What “Dummies” need to know about atheism

[rug]

Updated: Monday, July 9, 4:41 PM
By Kimberly Winston
Religion News Service,

Dale McGowan is an author and executive director of Foundation Beyond Belief, a nontheistic charitable organization. He was recently enlisted to write “Atheism for Dummies,” the first book about nontheists from the “Dummies” series of books.

He spoke recently with Religion News Service about religious doubt, what religious believers and atheists have in common, and what “dummies” need to know about atheism. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: There hasn’t been an “atheist” book in the “Dummies” line yet. Why?

A: It’s only been about eight to 10 years since the freethought movement (atheists, agnostics, humanists and skeptics) began to move off the cultural margin in a significant way, and fewer since most of the public has become aware of atheism as an organized presence in the United States. Between the explosive growth of nonreligious self-identity and the more regular presence of the organized religious voice, people naturally have questions about what atheism is and what this growing presence means for them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/what-dummies-need-to-know-about-atheism/2012/07/09/gJQAtKZvYW_story.html

[mr blur]

1. Are there any dummies among religious believers?

Who knew?

[cbayer]

2. There are dummies everywhere, mr blur.

Just take a look around.

[LeftishBrit]

3. Yes, see this link...

http://www.dummies.com/store/Religion-Inspiration.html

[djean111]

4. Atheism is not an organised presence.

What is organised is the theist determination to demonise atheists as a group - much easier that way, n'est-ce-pas ?
Oooh - how sinister - what this growing presence means for them.......

[rug]

5. Have you missed this?

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-government/atheists-to-start-georgia-1458787.html

[cbayer]

6. Sure it is, and getting stronger and louder every day.

Wikipedia currently lists 30 separate organizations, and that doesn't even include the ones that call themselves humanist, free thought, secular or skeptic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Atheism_organizations

[djean111]

7. Point taken.

But it seems to me that atheists in this case really just don't want laws to be influenced by religion.
As an atheist, I find it odd to think of meeting up with a bunch of other atheists and talking about how we don't believe in something.
Seems like a fait accompli, you know?
But then I never was a joiner

[cbayer]

8. From what I understand, these groups have several different goals.

I agree that the most common is to keep religion out of government and that seems to be where they are most active.

But I think many also have as goals to end discrimination against atheists, provide education about atheism, offer support and community for like minded people and serve as a safe space for those who are leaving religions and experiencing negative consequences.

And lots of people are joiners. Many people are members of churches primarily for the community, so these kinds of organizations may provide similar things for non-believers.

[dmallind]

9. judging by your spelling there may be a good reason this bemuses you.

(no not an insult - I'm referring to the British/Canadian -ise rather than the American -ize).

I never thought of joining an atheist group until I came to the US. The -ise countries lack the massive, multi-billion funded, politically superbly connected fundamentalist (and their enablers) religious groups whose entire raison d'etre is to force religious dogma and strictures into our laws, our schools and our science while viciously reacting to any even vague questions about possible negative influences of religion, like child abuse in various forms from fatal beatings to withdrawal of education, exclusionary practices, and tax-free politicking.

In the -ize world, organized secular groups are a small, but necessary, brake on the theocratic juggernaut.

[dmallind]

10. McGowan's a good guy. Self-labeled humanist, critical thinking professor, and a humorous novelist.

I would imagine he'd be an excellent choice to write such a book.