Those of you with a Facebook account may be noticing another viral trend on the site this week. Some of your friends are going to disappear and be replaced by a scarlet letter. No, not that scarlet letter. They are going to be switching their profile pictures with a red A on a black field which has been chosen as the symbol for atheist awareness week.
Although the number of people who report that they have no religion has been steadily growing over the years, the number of people who are willing to clearly identify as atheist or agnostic is still very small. In 2008, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the American Religious Identification Survey reported that approximately 15% of those surveyed said they had no religion. That’s almost 35 million Americans. Yet only about .7% identified as atheist and .9% as agnostic, which together make up just 3.5 million people. So why are so many people without religion hesitant to identify as atheist or agnostic?
There is certainly a bias evident in society. Where it is considered unacceptable to question another person’s faith, lack of faith seems to be fair game. From the vandalism that plagues secular billboards (more examples here, here and here) to the disparaging comments made by public figures, such as Bush Sr. reportedly questioning whether atheists were still citizens, many people seem to think that a lack of faith constitutes a lack of morals. Atheists are seen as at best seriously misguided and at worst as criminal advocates of anarchy and hedonism.
The reason that prejudices like that can remain is that many people don’t know how many of their friends and loved ones are actually non-theists. The idea behind ‘A’ week on Facebook is to raise the profile of the unassuming atheists and to show people how many “normal,” moral people out there are, as the billboards put it, good without god.
Of course, whether or not it is important to choose the label of atheist when there are less loaded ones available, is up for debate. Many organizations that use the terms secular and humanist have also be showing increased membership in recent years and seem to have less stigma attached to them. Whatever the term you prefer, however, the important thing is to increase awareness that a moral life can be lead without the guidance of religion. So if you are comfortable calling yourself an atheist, why not join us this week? And if not, perhaps you could think about joining or making a donation to an organization like the Secular Coalition for America or the American Humanist Association.
For more articles by Jessica on labels and identity, see:
Jessica is a writer and editor living in the exciting, interesting and sometimes confusing city of Tokyo. She loves traveling and learning new languages and is rarely to be found without a book or two within arm’s reach. She writes a regular column on NPO/NGOs and volunteer work in Japan for Metropolis Magazine and specializes in English as a Foreign Language materials.
“Atheist” is a relative term. Many people say that Einstein, Sagan and Spinoza were atheists. ….. What do they say ?
Well Einstein says he believes in the God of Spinoza. Carl Sagan says he believes in the God of Einstein and Spinoza.
What does Spinoza say ? God is everything and everything is God. Sort of like what Jesus the Nazarene was saying in Luke 17:21 or the Logion. God is within and without everything.
So if by definition an Atheist does not believe that “God” is a dude in the sky – then that would make me an atheist also.
I agree with Spinoza, Einstein, Sagan and Jesus the Nazarene.
Insightful?:
2 
0
True, “atheist” is just a term that a religious person uses to label those of us who happen to disagree with their particular definition of God. We’re all atheists with respect to most gods.
I would add two things though:
1) People generally use the term “atheist” to signify disbelief or lack of belief in *any* of the various gods that people believe in.
2) Many if not most of the people who say they believe in the God of Spinoza, Einstein, or Sagan are not expressing a belief in a supernatural being, just noting that they feel a sense of reverence, awe, wonder, etc. when they contemplate the universe of which we are a part. I prefer Chet Raymo’s phrase for this feeling: “When God is gone, everything is holy.” Or Marcus Aurelius: “Everything is connected and the web is holy.” Some people may choose to actually turn this into nature worship, but many of the scientists and others who express such sentiments remain wholly naturalistic in their worldview. Sagan certainly seems to be one of these, and very likely Einstein as well.
In any case, I think the real point of ‘A’theist Week is to take away the stigma of the word so that people don’t have to be afraid to honestly state their opinion. We should all be able to freely say: “No, I don’t believe that your concept of God is literally real.” It’s about protecing people’s freedom to question all beliefs — a freedom that is necessary if one is to be able to determine what is true, IMHO.
Well-loved! Insightful?:
20 
0
actually there is no proof that god exist.
Insightful?:
3 
0
Einstein was an atheist, as was Sagan. Spinoza is debatable but he seems to have likely been atheist as well.
The problems here are many. First of all, for a great many years(up until VERy recently in fact) the word “atheist” was errantlt thought to mean something akin to an extreme, militant, ‘anti-theist’ or some such. Einstein did not want to be identified as such and naturally did not adopt “atheist” as a label. If he had been alive today he most assuredly would have. But such was his keen insight that even back in his day he, at times indicated a slight awareness of this and in letters to clergy who had written him DID say he was an atheist from certain perspectives(like that of the Jesuit priest).
