Mississippi Atheists

MS Fares Poorly on Secular Coalition's Congressional Report Card

2012-01-27T08:14:00.001-06:00

The Secular Coalition for America recently released their 2011 Congressional Report Card based on how our representatives have voted on legislation of relevance to the secular community.

Not surprisingly, our elected representatives in Mississippi did not score particularly well. Of the four representatives scored, Rep. Thompson earned a B grade while Harper, Nunnelee, and Palazzo all earned Fs.

Is there anything we can do about this? I think it would be nice to thank Rep. Thompson. Sure, he could do better. But he's still far ahead of the others. By thanking him, we also let him know that we are paying attention.

As far as the others, Secular News Daily has some great ideas about how we can hold them accountable. To contact your representative, begin here.

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Jessica Ahlquist and Christian Hate

2012-01-13T10:10:00.012-06:00

Tayler Crocker, True Christian

Hi everyone. I've been out of pocket for the holidays, gleefully celebrating with family and doing my best to just let the world spin, but bringing me out of my cocoon is the news about Jessica Ahlquist winning her court case against her high school concerning its posting of prayer on the school's walls. I applaud her for the courage it must have taken to go against the dominant will of not only her school, but probably her community. We need more atheists like her.

Of particular interest to me is the reaction of Christians to this decision. Yet again, the courts have reaffirmed yet that the State cannot endorse religion. One would think that, by now, the Christian majority would get it. One would think that by now they would understand that they can't put their religious nonsense on public grounds, but no. And what we see is exactly what we have come to expect: The Christians, who routinely tout themselves as the highly moral (and atheists as the supremely amoral) among us, the true arbiters of goodness and decency, show themselves for what they really are: Hate mongers, simpletons, fantasy-addicts, among other descriptors I could have chosen.

Observe from Jessica's twitter feed:

"I hope there's lots of banners in hell when your rotting in there you atheist fuck"

"gods going to fuck your ass with that banner scumbag"

For an extensive catalog of the harassment Jessica has endured, follow this link.

One might cut these kids some slack because, well, they are stupid kids, but then there's this piece that has not only emphatically called Jessica a "bigot", but has posted a photoshopped photo to hammer home the point.

I can only conclude that these people, these so-called highly moral Christians, the ones with the one-way pre-punched ticket to Heaven, not only fundamentally misunderstand the constitution of the United States, but are fundamentally abhorrent, despicable people. Jessisca is a sixteen-year-old high school student, for crying out loud. Presumably grown adults attacking her in such a way is beyond the pale. So much for Christian morality.

But all of this highlights another problem: Christians, or the sort of amoral Christians highlighted in this thread, lack critical thinking skills. It demonstrates what Christianity does to the human mind. In their hateful screeds, they do what none of us atheists could possibly do with such effectiveness and clarity: They expose Christianity for what it really is. They highlight, beyond a doubt, that the moral system taught in Christianity is utterly bankrupt.

One might think they would realize the mockery they make of their own religions before they post the hate. But no, they don't, because they don't have to. That is the position of privilege Christians are afforded in the U.S. Their arrogance, their utter disregard and inability to respect a fellow human being says it all.

The hate monger who called Jessica a bigot seems to have no understanding whatsoever that the State cannot endorse religion. Further, in this laughable assertion, he writes:

"In fact, students could challenge this court case, simply based on the First Ammendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, OR prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Yeah, good luck with that one.

This stuff demonstrates, with unusual clarity, that in the Christian mindset it is A-okay to demonize an atheist, to dehumanize her. Most atheists, the reasonable lot we tend to be, tend to forget this indisputable fact: If you are an atheist, Christians hate you.

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Letter on MS Senate Concurrent Res. 505

2012-01-09T05:53:00.001-06:00

In the interest of doing what we can to stop our state's Senate Concurrent Resolution 505, Mims has shared a letter he wrote to his representative and a few key senators. With his permission, I am posting the letter below. Hopefully, it will serve as a model for additional letters.

Dear Senators Brown, Moran, and Fillingane, and Representative Crawford:

As the Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, as my State Senator, as the author of CR 505, and as my State Representative, I want to express my opposition to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 505.

