and healthy moral codes; codes of morality every bit as healthy and strong as any religious believer I know... (And I have also known both Atheists and people of Faith whose moral codes left a lot to be desired...)

However...

If you are the sort of smug, condescending, obnoxious Atheist who feels entitled to mock and scorn the beliefs of others...(What I would call a Richard Dawkins-type Atheist...)

The type of Atheist who calls religious believers "primitives", who derides them as "ignorant" or "stupid" who equates religious beliefs with believing in "fairy tales" who compares the Bible to The Lord Of The Rings, etc. etc. etc...

Then you're really not deserving of any more respect than you're willing to extend to others, are you?

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Sun Mar 24, 2019 12:41 pm

As such, to be associated with the Atheist Day campaign — whether you are a believer or not — is to necessarily reject bigotry and discrimination based on religious belief (or lack thereof)...

It would appear that those whom you describe would not be welcome to associate themselves with this campaign.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Sun Mar 24, 2019 4:43 pm

Romans 2:14-15 New International Version (NIV)

14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Sun Mar 24, 2019 8:55 pm

The trouble with religion is that it is just too damn hard. Talk to a really knowledgeable physicist about string theory. Ponder the mystery of Schrodingers cat. Real science is not easy and real theology is just as intellectually demanding as science. Christian theology has and does absorb some of the best human thinkers on the planet. To go to the NIV for a source for argument or Apologetics is laughable. The NIV is the New International Version of the Christian Bible. It is the big favorite (after the King James Version, published in 1611) for English speaking fundamentalists.

In my personal philosophical universe, fundamentalist christians are only one step away from the Christian Identity Movement--not even a very good straw-man for attack by militant Atheists.

snailgate

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:04 am

sg, for the most part, well said. However, I feel as an atheist I have the harder row to hoe. I can rarely talk about my profound disbelief in a God without bumping heads with true believers. I find them mostly intractable and, with all sorts of bible quotes learned by rote for them to rely on, I chose to remain quiet. I never try to sway any believers over to my camp no matter how misguided or illogical they may be.

The world is a big place, with just a little tolerance we should all be able to get along. Just a little, that's all it takes.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 6:27 am

Interesting, snail. I had no idea that the NIV (of which I'm not enamored) is something to do with fundamentalism. We put the "fun" in that word - or is it "mental"?

The NIV is remarkably liberal, having produced "non-gender" versions and so on. I prefer the ESV myself because it is more of a direct translation and less of a "go for the idea behind it" version. But there you are. (Even the NIV or, I shudder, the Good News bible once in a while offer a better word than the ESV - which is why I read many different versions)

No apologetic was harmed during the production of my post. It merely intends (as it does in all translations) to support the statement that atheists, lunatics and other religous persons as well as agnostics are perfectly capable of making right moral decisions.

Did you wish to argue based upon the voodoo of string theory, quantum mechanics and/or multi-dimensional spaghetti monsters that atheists are incapable of being moral? I am not accustomed to being shot-down when agreeing with the ungodly lost pagans that they have a valid point....

PS the Authorized Version KJV is great poetry and a generally poor translation, IMO. It takes a special mind to believe that it is the only "real" word of God.

Big RR · Post by **Big RR** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 2:56 pm

Meade--is gender neutral necessarily "liberal"? I am not enamored of the extent too which it has been carried (removing gender when referring to jesus or oher indeisputable male fgures in the bible, but attributing gender to other faces (or whatever noun you prefer) of god hardly seems liberal, more a matter of translation. Calling god the "father" does not mean god is a male, but conotes god's relationship to us much as the relation of a father to hi family was at the time; as families and family roles have changed, perhaps a better translation is in order.

I am not a fan of the language of the NIV, and it may well be that there are some "liberal" spins placed on the ideas, but I hardly think not using a male pronoun to refer to god is "liberal"

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 5:30 pm

Maj Genl, I only wished to argue that most discussions of religious issues is based on profound, even proud, ignorance of the field of theology. Similar to stating that String theory or quantum mechanics is 'voodoo science"

Most arguments about religion or morality or ethics is largely empty of shared definitions and full of hyprocricy in application.