To fully understand Einstein’s atheism you must study his complete writings. He rejected or denounced ALL notions of ‘afterlife’, immortality(save the very natural sense of being remembered or having an effect on reality that lasts beyond one’s own existence), divinity, supernatural, etc. so what room is left for any ‘God’?
Sagan suffered from some antiquated understandings of ‘atheism’ as well but he seemed to have come to a bit better understanding before he died. Still, he never denied and his widow confirms that he had had no belief in supernatural entities, gods of any relevant kind and so was an atheist.
Jesus (as in the character from the Bible)of Nazareth did not exist as a real person. The character was an amalgam of several other characters both real and fictional(Apollonius of tyana, etc.).
Insightful?:
0 
0
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by biz_buzz: #facebook ‘A’ Week on Facebook http://ow.ly/16UUrw…
Insightful?:
0 
0
Offgrid, when you’re dealing with ‘Spinoza’s God’ you are referring to god as a metaphor for the universe. This is not a sentient being. It’s not a being at all, it’s nature. And it sure isn’t something that sent it’s son to earth to preach to one small corner of the world, to one ethnic group. Jesus means a very different thing in the Bible. Einstein and the like could loosely be called pantheists, but even that gets tricky.
-S-
Insightful?:
5 
0
I love being an atheist and am happy to tell anyone. I’ve lost a few friendships along the way but obviously, they weren’t important friendships to begin with.
Putting an “A” as my facebook picture, however, is something I can’t do. If my religious friends put a cross up as their profile pic, I would roll my eyes and probably block them so that I wouldn’t have to see it.
(although i may change my mind on easter sunday. just for fun.)
Insightful?:
1 
0
I don’t think you really know what ‘A’ Week is about if you are willing to block someone else for putting up a cross as their profile pic.
Insightful?:
1 
0
If you have friends that would block you because of your beliefs then you might want to consider nicer friends.
Insightful?:
4 
0
The problem I have run into as being an open atheist for the past 20 years has been with family & long-term friends. One of my best friends growing up & I got along great up until a few years ago when he remarried. She was a devout Baptist & he returned to the church and became heavily involved in its “ministry.” This has put a strain on our relationship because he sees the world through his faith and has tried to persuade me to become one of the faithful. I always respected his beliefs and never pushed or forced my worldview on him but such respect is no longer reciprocated as his Baptist faith compels him to “convert” the unbeliever. So there are legitimate reasons not to label ourselves with the big red “A” as life is a series of compromises. We can’t always cut ties to our long-term friends and family just to prove how dedicated we are to being “out.” One day this issue will be meaningless as we evolve as a species but for now we must navigate a minefield of ignorance and intolerance.
Insightful?:
4 
0
The way you explain it (Offgrid) makes it sound like you are either a deist, or a pantheist.
To be accurate, Spinoza believes in a god as an abstract philosophy, an idea, not an actual thing. In his philosophy, “god” and nature [the universe] are the same thing. It’s completely accurate to state that everything natural is nature, and everything in nature is natural, which is the view Einstein and Sagan took.
It’s also important to note that Einstein has stated on numerous occasions that he does not believe in an afterlife, or in an immortal soul. Sagan, also, did not believe in an afterlife or an immortal soul.
This is absolutely different from:
Luke 17:20-21 (KJV) “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Which, by the way, does not fit within the context you described. The passage says that god is unobservable, and that you need to have faith that the holy spirit is there.
If someone believes that “god” and “nature” are synonymous (thus making the term “god” redundant and unneeded), that nature does not possess it’s own personality or consciousness, and that there is no (immortal) soul, then they are an atheist. If you believe everything is god (or god is everything), and it’s a conscious thing with a personality that might grant you supernatural powers, you’re a pantheist. If you believe your body is the kingdom of god, which houses the holy spirit, you’re a theist.
“I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it.” -Albert Einstein, 1954, from ‘Albert Einstein: The Human Side’
Insightful?:
3 
0
It´s a common misconception that Jesus existed, he didn´t. Jesus is a composite character who, as a historical person, contains parts of historical persons like the samaritan prophet [the Taheb, who was executed by Pilate for crimes against Pax Romana], James the just [the essene leader originally seen as the risen "Christ"] and Jesus bar Ananus [a madman tormented by the procurator Albinus in year 62 modern time], to name a few.
The gospels are fictitious stories written by unknown writers closer to the mid second century. You should avoid quoting anything in them as something uttered by “Jesus”. We can´t really say if someone really said something that is said in them or if the quote just a figment of these unknown writers imagination.
Jesus, as portrayed in the gospels, never existed.
Well-loved! Insightful?:
8 
0
I’m changing my profile pic in support of A Week.
Insightful?:
3 
0
There is so much wrong with the arguments and examples in this article I don’t even know where to start
Insightful?:
0 
0
Fire away, Jim. I’ll be happy to discuss it with you.