This Resolution establishes a government committee aimed at forwarding a Judeo-Christian prayer and ministry. This is a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause as elucidated in the First Amendment. It is an affront to all non-Judeo-Christian residents of this State. It is an affront to rigorous social science research, all of which shows a negative correlation between the depth of a society's religious beliefs and the health of that society. Mississippi is the most pious of the fifty United States, and also leads in almost every negative social parameter, from teen pregnancy rates to crime rates to mortality rates to high school drop out rates to violence against women rates to divorce rates to poverty rates to obesity rates...I could go on and on.

Meanwhile, the only parameter which correlates positively with a healthy, prosperous, happy community - a high level of education - is ignored as we cut our education budget. Recent studies have shown that early education, specifically pre-K education, has a tremendous influence on positive social outcomes. I suggest that you do not spend a dime of state money or a moment of legislative time on activities which do not have a positive influence on Mississippi citizens, and do everything you can to promote education, from early education through university studies.

I know Jackson. You can walk easily to a venue from the state capitol to any number of religious institutions that can assuage any spiritual travails you may be feeling. You can also easily walk to an educational institution in need of help from the state in providing a good education for its young citizens. The same is true for almost every municipal or county seat of government in our state. I ask you to get your priorities straight and do what will really move our state forward.

Sincerely yours,

Mims H. Carter

Pass Christian

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MS Senate Concurrent Resolution 505

2012-01-07T10:46:00.001-06:00

Mississippi atheists, please check out Senate Concurrent Resolution 505. This was just brought to my attention by a reader, and I think you will find it worth a look. It would establish a "prayer and ministry caucus" in our state legislature in order to "encourage, train and support legislative leaders in every field who believe in the power of prayer and ministry…"

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Happy Holidays, Mississippi Atheists

2011-12-22T08:44:00.001-06:00

When someone says "happy holidays" this time of year, I always smile and think to myself, "Now here's someone who respects the fact that there are many holidays in December and that people celebrate different holidays." I take it as evidence the speaker is seeking to be inclusive rather than trying to impose his or her religious values on me. It strikes me as a sign of progress in a society with entirely too much religious conflict.

That some conservative Christians believe the Fox "News" hype that this is part of some war on Christmas is unfortunate. They are being used to raise money for right-wing politicians and probably don't even realize it. They've managed to ruin their own holidays.

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FFRF Winter Solstice Sign Comes to Mississippi State Capitol

2011-12-06T05:20:00.001-06:00

Given that Mississippi regularly tops the list of most religious states in the U.S., it should surprise no one that our state is home to many Christians who insist on erecting blatantly religious Christmas displays in the Mississippi State Capitol building. This year is no different in that a life-sized nativity scene will be in the rotunda of the building. The good news is that just like last year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), along with the Jackson Skeptical Society, are helping to counter the religious message with a Winter Solstice sign.

You may recall that there was a nativity scene in the Capitol last year and that it prompted the FFRF to apply for a permit to contribute a reality-based message to the display. You may also recall that the permit was approved and that getting the secular display up was something of a last-minute rush job. The sign was a success, and it is great to see how much better organized and timely the efforts are this year.

According to Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF Co-President,

We don’t think religion, or irreligion, belongs in state capitols. But if a state is going to permit a nativity display, then we want to be sure that the views of the 16 percent of the U.S. population that is not religious are also represented.

Exactly! Like Gaylor says, religious displays do not belong on government property. The only way they can be there legally is is the door is opened to alternatives. And by getting an alternative message there, the chances that the religious message will continue to be there decreases.

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Sanity Wins!

2011-11-09T07:51:00.002-06:00

Personhood for fertilized eggs was soundly rejected yesterday by Mississippi's voters, and I'm beside myself with joy. I didn't believe we had it in us.

On NPR this morning, a supporter of the initiative proclaimed that even though the measure was defeated, supporters could take a moral victory in knowing they were doing God's work.

It seems to me that the sound defeat would make me question the veracity of that brand of thinking. After all, surely the all-mighty would have more sway with voters than Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. Perhaps the All-mighty didn't want it to pass?

Nah! More likely, it was Lucifer to possessed me to vote no. Yeah, that must be it.

A victory for sanity! Today is a day for celebration.

