Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Jewel · 07-28-2003, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Whenever Janice Rael wears her favorite white T-shirt, the one with "Atheist" stamped across the front, she hears it.

You're going to burn in hell, someone usually shouts.

She expects comments like that. But what really irks the 34-year-old mother of two is when the government and its elected officials invoke the name of God, whether it's in the Pledge of Allegiance or in prayers before council meetings.

"I'm tired of feeling marginalized and I'm tired of feeling like I'm the only one out here living without religion," said Rael, a Clayton resident who volunteers as the South Jersey regional director for American Atheists. "It does bother me."

She's not the only one, of course. Estimates on the number of nonbelievers range from about 10 to 14 percent of Americans - that means as many as 30 million Americans don't have a religion.

Nonbelievers can be atheists: people who don't believe in the existence of a god. They can be agnostics: people who aren't sure if there is a god. They may call themselves secular humanists, freethinkers, nontheists or even "Brights." Some don't call themselves anything.

It sure is nice to see articles in the media portraying us as normal people.

Shake · 07-28-2003, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jewel
Life Without God

It sure is nice to see articles in the media portraying us as normal people.

Especially one of II's own!

Nice breakdown at the end of the article for those who are ignorant of the many labels we non-theists use:

Quote:

Nonbelievers
Names: Atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, freethinkers, Brights
Number: Estimated between 10 and 14 percent of Americans
Basic beliefs: Atheists do not believe in the existence of a god. Agnostics are not sure whether there is a god. Secular humanists may be atheist or agnostic, but emphasize humanity's ability to improve itself through reason. Freethinkers form opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority or established belief. Brights believe the natural world is all that exists.

Jewel · 07-28-2003, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shake
Especially one of II's own!

Nice breakdown at the end of the article for those who are ignorant of the many labels we non-theists use:

I didn't realize that it was EverLastingGodStopper. Very cool!

braces_for_impact · 07-28-2003, 09:53 AM

I didn't realize she was so cute!

Rusting Car Bumper · 07-28-2003, 10:00 AM

Actually this article fuels the fire of stereotype. That is it says those non-believers are just people who what to take god out of school, the government, etc etc.

DC

Toto · 07-28-2003, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Rael lives in Clayton, where one of the four symbols on the borough's seal is a church with a Christian cross. The town's motto is: Clayton, a good place to live and play, work and pray.

What the. . .?

I can only think of the lines from Pete Seeger's Pie in the Sky-

Work and pray
Live on hay
There'll be pie in the sky when you die -
It's a lie.

EverLastingGodStopper · 07-28-2003, 02:26 PM

Thank you, yes that's me. I hadn't had time to share that news story with this board yet, tyvm to Toto for the heads-up, thanks to Jewel for originally seeing and sharing the story!

Digital Chicken, I mentioned the Atheists MeetUp to the reporter, why not drop her a line asking her to cover a story about atheist community? Her specific story assignment was to cover people who work on separation of state from church.

As to my town seal and motto: 1) Similar seals were found unlawful in Zion IL and Edmond OK, and 2) it (the photo) was purely an illustration of how isolated the godless are in an increasingly theocratic society. I have no plans to file a lawsuit, unless some generous benefactor chooses to fund one, in which case I will also need a divorce lawyer, as my husband does not approve of either my activism or my outspokenness. And he's an atheist too.

Anyone can email me directly: jrael@atheists.org is one of my addresses, I also Host in an MSN Chat room called "God is a Lie!" (or, Atheist Network, at times) using this nickname.

07-28-2003, 10:00 AM	#5
Rusting Car Bumper Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: U.S. Posts: 4,171	Re: Nonbelievers want their voices heard Actually this article fuels the fire of stereotype. That is it says those non-believers are just people who what to take god out of school, the government, etc etc. DC

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07-28-2003, 09:53 AM	#4
braces_for_impact Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: In a nondescript, black helicopter. Posts: 6,637	I didn't realize she was so cute!

07-28-2003, 02:26 PM	#7
EverLastingGodStopper Banned Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 16,665	Thank you, yes that's me. I hadn't had time to share that news story with this board yet, tyvm to Toto for the heads-up, thanks to Jewel for originally seeing and sharing the story! Digital Chicken, I mentioned the Atheists MeetUp to the reporter, why not drop her a line asking her to cover a story about atheist community? Her specific story assignment was to cover people who work on separation of state from church. As to my town seal and motto: 1) Similar seals were found unlawful in Zion IL and Edmond OK, and 2) it (the photo) was purely an illustration of how isolated the godless are in an increasingly theocratic society. I have no plans to file a lawsuit, unless some generous benefactor chooses to fund one, in which case I will also need a divorce lawyer, as my husband does not approve of either my activism or my outspokenness. And he's an atheist too. Anyone can email me directly: jrael@atheists.org is one of my addresses, I also Host in an MSN Chat room called "God is a Lie!" (or, Atheist Network, at times) using this nickname.

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