Reflect atheists in a more positive light: Column
Recent headlines do just that. Atheists and people of faith need to build relationships.
Chris Stedman, USATODAY11:13 a.m. EDT May 29, 2013
Last week atheists were all over the news and social media. But in a world that frequently focuses on conflict, it seemed like we were hearing a different -- and, to many, surprising -- story about atheists.
Last Tuesday, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer interviewed Rebecca Vitsmun, asking her if she "thank(ed) the Lord" for the fact that she lived through a disastrous tornado in Oklahoma. Holding her infant child in her arms, she replied, "I'm actually an atheist." And then she added: "You know, I don't blame anybody for thanking the Lord."
In a couple of short sentences, Vitsmun delivered two equally powerful messages: that she was not embarrassed by her atheism, and that she respected her religious friends and neighbors. Blitzer's question represented a common assumption that most people believe in God. It was an indicator of widespread religious privilege in our culture, and Vitsmun challenged it in a way that also humanized atheists.
The clip went viral and quickly became one of the most-discussed stories to emerge from the Oklahoma disaster coverage. All the while atheists, along with Muslims and many others, were at the forefront of recovery efforts.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/05/29/atheists-in-society-column/2365903/
Chris Stedman is the assistant humanist chaplain at Harvard and author of Faitheist: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious.
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