After Newspaper Columnist Admits Her Atheism, the Response is Overwhelmingly Positive

[rug]

February 1, 2014
By Hemant Mehta

Just over a week ago, I posted about Kansas City Star columnist Cindy Hoedel and her “coming out” column in which she told readers she was an atheist and that this was the year she hoped society would finally start accepting atheists.

I wasn’t too thrilled with the column because, as much as I appreciated her publicly discussing her non-belief, I didn’t like that she implied she was among the first to do anything like that or that conversations about atheism in the media were anything new.

Okay, all that aside, there’s a very welcome update to the story.

Hoedel published her latest column yesterday and she wrote about the response to that column. As expected, she got a ton of responses… but they were overwhelmingly supportive:

Two weeks ago, a column I wrote about accepting and respecting atheists generated more response than anything I have written in my 17 years at the Star.

Out of 126 emails, phone calls and Facebook messages, 103 were from nonbelievers or people unaffiliated with a particular religion, 13 from believers. All but four gave their full names.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/02/01/after-newspaper-columnist-admits-her-atheism-the-response-is-overwhelmingly-positive/

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/18/4754413/let-2014-be-the-year-we-start.html



http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/31/4785159/atheism-column-brings-heartening.html

[djean111]

1. Great, but I never "admit" that I am an atheist, because that implies (to me) that there

is something wrong with being an atheist. I just calmly state that I am an atheist, and see where the conversation goes from there.

[BlueStreak]

2. 4000 years of peer pressure (aka bullying) leaves a mark

The numbers that are quoted for American religiousness are grossly inflated. I bet only 25% of the population really has strong religious convictions. Most of the rest find it easier to say what they think people want to hear even though they don't make religion part of their lives in any meaningful way. Some of those just don't think about it much. Others think religion is a crock, but they just don't want to get into it. And still others cling to religion because they figure they might need an angel somewhere along the way.

Religious freedom. It is fundamental to our nation. And when the number of people that believe in spirits is down to 5% of the population, I will still support their right to do that.

[goldent]

3. This is interesting because I hear so much that people who admit

they are atheists are persecuted and discriminated against. Maybe Kansas City is a special place.

[Htom Sirveaux]

4. That's cool!

Congratulations to her! Atheists shouldn't have to be worried about expressing their views.