Million Atheist March

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Was going to suggest it, except there aren't likely that many in the USA.

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[+3] - edgarblythe - 03/31/2012One pill makes you larger And one pill makes you small -

It's an interesting thought. What would you envision as the march's "cause"? To foster unity among atheists, or to call for "atheist activism," or to exhort atheists to be more vocal in politics, or to protest the treatment of atheists, etc.? Just curious.

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Actually, I was watching the network newscast this afternoon; one of the features concerned an atheist organization, the biggest in the USA. They were demonstrating before the Supreme Court. I thought how they were a mirror of other organizations and the Million Man March flashed in my memory. I wondered how others would comment on such a thought.

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Shapeless wrote:

It's an interesting thought. What would you envision as the march's "cause"? To foster unity among atheists, or to call for "atheist activism," or to exhort atheists to be more vocal in politics, or to protest the treatment of atheists, etc.? Just curious.

We could have "a march about nothing".....I think I could pitch that concept...

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Edgar, both are righteous minorities.

I saw an estmate on TV, that atheists are 2% of our population. It seems to me that that 2% is a population of people who know what they think and are forthright enough to present themselves as advocates of a deviant position. Those who said they were believers comprise an amorphous hodgepodge of variations in degree of actual belief and social integrity, i.e., they may very possibly say they are christians because of weakness before the interrogater.

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Re: Million Atheist March

edgarblythe wrote:

...there aren't likely that many in the USA.

If the number that JLNobody cited is correct, it would put the atheist population at about 6,000,000.

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Re: Million Atheist March

Shapeless wrote:

edgarblythe wrote:
...there aren't likely that many in the USA.

If the number hat JLNobody cited is correct, it would put the atheist population at about 6,000,000.

It's my wild guess that atheists are widely undercounted, because many possibly shun controversy.

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Re: Million Atheist March

edgarblythe wrote:

Shapeless wrote:
edgarblythe wrote:
...there aren't likely that many in the USA.

If the number hat JLNobody cited is correct, it would put the atheist population at about 6,000,000.

It's my wild guess that atheists are widely undercounted, because many possibly shun controversy.

It still amazes me that there is an advanced western liberal democracy where atheism is seen as controversial.

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Atheists shun controversy? Laughing

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snood wrote:

Atheists shun controversy?

Whether they do or not, being an atheist is not controversial in most advanced western democracies, so their atheism ignites no controversy.

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Well, I can't speak for "most advanced Western democracies", but atheism is still pretty controversial in america. You deny that?

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When I was about twenty, I was on the verge of getting engaged. When I told her I was an atheist, the shi- -caca- -hit the fan. I was treated like a social misfit and informed that if we were married, I would be expected to attend a church every Sunday. Instead of getting engaged, I joined the military.

When I was twenty three, I wrote a paper defending evolution. When my aunt read it, I was ostracized from her home for the next forty years, until she died.

All of my life, when people learn my leaning in the matter, they have hollered at me, ridiculed me, and tried to force me to listen to their interpretation of the Bible.

Just a few examples.

Not controversial? You who don't think so obviously don't meet the same individuals I run across daily.

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I think that one of the problems that the US faces, in therms of atheism, was that of its most prominent spokesperson, Madlyn Murray O'Hair.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madalyn_Murray_O'Hair

For years, she was the "face" of atheism, and an ugly one at that. I am not talking about her looks, but her entire persona, which was not very positive. I would suspect that even those people who agreed with her views, would shudder at Madlyn being the "poster girl" for the atheist movement.

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snood wrote:

Well, I can't speak for "most advanced Western democracies", but atheism is still pretty controversial in america. You deny that?

Lol! Not at all. That is the opposite of my point.

I am pointing out how unusual the US is this regard.

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Phoenix32890 wrote:

I think that one of the problems that the US faces, in therms of atheism, was that of its most prominent spokesperson, Madlyn Murray O'Hair.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madalyn_Murray_O'Hair

For years, she was the "face" of atheism, and an ugly one at that. I am not talking about her looks, but her entire persona, which was not very positive. I would suspect that even those people who agreed with her views, would shudder at Madlyn being the "poster girl" for the atheist movement.

Atheism has a MOVEMENT?????!!!!!

I know agnosticism APPEARED to have a movement on A2k......but that was just Frank Apisa, all by himself.

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dlowan wrote:

snood wrote:
Well, I can't speak for "most advanced Western democracies", but atheism is still pretty controversial in america. You deny that?

Lol! Not at all. That is the opposite of my point.

I am pointing out how unusual the US is this regard.

In what advanced western democracy is atheism not controversial? And just for the record, saying that its true for all democracies except the US is kinda like saying DC is free of crime - except murder.

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snood wrote:

dlowan wrote:
snood wrote:
Well, I can't speak for "most advanced Western democracies", but atheism is still pretty controversial in america. You deny that?

Lol! Not at all. That is the opposite of my point.

I am pointing out how unusual the US is this regard.

In what advanced western democracy is atheism not controversial? And just for the record, saying that its true for all democracies except the US is kinda like saying DC is free of crime - except murder.

Try reading, Snnod.

I spoke of advanced western democracies.

Uh...as to such countries where it isn't, try Australia, Canada, the UK, Germany, France...er struggling to think of another where it IS.

For helping you see the the difference in definitions?

Indonesia and Malaysia (ASIAN democracies) are examples of where atheism would be controversial, as might be India.

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You having trouble with the spelling of my name, or was that intentional pithy flavor?

"Try reading." Such bite. And I didn't even invite you to bite me.

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dlowan- For some reason, I am having trouble creating a link to the article about Madalyn Murray O'Hair. (Maybe god is out to get me! :wink: ) Just try Googling her.

Here is another , link that puts a positive spin on her life. I hope this works.

http://www.atheists.org/visitors.center/OHairFamily/

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Is the statement that "atheism is not controversial" in the above mentioned countries made from anecdotal/personal experience, or from something more substantial (or simply common knowledge, not subject to further examination)?

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