Bigotry Towards the Athiest Naboo_the_Enigma: A Challenge To Atheists: Come Out Of The Closet From an article by Prof. Richard Dawkins Published: May 15, 2006 In 1987, a reporter asked George Bush senior whether he recognized the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists. Mr Bush’s reply has become infamous: “No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots.” To see how outrageous this is, substitute ‘Jews’ for ‘atheists’. Bush’s bigoted remark was not an isolated mistake, blurted out in the heat of the moment and later retracted. He and his spokesmen stood by it in the face of repeated calls for clarification or withdrawal . He really meant it. And knew that it posed no threat to his election. Quite the contrary, it is universally accepted that an admission of atheism would be instant political suicide for any presidential candidate. The devout Joe Lieberman, who said something a little similar though less scandalous , was presumably added to Al Gore’s presidential ticket in an effort to court the Jewish vote. American Jewish voters constitute a respected lobby which, if newspapers are to be believed, is responsible for the USA’s relentless support of Israel, the Jewish state whose twentieth-century imposition on Palestine understandably affronted the people who already lived there. As we shall see when we look at numbers, however, it is by no means obvious why the Jewish vote is any more worth courting than the atheist vote. Except that American atheists have never got their act together and formed a proper lobby. If they did, they too could become very powerful. And that is what I want to urge. To own up to being an atheist in America today is tantamount to introducing yourself as Adolf Beelzebub. Natalie Angier wrote a rather sad piece in the New Yorker called ‘The Lonely Atheist ‘. She clearly feels in a beleaguered and threatened minority, but she didn’t tell the half of it. Nor did Dave Silverman whose article, with almost the same title as mine, was brought to my attention after I had written my own . The latest issue of the admirable Freethought Today reprints hate mail received by the Editor after she won a court case upholding the separation of church and state. Some typical examples follow (the style and spelling are part of the Christian charm): “Satan worshiping scum.” “Please die and go to hell.” “Hello, cheese-eating scumbags” [That one puzzles me. What’s with the cheese? RD] “Their are way more of us Christians than you losers. Their is NO separation of church and state and you heathens will lose . . . I hope you get a painful disease like rectal cancer and die a slow painful death, so you can meet your God, SATAN.” “Hey dude this freedom from religion thing sux . . . So you f&$^ and dykes take it easy and watch where you go cuz whenever you least expect it god will get you.” “If you don’t like this country and what it was founded on & for [What would Thomas Jefferson have said? RD], get the f@%^ out of it and go straight to hell . . . PS Fy@~ you, you comunist w*yxy.” “Get your black asses out of the U.S.A.” “You are without excuse. Creation is more than enough evidence of the LORD JESUS CHRIST’S omnipotent power [Why not Allah’s? RD]. If you think that the mathematical precision that governs the universe was established by random events then you truly are that class of IDIOT that cannot be aptly defined. We will not go quietly away. If in the future that requires violence just remember you brought it on. My rifle is loaded.” Naboo_the_Enigma: But what, after all, is an atheist? Far from having horns and a tail, an atheist is simply a person who, when thinking about such matters at all, holds a particular view of the cosmos and of human nature. It is an academic matter, like favoring the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Theory, hardly worthy of the sort of social and political ostracism that the word atheist almost universally provokes. In practice, an atheist is a person who feels about Yahweh the way any decent Christian feels about Thor, Baal, or the Golden Calf. As has been said before, we are all atheists about most of the gods humanity has ever believed in ? some of us just go one god further. Even if we define an atheist more theoretically, as one who seeks only naturalistic explanations and believes there are no supernatural beings of any kind, this surely qualifies as the kind of academic philosophic belief that a person is entitled to hold in a civilized democracy without being vilified as an unpatriotic, unelectable non-citizen, let alone threatened with a rifle. The article in its entirety can be read here on The Reason Project http://www.reasonproject.org/archive/item/a_challenge_to_atheists_come_out_of_the_closet/ ♠_Krash_♠: The funny thing is naboo,we are all born atheist,we have no knowledge of any gods until some humans tell us of them... You would think an almighty god would of came up with a better way for us to believe in him,you would think he would of went to all the different races of people and let them know about him,but then again maybe he just has a twisted sense of humour Most believers are believers from childhood,and most believers have moments of doubts about their belief,which i think is the rational part of their brains trying to snap them out of their fantasy fuelled delusion,some snap out of it,but for whatever reason most dont  Imo  candyrivers: The only thing bad I have experienced is in that loony forum where everyone talks like a cult leader on c*~w*. We got called Satan worshippers there didn't we. But in Fairness to them, thats the only thing. Naboo_the_Enigma: haha! Thats my favourite hang-out! cult leaders on c@$zw. My name is Vernon and i am ur messiah! Naboo_the_Enigma: lol! Are u talking about the 'Holy Ghost Club'? Where such compassionate and forgiving Christians write with such charm and eloquence such as this? 