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Black Atheists of Atlanta

The Black Atheists of Atlanta (public access tv show & youtube channel) has been mentioned a few times in the last few weeks on various podcasts, mainly for their divisive views on atheism. I decided to give them a watch...my brain started melting 8 minutes in so I stopped.

Is their stance on atheism widely held amongst our community? This African atheism v. European atheism? Or their opposition to homosexuality? Are these guys the exception or the norm?

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Permalink Reply by Ralph Dumain on June 20, 2011 at 12:36pm

It takes less than a minute to realize these are Afrocentric knuckleheads, and from there the rest of their ideology is predictable. Although there are others like them around, they seem to be a limited presence.

Permalink Reply by Crommunist on June 22, 2011 at 1:07pm

This kind of stuff (what a reader of my blog calls "liquor-store philosophy") is an offshoot, however irrational, of the Afrocentric movement. The kind of Eden-worship of precolonial Africa as a land of purity and harmony that was despoiled by the white and Arab conquerors is common among many of those on the outskirts of Afrocentrism. It's ludicrous and factually untrue, but it does provide a convenient skein into which one's own anti-gay bias can be inserted. It thereby performs all the functions of a religious organization (suspension of rational thought, rationalization of uncomfortable facts, dismissing contrary opinions) without the need for a deity.

For what it's worth, this clip has been making the rounds and being solidly denounced by the atheist community at large. I myself wrote a detailed deconstruction that got a fair amount of attention. It should also be noted that these guys are the fringe offshoot of an actual Black Freethinkers organization operating out of Atlanta.

Permalink Reply by Ralph Dumain on October 15, 2011 at 8:32am

"liquor-store philosophy" -- I'm going to use that.

Permalink Reply by thomas smith on July 5, 2011 at 11:34am

this is too unfortunate, even though it is not unexpected.

they are going through a phase of black nationalisism like the NOI .

it is understandable to an extent because of the pressures and attacks on blackness in our country by the system of capitalism ( and folks who immigrate here and recognize that the black community has been damaged by racism and is weak).

the latent homophobia is part of the "feel better because someone else is lower than i am" and is unacceptable, especially for us Blacks considering the terrible psychological damage done to us because of our looks which we cannot change any more than gay folks can change.

I have always wondered about the guys that are virulently homophobic, i have always thought more gays means less competition for the women!!!

Permalink Reply by THE GRENADIAN FREETHINKER on October 10, 2011 at 1:33pm