Big Question 3: Is There An Atheist Movement?

[rug]

December 12, 2013

This post will address my thoughts about the third of the six big questions over which atheists have disagreed, one I almost did not include in the original list. Before doing so, we should briefly take stock of where we have been so far. Since this post will bring us to the halfway point in working our way through the questions, it will be a good time to take a short break from the series for some other posts I have in mind.

After explaining why I think it is meaningful to discuss points of common disagreement among atheists, I shared my thoughts on the first two questions here:

•Big Question 1: Anti-Theism vs. Secularism
•Big Question 2: Do Ridicule and Mockery Have a Place?

In this post, I'll take a look at the third question:

Is there an atheist movement that exists independently of the secular movement, and if not, should there be one? Some atheists insist that there can be no such thing as an atheist movement because atheism is not the sort of thing that can bring people together; others believe that it is meaningful to think of an atheist movement that is distinct from the secular movement even though the two have much overlap.

The reason I almost omitted this one from the original list is that the number of atheists I have encountered arguing that there can be no atheist movement, atheist community, or anything of the sort because atheism is insufficient for bringing people together is quite small in comparison to those taking the other side of this question and seems to be at least partially based on the misconception that talking about a group of people necessarily involves redefining words. So why did I decide to include it? I suppose the primary reason is that I see quite a few misconceptions about atheism and secular activism rolled up in this question.

Read more: http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/12/big-question-3-is-there-atheist-movement.html#ixzz2nTSekj7C

These are the six questions He's pondering:

1. Should atheists work toward the total eradication of religious belief, or is it sufficient to stop those who would impose their religiously-based morality on the rest of us?

2. Do ridicule and mockery have any place in how atheists respond to religious belief?

3. Is there an atheist movement that exists independently of the secular movement, and if not, should there be one?

4. How tolerant should atheists be of diverse ideas within our own community and those who hold them?

5. What is the role of skepticism in atheism?

6. How should we understand the relationship between science and religion (i.e., accommodationism)?

http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/12/what-are-big-questions-that-divide.html

[clydefrand]

1. An atheist is:

someone who either was not brought up to believe in a higher deity or, just got to the point where they simply could not believe there is a higher deity. (I am of the later group).
I think there are more and more people who are beginning to NO LONGER believe in a higher deity. When you have the republicans claiming to be "Christian" and turn around and try to pass laws that have no relationship to Christianity. (they would even give atheism a bad name). This brings more and more people into the atheist fold. I personally don't believe we need to 'preach' our beliefs, but on the other hand, if someone is visiting and tries to get me to 'pray' with them, I tell them that is not acceptable in my house. (actually, this has occurred only once and the visitor was a retired 'preacher' who had to pray over everything. If he wants to pray while I'm in his house, I simply ignore.)(btw, he is now deceased).
I'm not going to go out and 'preach' my non-Christian beliefs.

[rug]

2. What do you think of his answer to the question?

Is There An Atheist Movement?

I see the atheist movement as being a small subset of the atheist community. Most of the atheist community has nothing to do with the atheist movement. Members of the atheist movement are engaged in activism centering around atheist identity. The atheist movement is much smaller than the secular movement, and as I mentioned, it focuses on atheist identity while the secular movement focuses on secularism. I believe that the atheist movement - or something like it - will remain necessary as long as people are treated poorly because of their atheism.

But is atheism really something around which people can organize or engage in activism? I have brown hair, at least I used to have brown hair. Some people insist that having an atheist movement makes about as much sense as having a movement for people with brown hair. They are wrong, and it is vital that we understand why. Many of us live in cultures where atheists are treated differently because of our atheism. We face discrimination and bigotry because of our atheism. This is not true for people with brown hair, at least not in the culture in which I live. Thus, atheism becomes relevant in way that having brown hair is not.

The reason an atheist movement is relevant or necessary has nothing to do with the definition of atheism; it has to do with the socially constructed meaning of atheism. Specifically, it has to do with how people are treated because they are atheists.

[intaglio]

3. There are groups of individuals who can be classified as atheist groups

but these tend to be fairly limited in scope and there is considerable cross over. But a group or groups with a set target in respect of religion? I don't think so.

Atheism plus (A+), the group with which P Z Myers, FTB and some of the Skepchick posters are most closely associated, supports atheists but tries to ensure that they do not just concentrate on that support but also tolerance in a wider sense including calling out intolerance amongst skeptics and atheists.

However do any of the atheist groups have a central authority deciding how they act? No

[cbayer]

4. All good questions.

I think there is a movement and I support it.

The main goals of normalizing atheism, decreasing discrimination and prejudice and working towards enforcement of 1st amendment issues are all good and benefit from organization.

The third overlaps with other groups of secularists, but the others are of particular interest to atheists.

Unlike the religious, atheists have not tended to form groups, but that seems to be changing and changing pretty significantly.

There are symbols, speakers, conferences, books, bumper stickers and, now, whatever we want to call these Sunday gatherings.

OTOH, I agree with him that those that define themselves as atheist may have less motivation and/or need to be a member of a group or community. However, we are seeing that among believers as well, many of whom declare themselves to be religious but unaffiliated.

He makes some good points here.