'U are an asswit with the biggest lie all over ur freakin' monkey face with nothing better to do than mock and poke fun at christians and their beliefs. Ur Creator may not even forgive ur sorry ass, u foul mouth 1 cell life form ! An animal has a better chance to be saved than U ! This is my last reply to u, u underdeveloped amoeba ! I have far more christian charity and kindness than ur mama has demonstrated in her whole freakin' life for bringing up a potty mouthed lil moronic barbarian and savage like U. Got out of this forum, U dont belong here, u little bz$~x of satan ! Kissing his ass always, satan ass licker !' candyrivers: Yes, if thats the one about tight goths. I missed that post though. Ok well they are a lot worse than I thought then. Did they say that to you? I'm sorry mate. Thats an awful thing to say to you. Naboo_the_Enigma: 'Moronic barbarian and savage' i can handle. 'Satans By&#^ and ass-licker' tolerable. But nothing makes me more upset than being called an 'underdeveloped amoeba'. john1576: Naboo. One of the main reasons I have found atheists keep their beliefs (or lack of them) to themselves, is that they totally despise what they think are deluded inadequate religious maniacs. They have no wish to (as they see it) to free these deluded shits from their fairy tale beliefs. They laugh their heads off behind the backs of what they think of as pathetic shits who are as crazy as 'Elvis is alive believers' to them. Talent_M: sorry I meant, they don't know which way they are going,this is the Atheism,not at all any insult. Naboo_the_Enigma: Lost? And how would u know the situation of every atheist on this planet? People are individuals, u have to stop using this sheep-like mentality which u are so accustomed to. Naboo_the_Enigma: lol! John is a member of 'The Holy Ghost Club' too. Who could ever forget the epic back and forth repartee between himself an M. T (madthinker?)An instant wireclub classic! john1576: Naboo. Don't bring that dickhead up, I was happy to forget he was still here. As for the atheist thing, it is not considered even worth debating to most atheists, religion is seen as a total insane waist of time by them, they also seem to find 'believers', not just crazy, but repulsive. I think another reason atheists avoid discussing religion, is that they see believers as not just deluded, but 'mad'. And mad people can be dangerous. (Post deleted by staff ) john1576: Naboo. An atheist was telling one time how his car broke down and hitched a lift, he said; 'a guy stops and picks me up and we drove off. Turns out he was a Jehovah's Witness, he started going on at me about his crazy f@cking religion. I got him to stop the car so I could get out. The last thing I wanted was to be in a car with a mad bastard like that'. john1576: Heretix. I was giving my own experiences of talking to atheists about their views on religion and religious people. The most common impression I got was that they found religion a waist of time, and religious people Tedious fools. Don't forget you live in Scandinavia. The level of education is higher there than England, and you are more likely to be objective and interested in the subject in an intellectual way.  Goran: Atheists won't organize because for most part they don't have an agenda. As long as religion is not imposed on those who don't want it there is little need for Atheists to do so. halfapintdoll: *Ahem..* First of all ...''My name is Halfy and I am an Atheist'' ...ok now that is out of the way...I would like to dispute one comment made in the article, I do have horns and a tail....or am I hz~#z and want tail?? oohhh who knows. Ok so not ignoring the white elephant in the room, the people who wrote that hate mail are fundamentalist christians, the most literal and some say devout of the non catholic christian community...and look at what they write. These people of god, the saved ones, those that live by the words in scripture.....in those words they have succeeded in debasing the whole premise of their faith. Supposedly these children of god are to live a life of servitute, tolerance and forgiveness....hardly a shining example. I wonder how many 'out of the closet' atheists have written such things to church leaders or the pope. I wonder how many atheists have shot theologists...as fundamentalist christians have shot practicing doctors and surgeons - soley because their practice conflicts with their deeply held views. In my experience, and as history has shown over hundreds of years, religion causes war, derision, mistrust, suspicion, hatred, intolerance, violence, death, segregation and fear. Wow and I just don't believe in god | Religion Chat Room 28 People Chatting Similar Conversations |