Insightful?:
2 
0
I am sick of hearing people say that atheist is the belief in a god at all. No, you are wrong and ignorant to say something like that. An Atheist believes in no god what soever. I am an Atheist and damn proud of it. I believe that religion is a tool used by government and those in power to keep the people at bay. To me your gods are nothing more then the creation of man, and if you want to use that definition then my car is a god. To me war would not exist if it weren’t for your god. Don’t believe me then pick up you holy book and read it. God has killed more people then Hitler. I don’t care what you say to me or think about me, but if you need a book to make you do good deeds, then without the book you are evil. An Atheist is someone that does not need guidance from an imaginary friend. I can’t wait to see the day when we don’t have to use things like the A week to feel safe. The persecution we receive from theists just proves my point.
Insightful?:
3 
0
I am a Historian and in one of my Doctoral classes we read Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.” I have always been amazed by those religious folks who love to claim that Hitler was an atheist or a Pagan as an argument for how wonderful Christianity is in the modern era (as opposed to the Dark Ages & The Inquisition). Hitler makes frequent statements on how he is doing God’s will in taking on the Jews. He saw the world in stark racial terms where he believed that the Nazis were on the side of God and the Jews and the Bolsheviks were on the side of evil. This is why he so fervently believed that the struggle against these enemies would be one until death. It would mean either the extermination of all the Jews & Bolsheviks or the extermination of the Germanic people. Only someone truly convinced that he is on the side of a supernatural power will act in such a manner. This is why you never see atheists flying planes into buildings or making suicide attacks on our opponents. For those who say Stalin was an example of an evil atheist dictator needs to realize that he went to a church school as a youth and then onto a Georgian Orthodox seminary before he made the jump to Marxism. He was clearly a sociopath and once in power he replaced the Russian Orthodox Church with a cult of personality using the power of the state to enforce and protect his position. When the Soviet Army was getting smashed by the Nazis in WWII Stalin made nationalist appeals to patriotism. He also appealed to the Russian Orthodox church and images of national Russian heroes to whip up support for the fight against Germany. He would do anything and everything to hold on to power. The world has yet to see a truly Secular Humanistic government but I believe it is inevitable unless we destroy ourselves first. The best template I can think of is if we finally do evolve into having a Secular Humanist government is that it will greatly resemble the Federation depicted in atheist Gene Roddenberry’s “Star Trek.” May we live long & prosper until that day.
Insightful?:
2 
0
Um, can I just put “It’s complicated”?
I am not sure if I am a pantheist or a non-theist. I am with Carl Sagan and Einstein and Spinoza too — and I want to reclaim the concept of the divine from the literalists and fundamentalists.
Besides, my profile picture is Serafina Pekkala from His Dark Materials and my religion field says “Unitarian non-theist / pantheist” – that ought to be sufficient to show where my sympathies lie…
Insightful?:
0 
0
Oh, by the way, beautiful typography on the A.
And I like the reference to The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne was a friend of the Transcendentalists, by the way.
Insightful?:
0 
0
In defense of my #1 hero, Einstein..
I can’t believe someone has not made this quote yet..
So , Here goes;
“It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.” Albert Einstein
Why is it this quote is not shouted from the tree tops, I don’t know. Those bastards are tainting the poor genius’s name, even then. If he was here in 2010, his exact words might be “shut the f*&% up!”
I mean really, give it a rest on Einstein, he WAS an Atheist…
Let us rock a few more wile we are at it, No? ;
“The mystical trend of our time, which shows itself particularly in the rampant growth of the so-called Theosophy and Spiritualism, is for me no more than a
symptom of weakness and confusion. Since our inner experiences consist
of reproductions, and combination’s of sensory impressions, the concept
of a soul without a body seem to me to be empty and devoid of meaning.”
“I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it.”
“Scientific research is based on the idea that everything that takes place is determined by laws of nature, and therefore this holds for the action of people. For this reason, a research scientist will hardly be inclined to believe that events could be influenced by a prayer, i.e. by a wish addressed to a Supernatural Being.”
“The more a man is imbued with the ordered regularity of all events the firmer becomes his conviction that there is no room left by the side of this ordered regularity for causes of a different nature. For him neither the rule of human nor the rule of divine will exist as an independent cause of natural events. To be sure, the doctrine of a personal… See More God interfering with the natural events could never be refuted, in the real sense, by science, for this doctrine can always take refuge in those domains in which scientific knowledge has not yet been able to set foot. But I am persuaded that such behavior on the part of the representatives of religion would not only be unworthy but also fatal. For a doctrine which is able to maintain itself not in clear light but only in the dark, will of necessity lose its effect on mankind, with incalculable harm to human progress….”