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Mississippi Voters Reject 'Personhood' Amendment

2011-11-09T06:13:00.001-06:00

Zygotes will not be considered persons in the state of Mississippi after Initiative 26 was defeated yesterday. I do not have many opportunities to say this, but I am proud of the people of Mississippi today. Despite well-funded efforts by Christian extremists to use our state in their quest to overturn Roe v. Wade, common sense prevailed.

To all those involved with the no on 26 efforts, thank you!

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Initiative 26 Would Force Rape Victims to Keep the Rapist's Baby

2011-11-05T08:42:00.001-05:00

On November 8, I hope you will join me in voting no on Mississippi's Initiative 26. Victims of rape should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to give birth to their rapist's child.

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Now is the Time to Oppose Proposition 26

2011-10-26T10:12:00.003-05:00

I have spoken to several people who I know to be reasonable, and all of them, to a person, was ignorant about the ramifications of Prop. 26, and being reasonable people, the truth about the proposition caught them off guard. Yes, it will potentially ban almost all forms of birth control. Once people are aware of that, a no vote becomes virtually assured, at least for reasonable people.

I have also fired off a letter to the editor that puts out some of the facts, and I look for it to be published this week or next.

I want to push, prod, goad, those of you who oppose this proposition to act, now. Now is the time to write letters to the editor. Now is the time to talk to your reasonable friends and family. It is a no-brainer once the facts are given, so let's get to work opposing this insanity. I want to see Mississippi redeemed, and I'm doing what I can to make that happen.

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Initiative 26 is Bad for All Pregnant Women

2011-10-26T10:11:00.001-05:00

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Just in Time for Halloween…Jesus!

2011-10-25T15:44:00.001-05:00

Vote No on Initiative 26

2011-10-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

On November 8, Mississippi voters will decide whether to amend our state constitution by redefining personhood to include fertilized eggs. The stated goal of those promoting Initiative 26 is to provide the U.S. Supreme Court with the case they need to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively ending reproductive freedom for American women. Mississippi was selected intentionally after similar efforts failed twice in Colorado. Proponents of Initiative 26 are counting on Mississippi voters to be less informed and more conservative than Colorado voters.

The Goal of Initiative 26

Initiative 26 would ban abortion in Mississippi, even in cases of rape, incest, or cases where the woman's life was endangered. But even this drastic step is of minimal importance to proponents of Initiative 26. Their stated goal is to ban abortion in Mississippi in an attempt to get the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. The court is far more conservative now than they were when Roe was decided, and there is a good chance that they would overturn it today if given the opportunity to do so.

Proponents of Initiative 26 are supported by the American Family Association and other Christian extremist groups. They have been using statewide robocalls, billboards, TV and radio ads, yard signs, and the like. They are very well funded and have been effective in persuading the Southern Baptist majority to join them.

Unintended Consequences

Besides banning abortion, Initiative 26 appears to have many other serious consequences. Some of these might be intended but are not being publicized; others may truly be unintended. They include banning certain forms of birth control (i.e., most birth control pills), making miscarriage a criminal offense, and costing the state of Mississippi a considerable amount by requiring a thorough re-write of the entire legal code.

Some pro-life groups in our state are coming out against Initiative 26 precisely because they are worried about these possible consequences. Even though they agree with banning abortion, they realize that this is not the way to do it. Unfortunately, they seem to be in the minority.

What You Can Do

Assuming that you want to keep abortion legal in the U.S., here are some things you can do:

Vote no on Initiative 26.
Encourage every registered voter you know to vote no on Initiative 26.
Volunteer to work with Mississippians for Healthy Families or donate to support their efforts.
Use whatever means are at your disposal to inform and educate Mississippians about the implications of Initiative 26.

There is some evidence that Mississippi voters may change their minds on Initiative 26 when they are informed about some of the possible consequences, especially the implications of banning birth control. It would be naive to suggest that everyone can be reached, but it is possible to change minds on this one.

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Should Religious Views be Respected?

2011-10-10T10:04:00.005-05:00

The answer is no, views should not be respected in and of themselves. If a person posits a belief in unicorns, that view should not be respected, but dismissed. That said, I think we have a moral obligation to respect the person who posits the belief, as in, perhaps we should suggest that the unicornist seek a good therapist, and we should do what we can to help him.

