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Do we need a Universal Atheist Motto? e.g. "In Darwin we trust".

Aberingi's long-running topic entitled "Do we need a Universal Atheist Symbol?" leads me to ask "Do we need a Universal Atheist Motto?".

Well, perhaps we don't, or perhaps we could, but some theists might get deservedly irritated if we chose to use something like "In Darwin we trust" at appropriate moments.
These words, suitably translated into other languages, have a basic international atheist appeal with respect to truth and helpful anti-theist sabre-rattling and debating.
e.g. they might look good on the side of a bus/ coach.

Tags: Darwin, bus slogan

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carl Esser on January 25, 2011 at 4:18am

"Gesundheit". It's German, means "health", and isn't so unusual a word in English, either. What has sneezing to do with god in the first place??

Permalink Reply by william staten on July 5, 2010 at 9:32am

What about "IN GOD WE DON'T TRUST"

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on July 5, 2010 at 10:10am

This is a negative perspective. I prefer the positive approach.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on July 5, 2010 at 6:15pm

In REASON We Trust.

How you like them apples?

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on July 5, 2010 at 6:38pm

On first glance this sounds good and then I remember all the nice, gracious, loving, caring, dependable, resourceful, intelligent, compassionate people who believe the strangest things. I also have a son who just makes no sense to me. He tries to tell me how he arrives at his conclusions and there is just no rhyme nor reason to his logic.

Permalink Reply by Albert Terry on September 12, 2010 at 8:41pm

Perfect! I love it.

Permalink Reply by Tony Maitland on December 3, 2010 at 11:07pm

I would prefer "In Science and Reason we trust." Science for the facts of existence and Reason for the morals and ethics of living.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Terence Meaden on December 4, 2010 at 3:18am

At first sight this looks good.
However, the word 'reason' also gets used by theocratic philosophers to support their own beliefs.
So slightly better is "In scientific reason we trust".

And yet, the verb 'trust' can be a loaded word because it can be worked either way depending on the writer. [e.g. the god-botherers 'trust' their faith---which we know has no proof---whereas science is to be trusted because millions of scientists have performed billions of experiments that all support one other and can be repeatedly tested.] What alternative might there be to 'trust' ?

So, perhaps, "In science, we reason"
or something similar can be considered..

Permalink Reply by John Jubinsky on December 4, 2010 at 5:06am

and Reason for the morals and ethics of living.

I can see that you mean well but the word reason alone does not connote morality (Hitler and Stalin believed in reason too.) Reason will take one to different conclusions according to the hypotheses that it is founded in. In order to not have the church scapegoat us as a bunch of Hitlers and Stalins I would like to see one word added to your motto so that it reads: In Dignity, Science and Reason We Trust.

Permalink Reply by heretic on January 3, 2011 at 6:29pm

Hey Loren, how about we surreptitously gain acceptance by ostensibly (and yes, in reality, too!!) showing how we regularly follow the path of integrity and 'righteousness,' before the hopelessly misguided have a second to describe us erroneously? In other words (IOW)

What's wrong with usurping the golden rule?

After all, it is the essence of morality; presented in one simple sentence that even a devout ____ (xtian or fill in the blank) could easily grasp.

Ultimately, the atheist challenge is to illuminate the unenlightened (yes that is deliberate irony!) that we atheist DO have decent morals, for real.

Nicht war?

Permalink Reply by heretic on January 3, 2011 at 6:30pm

Joan, i feel the same way. Thus i vociferously espouse the golden rule. Xtians do not have the copyright on it.

- jillian =)

Permalink Reply by Clark Moffatt on January 17, 2011 at 6:45pm