For atheists of color, ‘coming out’ can be painful

[rug]

By Kimberly Winston
Religion News Service
Published: February 23

As a child, Alix Jules saw people in church speak in tongues, tremble, fall and have what appeared to be very genuine connections with God.

But not him. “I never tingled,” he said.

By his twenties, Jules was an atheist. But he never told his family, who were deeply rooted in their predominantly black Catholic congregation. They believed he was having a crisis of faith — turned off by organized religion but still a believer. For years, he let them think that.

Then came the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, an event in which religion played a role.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/for-atheists-of-color-coming-out-can-be-painful/2012/02/23/gIQAVXqHWR_story.html

[msongs]

1. what about atheists of no color? nt

[cleanhippie]

2. Two day old story

You can do better than that.

















In case anyone is wondering why I would make such an asinine statement, it is only in response to this...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/121811381#post7

[Jim__]

3. He went to a Catholic church and people spoke in tongues?

As a child, Alix Jules saw people in church speak in tongues, tremble, fall and have what appeared to be very genuine connections with God.

...But he never told his family, who were deeply rooted in their predominantly black Catholic congregation. ...

That's surprising to me. Is that common in black Catholic churches?

[Kurmudgeon]

4. "an event in which religion played a role." Now there's a prejudicial statement.

I wonder just how many beliefs he thinks are responsible for the 9/11 hijackers?
It's prejudicial to hold all Muslims responsible for that day, what an incredible stretch to drag in all religion.

[cleanhippie]

5. Religion didn't play a role in that event?

And I did not see where he held all muslims responsible for that event. Or did you add that part yourself?

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Wtf?

It was an event in which religion played a major role. Which part of that simple statement of fact do you dispute?

The other component of al Qaeda ideology, besides Wahhabi Islamic radicalism, is pan Arab nationalism. They both played major roles.

Your third statement, "...all Muslims..." is a strawman argument.

[mr blur]

9. What an incredible stretch to drag in a straw man

and then try (fail) to use it to attack the original argument.

[humblebum]

7. Like it wasn't obvious from the start they were "of color."

(Intentional Humor)

[ZombieHorde]

8. Atheists are expected to live a lie. I was punished by my family when I came out.

I wasn't expecting punishment because my family never spoke about atheism. I wasn't even familiar with the word when I came out.

[edhopper]

10. Good thing for him

he wasn't a "persecuted" Christian.