A good debate is going on over at Salon.com about how faith should be treated among atheists, beginning with what I see as a rather silly view put forth by Alan Lightman, who argues for some nebulous value in faith for those who have it. Dawkins, and those who dismiss such faith as useless because it fails to account for reality, are dismissed as militaristic and/or assholes for not being nice to believers.

Daniel Dennett responded with a short piece that I would have written myself. Essentially, Dennett says that atheists have no impetus to be nice with regard to belief. Atheists are right to dismiss ridiculous claims, and they are doubly right to highlight the atrocities committed under the name of God throughout history.

Two points to make here: Back to my original assertion that we should respect the believer, not the belief, certainly seems to be an important distinction with which I think Dawkins and Dennett would agree. After all, both of those men are by all accounts personable and amiable fellows who would, no doubt, tell you you are wrong and then buy you a beer.

Secondly, and what gets lost in the labeling of those guys as assholes is that they are academics, which means they work for expertise and that they support their claims with evidence. If one brings bullshit into the academic arena, he or she should expect to be called on it. One doesn't base his claims on faith and superstition in an academic arena without meeting with derision and dismissal. That's how the evidence-based community functions, and I, for one, and glad for that.

In a country, hell, a world, in which god-belief is given for all manner of claims, from opposition to stem cell research to sex education and beyond, I am happy to have outspoken academics like Dawkins and Dennett pointing out that the emperor wears no clothes. We need more people like them, and we certainly shouldn't take a namby-pamby approach to bullshit claims. We shouldn't treat those claims withe kid-gloves as if they have merit. We should respect the humanity of those who make those claims (even if those religious folks who make those claims refuse to respect humanity, which is often the case), but we should feel absolutely fine with dismissing their bullshit out-of-hand.

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The Ironies Can Kill You

2011-10-06T15:55:00.003-05:00

This is going to be a diatribe of sorts because one can only take so much before the cap pops off and the frustration spews.

So, Fox News is a propaganda machine, nothing new there. Whenever I need my fill of utter bullshit, that's my first stop. As a bullshit source, Fox never lets me down. And I could go on and on and provide clips or links to demonstrate such, but what's the point. We all know this.

But it nevertheless always gets me thinking: Who is the guy and gal out there who watches anything on Fox and agrees with it? Who are these people? Who out there is so ignorant, so incapable of thinking (much less thinking critically), that they can sit on their couches, watch the nonsense, and nod their heads in agreement? Who out there can't smell the bullshit when to me it reeks so badly I have to hold my nose and cut an onion or two?

So, moving right along, sometimes, I suppose when I'm in the mood for self-immolation, I settle for a perusal of the American Family Association web site. Classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the AFA is always good for a dose of bile. But again, I wonder, who are these people? Who are these busybodies who hate homosexuals so much that they actually give a damn what homosexuals do? Who out there hates gay people so much that they actively tune in to hateful rhetoric and don't somehow feel dirty, or demeaned? Do these people have any sort of semblance of a conscience at all?

Who out there actually thinks its a good idea to declare a zygote a legal person?

Who out there really believes, in light of all other problems, that abortion, or gay marriage, etc., are important issues, or, in the rhetoric of the religious right, the indication that we are in the end times?

I just don't get it. I fail to understand. Contemplating the above, I'm torn between sympathy for their ignorance, (poor-stupid-fundies, they just don't know better. The American school system failed them so miserably.) But on the other hand, they are not content to be merely stupid, that would be one thing, but they are so stupid that they think their stupidity is wisdom, and so they think that they should spread it to others. The end result: viral stupidity, viral bigotry, viral hate.

I am describing the utter frustration of fighting a lost cause. They cannot be cured. They cannot be taught. They are stupid, and they always will be. The power of reason, of argument, of justice, are useless against such colossal stupidity.

But here's the irony: Sometimes I wish there was a Hell. I truly do. Because I know that these self-righteous, stupid bigots would be roasting in it, shocked, absolutely shocked, that spending a life spreading stupidity and bigotry landed them there. Perhaps then they would understand. But I doubt it.

End diatribe.

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Secular Student Alliance Group Approved at Southern Miss

2011-10-05T05:55:00.001-05:00

There are a few active atheist groups in Mississippi, but the Hattiesburg area has never been fortunate enough to have one. That could be about to change.

