Atheist Bashing As A New National Pastime?

[Reverend AtheiStar]

ATHEIST BASHING AS A NEW NATIONAL PASTIME? SURVEYS,

CELEBRITY SLURS AND LET'S NOT FORGET ANN COULTER...

 

What, "in God's name," is going on?

 

According to a recent study from the University of Minnesota, Atheists

have become the ultimate social outcasts. Researchers working with

the American Mosaic Project which monitors popular attitudes about

minorities reported, "Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent

immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in 'sharing

their vision of American society.' Atheists are also the minority

group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to

marry."

 

Then came a spike of public statements be celebrities defaming

Atheists.

 

Outgoing "Today Show" host Katie Couric opened a recent program

segment about military policy and religiosity by repeating the old

canard, "There are no Atheists in foxholes."

 

Charlie Sheen, whose career has spanned everything from Hollywood

awards to encounters with Hollywood Madame Heidi Fleiss was discussing

his current divorce spat with estranged wife Denise Richards. Waxing

emotionally about his two children, he told ET's Mark Steines:

 

"They represent the real gifts and treasures of this life. Anybody

that doesn't believe in God hasn't looked into the eyes of their

child."

 

There is also the latest Newsweek column by Rabbi Marc Gellman,

"Trying to Understand Angry Atheists."

 

Gellman, who holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Northwestern University

and was ordained by the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of

Religion in New York, is senior rabbi of Temple Beth Torah, and past

President of the New York Board of Rabbis. His writings have appeared

in the New York Times, People Magazine and Time. Gellman has authored

and co-authored a number of books including "Lost and Found: A Kid's

Book of Living Through Loss," and "Religion For Dummies." He has also

attracted a devoted throng of fans through a cable television program

he co-hosts, "The God Squad."

 

His latest piece for the MSNBC/Newsweek web site asks, "Why do

nonbelievers seem to be threatened by the idea of God?" Gellman is

more gracious than other critics of non-belief, admitting "I don't

think they need to be religious to be good, kind and charitable

people..." He suggests, though, "Perhaps their atheism was the result

of a tragic death of a loved one, or an angry degrading sermon, or an

insensitive eulogy, or an unfeeling castigation of lifestyle choices

or perhaps something worse."

 

Lurking behind Gellman's gentile, soothing, even conciliatory tone,

though, is a mix of condescension and ignorance of what it is that

angers many Atheists. He urges us, his "atheist brothers and sisters

to see things as Spinoza urged, sub specie aeternitatis -- 'under the

perspective of eternity.' "Atheism, of course, emphasizes the "here

the now," this life for that is, and as far as we know, all that is.

We reject the promise of an eternal afterlife, or that we somehow fit

in as bit players in some cosmic stage production put on by and for

the benefit of an all-powerful deity.

 

What angers the Atheist, though, is the arrogance of those faithful

who are determined to impose their religious dogmas onto what should

be a free, open and secular society. We are "angry" when government

tells us when and how to pray; when politicians drape themselves in

the mantle of religiosity as a credential for public office; when the

state demands that we subsidize the faithful and their clerical-social

institution as President Bush and others would have us under the

faith-based initiative.

 

Rabbi Gellman simply does not understand either Atheism or Atheists.

 

Conservative belligerent Ann Coulter thinks she does, however, or at

least those who might identify with the term "Godless."

 

"Godless: The Church of Liberalism" is the title of Coulter's latest

bombastic tome which has already created major media buzz, and

according to the Drudge Report generated "one of the largest advances

paid to a conservative author for the manuscript."

 

One description of "Godless" says that Coulter "holds nothing back in

detailing liberalism's war on religion and yes, God." Chapter titles

reportedly include such witty gems as "On the Seventh Day God Rested

and Liberals Schemed" and "The Holiest Sacrament: Abortion."

It is, opines another pundit, a "completely original and thoroughly

controversial work." Coulter has kept unusually mum about the message

in "Godless," and even danced around pointed questions from Fox News

talking head Neil Cavuto. She made much out of the fact that her new

work is due for release on June 6, 2006 (6-6-6 or 666

-- the "Sign of the Beast"), telling Cavuto this was her "little

tribute to liberals, to have it come out on 6/6/06."

 

"It's probably not a coincidence," said the Fox correspondent.

 

Coulter has insisted, "Liberals love to boast that they are not

'religious,' which is what one would expect to hear from the

state-sanctioned religion. Of course liberalism is a religion. It

has its own cosmology, its own miracles, its own beliefs in the

supernatural, its own church, its own high priests, its own saints,

its own total worldview, and its own explanation of the existence of

the universe. In other words, liberalism contains all the attributes

of what is generally known as 'religion.'"