Someone stop me…… I (Einstein) could go on all day
Insightful?:
5 
0
Thank you, ThinkingWink! Those are lovely quotes. I’m always surprised when people claim Einstein was religious. He so emphatically stated otherwise.
Insightful?:
1 
0
[...] http://cchronicle.com/2010/03/a-week-on-facebook/ Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Blog Post Assignment 2Tabula Rasa[HOMO] [...]
Insightful?:
0 
0
Definition of religion: Systems of thought control designed by some humans to enslave their brothers and sisters in the name of ghosts and goblins.
Insightful?:
1 
1
Personally I don’t see why I have to take on a label because I choose not to believe in something which I believe not to be true. If I don’t believe in a god of any type who is responsible for anything which occurs on this world, why do I need to have a label for that. I’m not the one superimposing any type of belief on the natural world…
Insightful?:
1 
0
I believe being an Atheist is a personal thing just I believe that having a religion should be a personal thing. The biggest problem with religion besides its false premise is that so many religious people think being religious gives them the right to force their personal religious thoughts on every one around them and try to force other people to live by their religious rules.
Insightful?:
2 
0
Above I read, I believe that there is no god. I choose not to believe there is a god, which is the same thing…
Religion is as defined by the dictionary:
1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs
4. something one believes in and follows devotedly
therefore:
Atheism = religion.
Insightful?:
0 
0
“*the* dictionary”?
Ah, I see you mean dictionary.com. I was going to make the point that dictionary definitions aren’t always to be taken as gospel (pun intended). But actually, the problem here is just that you selectively misquoted it:
re·li·gion
/rɪˈlɪdʒən/
–noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
6.
something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
7.
religions, Archaic . religious rites.
8.
Archaic . strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one’s vow.
Insightful?:
2 
0
I’m happy to see someone out there speaking for the non-religious. However Red & Black swatsika colors are not mine and I disown these colors from one to the world to the next. These colors are like poison just look at Darth Vadare. Thank you for sharing P.S.
Stop erectile dysfunction so that pharmaceutical companies will change. They cut off way too much Foreskin and people are shy to talk about it. The Real Cure is the Condom. Or a little soapy water fixes all these problems. 4400 yrs. ago Moses didn’t have it done; who co-authored by Proxy the 1st five books of the bible. Paul in Galatians preaches against circumcision many times. It’s like choosing King Herod over Jesus. Parents don’t sign off before it happens.
What they don’t tell you about circumcision: There is a service called, “IntactCare.org” Education about intact care is so important and would save so much pain. Foreskin removal is an almost guarantee that it will give males erectile dysfunction. Over 100 babies per year die of foreskin removal. Why is Orgasm wrong? Foreskin mutilation people are two embarrassed or uneducated to talk about something that is important in satisfying there partner. On the web site it says. ‘That without foreskin women loose 80% of the experience.” So a doctor will come in and say he will do a little procedure and the Mom will say it’s okay and a few minutes later it will be done, like a thief in the night. That they leave a 3” wide scare that won’t allow you to masturbate properly, also won’t quit during times that you don’t want it, during your puberty years. Dr. Dean Odell said, ‘It’s wrong.’ Proper discussion wouldn’t hurt anyone and maybe better resolutions would be done. If God wanted us not to have foreskin; we would not be born with foreskin in the 1st. place. Don’t take away something that belongs there. I guess the old establishment is always right. Or gives a lot to the 1st. born or takes away the 1st. born, so it is written or so it is said? I’ve always thought they removed too much skin and people would always laugh, when you question what this is about. Now that I see sometimes; how unkind and stupid people are, I guess they didn’t hear the word rude in the bible, I suppose this is a spiritual gift many people get except it really is an Egyptian bondage to control there slaves over 4400yr. ago. The invention of the condom protection did two things 1.) Keeps people from having babies 2.) It decreases the spread of disease. Foreskin is a very useful and valuable part of the body part that most Adult men do not want to give up. Why don’t you look up the demographics? Please stop this unethical unnecessary procedure. Protect us from all wrong sexual advancement/genital mutilation; still practiced in the USA: NOT in many other countries. http://WWW.intactAmerica.org or look up youtube=circumcision-Assault on Male 3-parts, also http://www.crispe.org. http://www.StopInfantCircumcision.org
Insightful?:
0 
0
Just for the record – Einstein was NOT an atheist. He believed that God created everything and all that but didn’t believe in the rest of it – i.e. creationism, Jesus, the Virgin Mary. but he did believe in God.
But I agree: there shouldn’t be any problem with being an atheist. It’s just as respectable as being religious and people should respect it without making any wrong assumptions.
“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.” – Einstein
“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” – also Einstein
“The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge.” – Einstein again
“Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it.” – Christopher Hitchens
Insightful?:
0 
0