Atheism becoming more visible, more popular

[Stella_Omega]

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Two months after the local atheist organization here put up a billboard saying “Don’t Believe in God? You Are Not Alone,” the group’s 13 board members met in Laura and Alex Kasman’s living room to grapple with the fallout.

The problem was not that the group, the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry, had attracted an outpouring of hostility. It was the opposite. An overflow audience of more than 100 had showed up for their most recent public symposium, and the board members discussed whether it was time to find a larger place....

...When their billboard went up in January, with their Web site address displayed prominently, they expected hate mail.

“But most of the e-mails were grateful,” said Laura Kasman, an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina.

I am very pleased for the non-religious people of Charleston S.C. who have found a social alternative to the churches that do not offer them welcome.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Wow! They could start a church!

 

[ecstacy39]

^^^ HAHAHA
about the topic , how can you people believe that this world is made out of nothing lol.
they say its cause of the big bang , what made the big bang??they answer atoms formed from everywhere and made that big sphere .
where did these atoms come from??
theyr silenced .
the answer is GOD .
the theory might be right , this universe came from a big love making , but there was a higher force that made it possible .
GOD

 

[cloudy]

^^^ HAHAHA
about the topic , how can you people believe that this world is made out of nothing lol.
they say its cause of the big bang , what made the big bang??they answer atoms formed from everywhere and made that big sphere .
where did these atoms come from??
theyr silenced .
the answer is GOD .
the theory might be right , this universe came from a big love making , but there was a higher force that made it possible .
GOD

What are you doing on a porn board?



More newbies. Sheesh.

 

[glynndah]

What are you doing on a porn board?



More newbies. Sheesh.

Looking for another big bang, silly.

 

[Xelebes]

Looking for another big bang, silly.

And I suppose us guys are not allowed to offer it so willingly?

Call it a hate-fuck.

 

[PaperAutumn]

As an agnostic, I think it's awesome that people, at least in the states, are recognising atheism/agnosticism as a viable belief. But the problem comes when people start treating atheism as a religion in itself.

I agree with the ads that were on the buses in the UK. Relax and enjoy your life, don't spend your time arguing the unproveable.

 

[Stella_Omega]

As an agnostic, I think it's awesome that people, at least in the states, are recognising atheism/agnosticism as a viable belief. But the problem comes when people start treating atheism as a religion in itself.

I agree with the ads that were on the buses in the UK. Relax and enjoy your life, don't spend your time arguing the unproveable.

Only the religious think that atheism is a religion.

But all people need social networks, and that, in American society, has been the Churches' function. Churches provide infant care for young mothers on a Sunday, social skills for children, communal music making-- all kinds of community-building activities. To be an unbeliever here has meant being cast out of the net. It's wonderful for so many of us to get to know other neighbors without that damn cross hanging over our heads...

 

[PaperAutumn]

I'm not from the bible belt, so I haven't really been immersed in a wholly religious atmosphere, but I can imagine how hard it must be for those who are atheist and forced to deal with Christianity being forced down their throats, whether overtly or covertly.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

SNICKER

I know exactly what STELLA means, why! just last week I helped organize a chapter of free-thinkers who dont believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy. We feel, so...liberated.

 

[Guest]

I'm not from the bible belt, so I haven't really been immersed in a wholly religious atmosphere, but I can imagine how hard it must be for those who are atheist and forced to deal with Christianity being forced down their throats, whether overtly or covertly.

I currently live in the bible belt and we aren't really immersed here. There's no forcing of any beliefs.

I see more apathy with religion these days than anything else.

 

[Guest]

^^^ HAHAHA
about the topic , how can you people believe that this world is made out of nothing lol.
they say its cause of the big bang , what made the big bang??they answer atoms formed from everywhere and made that big sphere .
where did these atoms come from??
theyr silenced .
the answer is GOD .
the theory might be right , this universe came from a big love making , but there was a higher force that made it possible .
GOD

God appreciates capitalization.

And Jesus Saves!

(He goes to Cosco.)

 

[Safe_Bet]

God appreciates capitalization.

And Jesus Saves!

(He goes to Cosco.)

Wait till ecstacy39 finds out "the Higher Power" is a lesbian and that GOD is an abbreviation for "Good Old Dildo"; as he gets whack in the head with said celestial dildo for being such a sanctimonious asshat!

 

[Guest]

Wait till ecstacy39 finds out "the Higher Power" is a lesbian and that GOD is an abbreviation for "Good Old Dildo"; as he gets whack in the head with said celestial dildo for being such a sanctimonious asshat!

Hey, now. Religion is okay.

I found Jesus.

He was behind the sofa the whole time.

 

[cloudy]

Hey, now. Religion is okay.

I found Jesus.

He was behind the sofa the whole time.

In all seriousness....it amazes me how many Christians forget that you don't have to be Christian to believe in a Creator. Do they actually think that "god" is a concept that only they've discovered? WTF?

 

[xssve]

They invented monogamy and families too. Reproduction? Their idea.

 

[xssve]

Christians invented love too: liberals only have casual, meaningless sex.

 

[Guest]

Christians invented love too: liberals only have casual, meaningless sex.

And it's fucking awesome.

 

[midwestyankee]

And it's fucking awesome.

Personally, I'm of the view (call it a belief system, if you will) that fucking is awesome.

 

[xssve]

And it's fucking awesome.

Click on the smiley and press the big Red button!

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm not from the bible belt, so I haven't really been immersed in a wholly religious atmosphere, but I can imagine how hard it must be for those who are atheist and forced to deal with Christianity being forced down their throats, whether overtly or covertly.

I currently live in the bible belt and we aren't really immersed here. There's no forcing of any beliefs.

I see more apathy with religion these days than anything else.

I see the forcing of belief. it's very visible-- from the outside. This entire society is predicated on the notion that everyone believes. The fact that a non-belief can only be described in our language as a lack-- that's telling.

And this society is predicated on the notion that everyone is Christian. When the crowd "spontaneously" prays, what a coincidence, before a highschool sports game, you can bet it's not a Hindu Veda they're chanting.... Which is why school prayer was ruled unconstitutional of course.

Anyway-- Cool beans from Charleston!

 

[midwestyankee]

<snip>

And this society is predicated on the notion that everyone is Christian. When the crowd "spontaneously" prays, what a coincidence, before a highschool sports game, you can bet it's not a Hindu Veda they're chanting.... Which is why school prayer was ruled unconstitutional of course.

Anyway-- Cool beans from Charleston!

I wonder if they "spontaneously" break into Vedas before the cricket matches at my son's high school - matches that are played almost exclusively by students from India and Pakistan. I doubt it, of course.

 

[shereads]

Thanks for this, Stella. This part of the USA can be a lonely planet for anyone without a church affliation, much less an agnostic. I had no idea there were Secular Humanists in the underbrush.



From the website of Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry (that's localese for coastal South Carolina/Georgia):

We believe people can pursue knowledge, find meaning, and derive responsible ethical codes entirely free from reference to supernatural forces.

Shocking thought for the small town South.

 

[shereads]

Wow! They could start a church!

iced tea spew

 

[shereads]

^^^ HAHAHA
about the topic , how can you people believe that this world is made out of nothing lol.
they say its cause of the big bang , what made the big bang??they answer atoms formed from everywhere and made that big sphere .
where did these atoms come from??
theyr silenced .
the answer is GOD .
the theory might be right , this universe came from a big love making , but there was a higher force that made it possible .
GOD

And where did the higher force come from?