 

This may be news to some "liberals" and other secularists. But we

should ask, "What is Ann Coulter up to, anyway?" If we are to reject

what she defines as "liberalism" because it is an ersatz religion with

all of the external trappings of faith, why embrace her brand of

mainstream religion? It may well be that Ms. Coulter's latest screed

to the right is less reasoned argument than another polemic salvo

designed to stereotype "godlessness" and anything else which does not

smack of orthodox religiosity. As for 666, what better way to

demonize ideological adversaries than to brand them as modern-day

Anti-Christs?

 

Finally, there is the description of "most Atheists" as "whackjobs"

by freelance writer and blogger Melinda Barton. A self-described

"bi-racial Jewish lesbian from the South's working class," Ms. Barton

has generally enunciated a sharp but insightful progressive tone in

her commentaries. Her recent column on the Raw Story website (via

Pharyngula) was off the mark, however.

 

"First, what is a secular whackjob? The term secular for the purposes

of this article will refer to those who disbelieve all religious and

spiritual claims, not to those who merely support a separation of

church and state. Although all secular (by this definition)

extremists are atheists, not all atheists are secular extremists..."

 

Philosophical and linguistic errors abound in Ms. Barton's essay, but

perhaps the most egregious offense is the use of "whackjob" as an

umbrella term for the godless. Austin Cline, moderator of the

About.com Atheism website charges that Barton "seems to believe that

atheists are a threat to liberalism and democratic liberty," and

fabricates false, inaccurate definitions of terms like Atheism. He

also points out, "Theism may be a matter of faith; atheism is not,"

a critical distinction both Barton and Ann Coulter overlook. His

critique can be found at

http://atheism.about.com/b/a/257416.htm?nl=1 .

 

ATHEISM AS A TARGET?

 

If the University of Minnesota study is correct, Atheists have now

assumed the role of the ultimate "other" or social villain once played

by more traditional social bogeymen -- Jews, Communists, even Roman

Catholics. We are, in the perceptions of many, "a symbolic moral

boundary to membership in American society."

 

"The reaction to atheists has long been used as an index of political

and social tolerance," note the U. of MN. researchers."

 

Ironically, this comes as rates of general levels of tolerance and

acceptance are on the rise. Voters, for instance, seem more willing

to accept Catholic, Jewish and even gay political candidates as

credible officeholders. Atheists remain at the bottom of that and

other rosters, however. Americans are increasingly willing to

tolerate diverse faiths; those of "no faith" or no religion, however,

linger outside the parameters of respectable society.

 

"We've noted a spike in the animus directed at Atheists," says Ellen

Johnson, President of American Atheists. "It's still permissible for

major media and entertainment figures to engage in cheap-shot 'Atheist

bashing," and make statements they would never utter about any other

group."

 

Johnson sees a silver lining, though, in this dark cloud.

 

"There's improvement on two fronts," Johnson told AANEWS.

 

"Atheists are slowly gaining some degree of social acceptance, and

over the long term more Americans are willing to consider Atheists for

public office."

 

She also sees improvement when it comes to Atheists asserting their

civil rights and looking for ways to influence the debate over public

policy.

 

"We've got lobbyists in Washington, we've got a political action

committee, and whenever media pundits, politicians or celebrities, or

celebrities say something disparaging about Atheists, a lot of us are

speaking out.

 

"We're the last sizeable minority to be included as authentic

Americans," Johnson said. "It's just a matter of time."

 

For futher information:

 

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/ath1.htm

("The ultimate outsiders? New Report casts Atheists as 'others,'

beyond morality and community in America," 3/25/06

 

http://www.atheists.org/action

(American Atheists Action Alerts on Charlie Sheen, Rabbi Gellman,

Katie Couric and more...)

 

http://www.gampac.org

(Godless Americans Political Action Committee)

 

http://atheism.about.com/b/a/257416.htm?nl=1 (Commentary by Austin

Cline at the ABOUT.COM Atheism web site... worth the read!)

 

A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S

A A N E W S#1207

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4/28/06

http://www.atheists.org

http://www.americanatheist.org

http://www.atheistviewpoint.tv

[HadouKen24]

It's a major problem. It really doesn't help, I find, that so many prominent atheists are so abrasive. Which is, of course, no excuse for prejudice against atheists generally.

 

Though... it does annoy me that the article capitalizes "Atheist" so much. It's... not a proper noun. The word "atheism" does not refer to a specific movement or religion, but to a general religio-philosophical position. It shouldn't be capitalized any more than "foundationalism" or "monism."

[Shadoe]

He suggests, though, "Perhaps their atheism was the result

of a tragic death of a loved one, or an angry degrading sermon, or an

insensitive eulogy, or an unfeeling castigation of lifestyle choices

or perhaps something worse."