The University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg) has approved the charter of a new student group, the Secular Student Alliance at Southern Miss. This group has the distinction of being the first Secular Student Alliance (SSA) chapter in Mississippi. Congratulations to all involved!

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I'm Speechless

2011-10-04T19:10:00.004-05:00

I have to admit, with the Occupy Wall Street movement gaining momentum day by day, and with the looming economic disaster that seems to be gripping much of Europe, which will surely spell doom for the anemic U.S. economy, I'm finding it difficult to find things to write about. I mean, the post I'd been working on, about abstinence-only sex-ed in Mississippi, hardly seems important in our current context. So, I've been silent for a couple of weeks.

I am cheering for the Occupy Wall Street people. I think they are fighting for a just cause and they are in the right place, Wall Street, the ground zero of our economic woes. I don't know if it will continue to gain momentum or fizzle out, but I know what I'd like to see. I'd like to see social justice and real change in the way we do things in the United States. I'd like to see the robber-barons get their comeuppance.

Wait and see. We live in interesting times.
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Occupy Mississippi

2011-10-02T08:13:00.001-05:00

If you have been following the Occupy Wall Street protests and wish you could do something similar a bit closer to home, you'll have a chance on October 6th. An Occupy Mississippi event is being organized in Jackson.

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Expanding Your Group in Harsh Territory

2011-09-27T05:52:00.001-05:00

Here is Gordon Maples speaking on how atheist groups can thrive in the South. This is from a Secular Student Alliance conference, so his focus is on atheist groups at high schools and universities in the South.

He has some good ideas:

Exposure. Simply exposing Christians to atheist ideas is an important start. Chalking campus sidewalks is a popular method used by all sorts of campus groups. I see it every day.
Collaboration. Meeting atheists from other campuses and hearing about what has worked for them can be a great source of ideas. Check out S.E.C.A.A. as an example of what this could look like.
Persistence. Sticking with it and not giving up are critical. Initial efforts will often be met with unpleasant reactions; however, sticking with it and standing one's ground can lead to success.
Expand. Get your group's name out there and keep it out there. Constant recruitment will preserve the future of the group when current leaders graduate.

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Contemplating Nonexistence

2011-09-24T13:35:00.001-05:00

This post was submitted by Doug from Ocean Springs, MS.

Darkness... Emptiness... Nothingness...

What awaits us after death?

It's one of the two major deciding factors in religion. It's only second to whether or not there is a God. But for those of us that have decided our answer (at least for the time being) on the 'God' question, what answers do we provide ourselves to the 'afterlife' one? At first glance, perhaps you'd think that it was a moot point; that since there is no God, there is no afterlife. I find it hard to automatically attach these two answers, however. Why do we not believe in a God? Because there is no good enough evidence of one, of course. And since we don't have any reputable evidence of an afterlife, it would be logical to come to the same results. I get that. The thing that bothers me is this whole idea of non-existence. Have you ever really tried to consider what it might be like to simply not be? I don't think the human mind can even conceive of such a concept. But does that mean we've got it figured out? I mean, we don't remember anything before our births, yet we know there was time before us.

I have a Christian friend with whom I frequently discuss matters of science and religion. He is actually very approachable and though we disagree on many things, we never grow angry with one another. I once asked him what he thought was going to happen to him when he died; to give me a sort of chain of events, or a play-by-play. He said pretty much what I expected him to say: awaken in Heaven, new body, family members around, angels, God, etc. He returned the question to me, and I answered saying that I was almost convinced that nothing happened, and that we just died. He paused, and then said, "That must be terrifying."

In all honesty, yes, it is terrifying. I mean, who wants to stop existing. I imagine that being dead wouldn't bother you, but the thought of dying is the scary part. Of course, we all realize how precious life is, and perhaps we take better care of ourselves since we know that this is all there is, but the end still looms. Aside from explanations of nature, the whole point of religion may lie in the human fear of death. How does one cope with the realization that it was a fairy tale?

