Re: My daughter's paper on Atheism
I posted an open request of this group's members to answer a few questions regarding their atheism. I wanted to update you on the paper, which was submitted for grading yesterday.
The paper was assigned as an auto-ethnographic study of some aspect of the student's life. My daughter began studying religions about 3 year ago and this year has embraced the label "atheist". She was raised without religion (she knew of it, knew religious people). It was necessary for the paper to address perceptions and conventions or "insiders" and "outsiders". My daughter decided to title the paper "#Atheism: How All Forms of Media Affect Atheism"
Writing the essay required research - books, articles, surveys, video, film, etc - and peer-review and sharing along with other feedback means. In addition, she was required to give a presentation in class.
She addressed three views "outsiders" have of atheists: atheists have no morals; atheists lack emotion, namely "wonder" and" awe"; and atheists are oppressing religious people
It appears that theists views of atheists are overly complex, overly judgmental, and wrapped in fear. Many of the atheists who responded to my survey said that atheists are viewed poorly in society, some going so far as to say that we were "right up there with diehard Stalinists and child molesters" (survey).
She was told to "tone down" a few parts of her paper (she didn't though) --
The only thing that really unites us is our disbelief in a god or gods. We don't have weekly meetings or secret handshakes. We don't eat babies on Wednesday nights or have satanic rituals in the woods. We don't have magical underwear or wear pointy hats. We just don't believe in any god.
(The issue was the "magical underwear" and "pointy hats" part.)
and
It seems that maybe the problem is forcing atheism into the form and structure of religion. Religion's privilege in our society is reflected in this framing. However, as my mother reminds me, if atheism is a religion, then barefoot is a shoe.
(The issue was the "religion's privilege" part, not the quoting your mother part
)
For the most part, her "coming out" as it was, went fairly smoothly. I was happy about that! I think its given her confidence in herself and her views. Her concluding paragraph ....
Atheists are affected in many ways by how we are portrayed by television, movies, news, "news", and other forms of mass media. Some sources will depict atheists as curs in society that should be avoided and demeaned while others ignore our lack of belief and just show us as regular people. As atheists, we could change the negative views with the help of social media. With social media, we can begin to connect with one another. Internet forums and humanist/atheist group websites, along with typical social media like Facebook and Twitter, can bring atheists together. These outlets have given me the opportunity to talk with atheists from across the US, Europe, and South America, among other places. Social media allows us to connect so that we can come together, grow stronger, and have a voice. I think this voice will be key to de-stigmatizing the atheist label. Regardless, no matter what the media says about us or how the media portrays us, one thing will remain constant: we will always be here. And for those who realize that they no longer believe in a god and feel lost, we will always be here, to quote Paul Provenza, "to welcome you with open arms" (The Unbelievers).
Thank you again for your help and for the group !!
= new reply since forum marked as read
I remember reading something similar here a few years ago. Something like, 'if atheism is a religion, then baldness is a hairstyle".
(I can relate 
)
I took your daughter's ("L-" survey, and she kindly responded on private email. I'm glad her paper worked out well!
While taking her survey, I wrote down an answer that summed up my view of "atheism":
"I don't need a mythical Sky Fairy to tell me how to be nice to other people. I can do that all by myself."
She was excited about every single reply. I remember when she was reading them, she said -- "these people are so honest and so funny too."
She noted that a lot of the atheists she heard from or talked to had a really good sense of humor about them
religious services - variety of religions - just to see them herself. Not to disrupt or to disagree, but just to have authentic knowledge.
Can't hurt, right?
Thanks for the thumbs up!
Understanding other points of view is important.
But, if she suddenly decides she needs to work on her Thetan Level....
I've been hanging out on DU since late 2005. Lurker I suppose you'd call it. Also busy raising my kiddo
I've tried to participate a bit here over the last year or so ... but seems its hard to stay at a computer for long. That's changing now with my daughter taking cc classes!!
Thanks again ... and Festivus for the rest of us!!!