Like, for instance, the absolute stupidity of the belief...

[LosingMyReligion]

Even though I'm not an athiest I'm definitely not a christian.

With that said I believe we can hold the extreme christian right accountable for these pervasive attitudes of intolerance.

Afterall, we did have slavery, anti semitism, and homophobia based on the tenets of Judeo Christianity.

 

My question is why are most believers so threatened by athiesm? So what, someone else doesn't believe in YOUR god...

Therein I think is the biggest problem for Christians. They have this elitist attitude that their god is the only god, regardless of anyone having a particular faith...

For instance, I watched a televangelist on television the other day. He went onto lament on how bogus, phoney, and stupid Hinduism, Buddism, and Islam was...And that somehow Christianity is superior because Jesus died for the church.

 

Whatever.

[Jose]

This atheist bashes back.

 

I haven't been on this website in a while because I'm in a very angry place right now. I got to the point where I told my (very religious) mother that I would submit her name to death squads if ever Christianity was made illegal when she went on a rant about how atheists were trying to bring about "the End Times" and "kill all us Believers."

 

I know it's not really healthy or socially accepted and I'll probably change my tune in a few months when I chill out a bit more, but I'm beginning to indiscriminately despise all Christians.

 

So yeah, the hatred is fucking mutual, you fucks.

[-Demona-]

I'm not an atheist myself (eclectic pagan here, which is about as bad from a Judeo-Christian perspective), but hearing all this athiest-bashing makes me feel offended. Why can't these self-righteous fucks live and let live?

[♦ nivek ♦]

Unlike most of the folks who *bash athiests*, this dis-believer is well able to take care of self and extended family..

 

It is ONLY words until the fists and bullets start will I begin to worry.

 

kL

[Gnosis of Disbelief]

This isn't really news, is it? Atheism has never been accepted

in this country....and, frankly, I don't think Americans are as tolerant

of non-Judeo-Christian beliefs as the article would have us believe.

[insomniac]

like gnosis said, america has never liked atheists...it seems americans are enamored with puritan idealism, and from the looks of things its not changing any time soon.

[Reverend AtheiStar]

It's a major problem. It really doesn't help, I find, that so many prominent atheists are so abrasive. Which is, of course, no excuse for prejudice against atheists generally.

 

Though... it does annoy me that the article capitalizes "Atheist" so much. It's... not a proper noun. The word "atheism" does not refer to a specific movement or religion, but to a general religio-philosophical position. It shouldn't be capitalized any more than "foundationalism" or "monism."

 

Huh, it annoys me when Atheist is not capitalized. I consider it a proper noun even if the fundies at Webster don't. If "Christian" gets capitalized, so does "Atheist." It's that simple.

[notasheep]

Atheists have now assumed the role of the ultimate "other" or social villain once played

by more traditional social bogeymen -- Jews, Communists, even Roman

Catholics.

 

We've taken the place of Jews and commies? Oh, shit, I'm scared.

Wait. I'm agnostic. Does that count?

[kellyb]

Unlike most of the folks who *bash athiests*, this dis-believer is well able to take care of self and extended family..

 

It is ONLY words until the fists and bullets start will I begin to worry.

 

kL

I'm with you.

[Amethyst]

We've taken the place of Jews and commies? Oh, shit, I'm scared.

Wait. I'm agnostic. Does that count?

 

Probably to a fundy. Maybe not to a liberal. I'm agnostic also, btw.

[Reverend AtheiStar]

This isn't really news, is it? Atheism has never been accepted

in this country....and, frankly, I don't think Americans are as tolerant

of non-Judeo-Christian beliefs as the article would have us believe.

 

I think times now are actually better despite what the poll said. I work with 7 other Atheists! Can you believe that? That's huge! I've never worked with so many unbelievers in my life! The feeling amongst most of the people I come across is tolerance. I think it's definitely pretty bad in places, but I mistrust the use of polls to guage what an entire nation is feeling. I also don't think that Hollywood is an accurate guage as they're just trying to suck up to what they think the majority wants because they need them. Same goes for politicians.

 

This atheist bashes back.

 

I haven't been on this website in a while because I'm in a very angry place right now. I got to the point where I told my (very religious) mother that I would submit her name to death squads if ever Christianity was made illegal when she went on a rant about how atheists were trying to bring about "the End Times" and "kill all us Believers."

 

I know it's not really healthy or socially accepted and I'll probably change my tune in a few months when I chill out a bit more, but I'm beginning to indiscriminately despise all Christians.

 

So yeah, the hatred is fucking mutual, you fucks.

 

Hatred is part of the early stages of Atheism. Hopefully it will pass, as mine did. Sure, I still get angry from time to time, but it doesn't dominate me, anymore.