Whenever there is a death around me, I usually go and read Thanatopsis, a poem by William Cullen Bryant. The last verse reads as such:

So live, that when thy summons comes to join

The innumerable caravan which moves

To that mysterious realm, where each shall take

His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,

Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed

By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave

Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch

About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

How he equates approaching death like approaching your bed at night amazes me. We go about our entire day not fearing the end of the day, but looking forward to it in many cases. But is that only because we know that another day will come? Is there something of death in dreamless sleep?

There are many ideas, even amongst those that do not believe in God, about the persistence of consciousness, and to some, it may just be a lot of hoodoo. But where does the consciousness spring from? What cell does it reside in? I'm not suggesting the work of any charlatan new age psychonaut babble, either. For those of us who have come to the conclusion that there is neither a God, and probably no afterlife, how do we... cope, I guess is the word, with the thought of our ultimate end?

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"The Shame of College Sports"

2011-09-24T07:54:00.004-05:00

This one is a bit off topic, but something I wanted to share with my fellow Mississippians being that college football is our Saturday religion. This article in The Atlantic by Taylor Branch has been getting a lot of media attention since it was published a couple of weeks ago. Essentially, it speaks to the inequities of college athletics and the utter corruption of the NCAA and predicts that the NCAA, in its current form, won't be with us much longer. It is well worth the read for those of you who follow college sports.

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On Parenting Without Religion

2011-09-21T07:53:00.005-05:00

Raising children to be freethinkers, free from dogma and superstition, is, to put it mildly, a challenge. Superstition permeates our culture. It is just the way of things, taken for granted. It is just how things are done.

I have a four-year-old, and for my part, I am continually endeavoring to raise her to be an independent thinker, spared the challenges and guilt and worries that were given to me as the byproduct of coming up in a fundamentalist home. I want to encourage her intelligence as opposed to anti-intellectualism. I want her to understand that as a living thing, she is a part of the natural world, related to all living things, not something divorced from nature. I want to nurture her inquisitiveness, her wonder and awe about the world around here. I don't want her to waste one iota of mental energy contemplating ancient mythology as truth.

But, as I said, I can do my part, but the culture works on her, too. At her secular pre-school, they say God-is-great-god-is-Good before they eat lunch. That might seem pretty benign, but that's how it starts. It is in those seemingly trivial rituals that the Christ-haunted culture propagates itself. So then she wants to say it over our supper at home, and I have to attempt to explain something that is really too complex for her to understand at her age. I'm given a battle I never asked for.

It comes from friends at school, who talk about church and prayer and things like that. She comes home and wonders if we should pray to Jesus, because, you know, Jesus loves all of us.

I don't know how many parents there are among the readers of this blog, but I'd love to hear some of your experiences with raising children to be freethinkers and how you've coped with the default Christianity that is continually foisted on our children.

My tactic to combat it has been the truth. I read her bible stories because there's nothing better than a bible story to teach how gruesome and awful the bible can be. I mean, the first few stories in the bible contain mass murder, violence, sexism. Cain slaughters able. Abraham is willing to murder his son. Sodom and Gomorrah. Noah's ark. I read those stories to her and she was horrified.

"Why did god kill every body?" (noah's ark), she asked.

"He killed all the babies, too?"

But it is a necessity that she know more about the bible than her bible-soaked friends. It is imperative that she see it for what it is, not as literal truth, but as a cultural artifact of a brutal and violent age in which human life was cheap.

I pair the bible stories with the wonderful stories of Greek mythology, not that it is any less violent, but the violence is a bit more cartoonish, in my view. Greek myth is a lot more fun. But the parallels strike her, and she sees common threads. (Zeus, like Yahweh, murdered everyone).

She comes to a better understanding about Western culture. She gets a foundational awareness about why things are they way they are. She gets the "truth" that these are stories, not to be taken literally.

There are a couple of good non-religious parenting books out there. I recommend the Parenting Beyond Belief series of books.

Parenting for reason and freethought is a challenge. It would be far easier to just take her to church and say to hell with it. But, I think it is a noble task, and I hope that it pays off. I hope she becomes a woman capable of thinking for herself, capable of seeing the world as it is.

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Does Christian Extremism Keep You Away From the Republican Party?

2011-09-17T08:05:00.001-05:00

This post was submitted by Doug from Ocean Springs, MS. I thank him for submitting it. It is great to hear from atheists across our state!