I agree with Ray's position of the utility of such discussions.

snailgate.

Econoline · Post by **Econoline** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 10:00 pm

FWIW the OT (a.k.a. Tanakh, or TaNaKh) was written in Hebrew, a language in which it is literally impossible to be "gender neutral". Nouns, pronouns, adjectives, even verbs—even some prepositions—are always, always either masculine or feminine, never both, never neither. So that's where the "Judeo-Christian" tradition (and the Bible) is starting from and can never completely escape.

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 10:43 pm

And all of the feminine imagery of God in the Hebrew scriptures does not seem to have made its way into Christian theology.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:17 pm

Yeah, Snail. Pulling your leg a bit with voodoo... mind you, I enjoy listening to Prof. Brian Cox explaining the difference between believing something that can't be seen, proven and rationally explained (religion) and quantum mechanics at some of the really pointy bits (where the far-out science dudes play)

As to others, I think it unlikely that God is either male or female or neither/either/both. Big RR's comment about relation is more to the point IMO. But my experience suggests that gender neutral language is more a hallmark of liberal theologians than it is of er... the not-so-liberal ones. Or did we put the "dam" in fundamental?

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:43 pm

O Scooter! Pay attention. I say again, Christian Theology has attracted some of the most brilliant, subtle, intelligent, cock-eyed auto didact, expansively trained (continue adjectives at will) in all humanity. There is no limit to the reaches of the human imagination.

"the feminine imagery of God in the Hebrew scriptures does not seem to have made its way into Christian theology." Spend some time with the many really angry feminist Christian theologians. There really is Christian theology outside Liberty University.

snailate.

Burning Petard · Post by **Burning Petard** » Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:12 pm

One more data point supporting Atheist Coming Out Day. Before you read the story from WaPo about the first Muslim in the Penn Legislature, you might want to review Jesus' instructions on public prayer, particularly Matthew Chapter 6, verses 5 and 6 KJV or the New Jerusalem Bible (the preferred version for Roman Catholics) or the Common English Bible (preferred by American mainline protestants since 2011)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... 3dae8446d5

This is the kind of stuff that gives me reason to say I am not a Christian. And to be precise, I am an ordained minister and not a member of any church.
The group I participate in has officially declared itself to NOT be a church. I seek to be a disciple of the former itinerant preacher, son of Joseph and Mary, executed for crimes against the state.

snailgate

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:29 pm

Burning Petard wrote:One more data point supporting Atheist Coming Out Day. Before you read the story from WaPo about the first Muslim in the Penn Legislature, you might want to review Jesus' instructions on public prayer, particularly Matthew Chapter 6, verses 5 and 6 KJV or the New Jerusalem Bible (the preferred version for Roman Catholics) or the Common English Bible (preferred by American mainline protestants since 2011)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... 3dae8446d5

This is the kind of stuff that gives me reason to say I am not a Christian. And to be precise, I am an ordained minister and not a member of any church.
The group I participate in has officially declared itself to NOT be a church. I seek to be a disciple of the former itinerant preacher, son of Joseph and Mary, executed for crimes against the state.

snailgate

Thanks for posting that story; I saw it this morning and was sickened, and I'm sad that it's not getting more coverage at least on the morning news programs I'm watching.

Your fellowship group sounds great.

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:36 pm

Interesting, SG. Those verses confirm me as a Christian (IMO) and evidence that the people praying about this Moslem person are not Christians after all, no matter how much they wave the name about. The moral stances of atheists, agnostics and other religionistas that I know (and have known) tend more toward Christ than those who pray such disgusting things.

I'd say you are a member of the same church as am I, which is the body (fellowship) of Jesus. Perhaps your rejection is rather more of any denominational organization??? It may all be words and definitions (views differ). Still, "we're not a church" to me looks a bit like 11 guys getting together to play soccer every week and declaring they are not a soccer team.

In my weakness, I hang around at the St John's Presbyterian in Bloem where I'm an Elder (both versions). One brings attention to verses such as Matthew 6:5-6 and suggests that any form of public prayer is not perhaps what Jesus had in mind. . . it's sometimes received as well as telling someone that praying to find a lost pencil and subsequently finding it is not a miracle.

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