The importance of Atheist organizations.

Courtesy of Alternet:  

Atheists want the benefits of a secular society, but too many refuse to do the work. They are more concerned with a dictionary definition of atheism that they forget what is at stake. 

Without atheists united in some form of community, the US would be lost overnight to a theocratic right. Ready to overturn whatever secular laws remain in the constitution. 

While some atheists are worried about definitions, the right is worried about overturning women's rights, ending marriage equality and enforcing bad economic policies that drive more Americans into poverty. While we are busy infighting claiming, "no one speaks for me", the right is speaking and gathering followers. If we continue to run around unorganized, they will overtake this nation. 

So there is, and should be a strong atheist movement, groups like American Atheists, American Humanist Association, Secular Coalition for America, Freedom From Religion, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science and countless others are atheist based organizations all fighting to enforce secular laws in this country and around the world. 

These are the groups who put the weight on their shoulders to make sure the theocratic right do not overtake the US and anyone who believes in upholding the secular history of this nation and the further secularization that rebuilds the wall that separates church and state that the right has spent decades taking apart. We should be thanking these groups and individuals in this fight, not chastising them for being "the face" of atheism as many have. 

We may not elect atheist leaders, but many people shine through and stand up for all of us. We don't have to claim to agree with what every group does or says all the time either. Just as each atheist is unique in many of their own ways, so are groups.

Just so you know I am the king of the non-joiners.

Sure I can work as a part of a group for short periods of time, but after awhile things like clashing egos, mismatched ambitions, and attempts to define ourselves always force me to reevaluate why I joined and typically I walk away.

I identify as an Atheist simply becasue it is the label that best reflects my view of God, mankind, and the universe.

I have never formally joined any Atheist group and never really planned to in the future.

However there is some sense in what the author of this piece, Dan Arel, is saying.

As a group we are woefully unorganized, and we are often dealing with a group that is not only organized, but also well funded and with vast political connections.

As much as I hate to say it, the time may have come for those of us who want to keep religion from infiltrating our schools, and fight the oppressive laws that are dictating what women can do with their own bodies, as well as whose love is worthy of marriage, to get off our asses and start working together to help shape the world that we want our children to inherit. 

Melissa Harris-Perry responds to attack by Sarah Palin and other Right Wing morons.

Courtesy of MSNBC:  

My inbox began filling with hateful, personal attacks on Monday, apparently as a result of conservative reactions to a recent “Lean Forward” advertisement now airing on MSNBC, which you can view above. What I thought was an uncontroversial comment on my desire for Americans to see children as everyone’s responsibility has created a bit of a tempest in the right’s teapot. Allow me to double down. 

One thing is for sure: I have no intention of apologizing for saying that our children, all of our children, are part of more than our households, they are part of our communities and deserve to have the care, attention, resources, respect and opportunities of those communities. 

I believe wholeheartedly, and without apology, that we have a collective responsibility to the children of our communities even if we did not conceive and bear them. Of course, parents can and should raise their children with their own values. But they should be able to do so in a community that provides safe places to play, quality food to eat, terrific schools to attend, and economic opportunities to support them. No individual household can do that alone. We have to build that world together. 

So those of you who were alarmed by the ad can relax. I have no designs on taking your children. Please keep your kids! But I understand the fear. 

We do live in a nation where slaveholders took the infants from the arms of my foremothers and sold them for their own profit. We do live in a nation where the government snatched American Indian children from their families and “re-educated” them by forbidding them to speak their language and practice their traditions. 

But that is not what I was talking about, and you know it.

Yep they DO know it. They are just hoping that the low information paint chip eaters who listen to them don't.

And Palin herself knows full well the importance of a community willing to offer support in the raising of children. Her own children certainly benefited from the help of family members and friends who stepped in to care for her kids when she was in one of her depressions and locked away in her room, or busy running for office, or away from the house avoiding her job as Governor, or even banging one of Todd's best friends.

In fact I think it is safe to say that she could have used even MORE help in keeping them out of trouble, away from drugs, and teaching them that they did not have to get pregnant in order to finally get their mother's attention.

But alas there was no Professor Melissa Harris-Perry there to offer instruction and guidance.

And we have seen the result.

So perhaps Palin should shut up and allow the Professor to educate those for whom her advice is NOT too late?

Let's start the day with some inspirational words from some of our more famous freethinkers.

If image does not enlarge click here

Whenever I feel alone, or that my life seems inconsequential, I always remind myself that I am the universe, that the universe is me, and that I live on a planet populated with millions of intelligent people who share my sense of reality.

If you believe that Atheists need a temple to worship in, then you simply do not understand atheism.

This is the graphic that accompanied the Huffington Post article. Because apparently an "Atheist temple" must look like a giant dildo. Which is the ONLY part of the article I agree with.

So the other day I read this in the Huffington Post:

Atheists have long criticised devout followers of faith. But now it seems Atheism is stealing from that very religious tradition by erecting a temple of worship. 

Author Alain de Botton announced plans to build an Atheist temple in the U.K., reports DeZeen magazine. 

A collaboration with Tom Greenall Architects, the structure will be built in the City of London. 

Dedicated to the idea of perspective, the black tower will scale 46 meters (150 ft), with each centimeter honoring earth's age of 4.6 billion years, notes Wired. 

But a place of worship isn't the only attribute from organized religion that Atheists can benefit from, says de Botton. In his newly released book "Religion For Atheists," the author points to design, art and community to inspire and attract a following.

Realizing I could not possibly deal with this information while completely sober, I poured myself a glass of wine and read it again. Nope, brain still hurts.

Did this guy actually write a book called "Religion for Atheists?" WTF?

I suddenly realized that I needed to find a reliable atheist, whose opinion I respect, to weigh in on this subject.

Enter Richard Dawkins.

"Atheists don't need temples," said Dawkins. "There are better things to spend this kind of money on. 

You could improve secular education and build non-religious schools which teach rational, sceptical critical thinking."

Thank you Richard, my head feels so much better now.

The whole idea about being an Atheist is NOT that we simply do not like to worship in the way that Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, etc., worship.  It is that we find no fears which need to be soothed, concerns that need to be quieted, nor emptiness inside of ourselves which needs to be filled, through worship.

Personally I do not feel left out because I do not have any place I can go to for fellowship and solace on Sunday mornings, I feel liberated.

If I am looking for a place where I can find peace and feel at one with the universe, I simply step outside and allow the universe to find me. After all I DO live in Alaska.

I don't think that most atheists want to have a place to remind the world that they exist, nor to force their opinions on others. They just don't want other people's faith to dictate how they live their lives, educate their children, or choose their political representatives.

And if you still don't understand the difference between atheism and religion, perhaps this image will help to explain it better.