If there’s one simple reason I can call my default deterrent from any conservative politician these days, it’s that I pretty much expect them, at some point, to not only push a Christian fundamentalist agenda, but use it to fuel their politics altogether. Now, I do realize that not all conservatives are fundamentalists, or even Christian, for that matter, but this does bring up a few points that we can’t ignore in today’s politics.

First, there’s a sort of faux-concept in the general populace that every atheist is a liberal. And while I am sure that many are liberal-minded, there’s certainly plenty that would otherwise side with the conservatives on many issues. Rick Perry, Michelle Bachmann, etc., have had no problems publicly presenting their religious motivations. Perry has even gone on record as saying that if you don’t believe in Jesus, you’re going to Hell, plain and simple. Now what would make me believe that he had any concern for me or my interests if he believes that I am intrinsically wrong and am ultimately destined for eternal damnation? I realize that he is an extremist, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking there’s not plenty more where he came from.

I mean, suppose I do have some conservative viewpoints, such as wanting everyone in the country to be a citizen, and believing that while abortion should not be illegal, it should certainly not be available as a form of contraception for irresponsible couples. These are negated, if not trumped entirely, by the fact that I don’t believe in God to many a politician.

As it so happens, like many Americans, I have different views on different issues. So much, in fact, that picking a political party to formally associate with makes no sense. Liberals (or Progressives, as some prefer, I suppose) do seem to be a more diverse group of folks. And by and large, they don’t reject me for my religious beliefs. Indeed, my beliefs, or lack thereof, have no impact on my political views whatsoever. Of course, this points to the misconception that atheists have no God to hold them accountable for their actions, so they cannot possibly have a true moral compass.

I’d love to see an atheist ask Perry in a public forum how he intended to serve as President to the non-religious community at large. Of course, such a question probably would never be allowed in a public forum. But part of me thinks he’d answer honestly, actually. There are just not enough people that would disagree with him to make a difference, I don’t think. And he knows it.

If I may, I’d be interested to hear what the politics of Mississippi’s atheists are. I’m sure they would be as diverse as the individuals. Do you see the same deterrence in conservative individuals? Has fundamentalism adulterated the Republican Party so much that it is irredeemable to a non-religious mind?

Thank you all for taking time to read.

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How Many Mississippians Ever Hear About the Problem of Evil?

2011-09-16T06:28:00.001-05:00

Over and over, I am reminded that Mississippi is not exactly a hotbed of education and critical thinking. It is a fair assessment. Each semester, I encounter a shocking number of college undergraduates who have never heard of philosophy and have no idea what it is. If they are lucky enough to have a good professor in their introductory psychology course, they are usually exposed to some material on critical thinking, and yet, classic subjects like the problem of evil can be escaped altogether unless they opt for a philosophy course. And can you guess what students can take in place of philosophy to meet the same requirement? If you guessed religion, you were right.

In spite of all this, I have a hard time imagining myself giving up. If we keep asking questions, more of our Christian neighbors may realize that their pastors do not have any answers. If we are willing to discuss our atheism openly and explain why we do not share the religious beliefs of the majority, we provoke thought and model the application of reason. If we reach out to the youth to demonstrate that it is quite possible to live one's life without gods, we leave a lasting influence.

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Reaching Out

2011-09-15T13:20:00.002-05:00

As I have perused the history of this blog, I've noticed posts by vjack expressing frustration that the blog hasn't grown as much as he would have hoped. I don't have access to the numbers, but I infer that they are disappointing.

Though I am not the administrator of this blog, I am a Mississippian and an atheist living in Mississippi, and I experience all of the isolation and loneliness that comes having so few social outlets to have fellowship with others like me. That is where the theists have such a tremendous advantage: Their numbers. Church provides an important sense of community and vitality to its members, and I've always thought that was one of the reasons why people go to church in the first place. In North Mississippi, we have no atheist club at all, and I know of no other atheists in my hometown of Tupelo (though no doubt there are some out there).

So, in a nutshell, my online social networking is all I have, and I would like to do what I can to build and grow this blog. I could envision it as a go-to place for the godless of Mississippi for social contact and conversation.

To that end, and I hope I'm not stepping on vjack's toes here, I am asking for suggestions about how we could grow this blog and reach out to more people like us.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

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