Our numbers are so few!  Even though I hear "more people are 'coming out' all the time," there's still a very tiny number of us.  Why is it that we have such a hard time finding people willing to admit to being atheist even when statistics indicate there are millions of us in this country?  I have an idea.

Atheism has nothing to offer.  We can get all freaky over reason, science, common sense.  We can prove religion is wrong all day long.  We can invalidate religion until we're blue…

Continue

Our local atheist group wears bright blue t-shirts with "Ask an Atheist" boldly printed front and back while we walk in pairs at events, the mall, etc.  Our purpose is visibility and availability to answer questions.  We've done this 3 months now, with generally supportive response.  The visibility is working.  

Please see http://outatheist.info for more info and photos.  You will find resources in case you might consider starting such a project in…

Continue

This post is prompted by some discussions among members of a local atheist group about building an atheist community.  

My ideas orignate from several months of thought on the subject of community.  A recent discussion thread in the groups online forum included descriptions of an Oregon-based community youth church, comments about the Flatirons Community Church (currently the second largest church in Colorado, based on weekly attendance), and another member's advocacy for recreating…

Continue

Here you are. You have been invited to a family, political or even social gathering where you share, with a more or less familiar crowd, food, drinks and laughters. Whatever the occasion is, you  let yourself being engaged in economic, political and societal debates with the people around you enjoying at every single opposition the opportunity to live and evolve in a country where free speech prevails...And here it comes, the cold and alienating call for prayer. Whoever you are,…

Continue

This summer I decided to start attending some functions with other people who may think like myself. Having lived in the Kansas City area for most of my life I had never gone looking for groups to attend. To my pleasant surprise I found a group that meets every Sunday on the University of Missouri Kansas City campus, my alma mater. If the group had been more publicized on campus while I attended school I may have joined earlier, but I'm happy all the same.



The group I attend is the… Continue

Many of you should know by now the events that resulted in the crushing of the RichardDawkins.net forum. If you dont you can find a poigniant description on Peter Harrison's blog. I'm still dizzy from the disruption to my life and my virtual community so I need to chat, but I don't want to chat about those events.



I believe the Dawkins admin folk are planning to replace the forum with… Continue

I love podcasts. I've been listening to them for a couple years now, because I found Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, Skeptoid, and Scientific American. There are so many good podcasts out there, and such a huge diversity. Chariots of Iron, SGU, Skepticality, This American Life, Dan Carlin's Hardcore History, etc etc.



What initially draws you to a podcast- the topic, the slickness of their advertising, their format, the options they have available for their community- and just as… Continue

Since it seems as timely as it did a few months ago, I'm reposting this breakdown of Atheists.

What think ye, freethinkers?



I've been thinking about the many different kinds of freethinkers/atheists/non-theists I run into. Here is my breakdown of the sectarians in the naturalistic "community." I hope this starts a healthy, productive, creative discussion!



A: Angry, aggressive and obsessed with anything anti (a, a, a, non, un. . .)

T: Thoughtful, thinkers and… Continue

It was with great boredom and no small sense of anticipation that I signed on to Atheist Nexus today. After setting up my account over a year ago (I think), I hadn't touched it.



After accepting the single friend request from a stranger, I began to browse about. I was eventually drawn to the chat feature.



The discussion was hot and heavy between two individuals. The topic was smoking, its health impact for those near it, and the possible rules and regulations that should… Continue

Have you ever wondered if you're the only atheist in Rochester? Well, you're not! It's time to say hello to Rochester Atheists. They're new, but the drive to be successful is unprecedented.

Read my entire story on examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/x-14681-Rochester-Atheism-Examiner~y2009m6d18-Rochester-meet-Rochester-Atheists

The Lonely American

Choosing to reconnect in the 21st century



Americans in the 21st century devote more technology to staying connected than any society in history, yet somehow the devices fail us: Studies show that we feel increasingly alone. Our lives are spent in a tug-of-war between conflicting desires—we want to stay connected, and we want to be free. We lurch back and forth, reaching for both. How much of one… Continue

Russell Glasser of the Atheist Community of Austin (ACA) gives an informative lecture about the importance of being able to discuss and defend atheism. The video is in 7 parts (playlist).



Part 1:



See also the… Continue

I'm sure most of you are internet savvy enough to know about places like Digg and Reddit. Well, I was unaware until recently that there is a place called "The Atheist Spot" which is a community news generated community for stories of particular interest to atheists.



http://www.atheistspot.com/



Not sure how many of you were already aware of this, and if this is OFN, but I just thought I'd try to popularize it a little more. So far… Continue

You going to enjoy this one. Check it out.

www.GODbar.net

So, I'm new here, and I though I should introduce myself.



My name is Johan, and I live with my girlfriend Jasmine and my cat Pixel in the south of Sweden, which is a country in the north of Europe.

I don't come from a very religious background, altough my mother together with her relatives are christians. Religion really has had no place in our lives, other than at weddings and such things that we've attended.



However, just a couple of days ago I called my mother to… Continue

Here in Springfield, Illinois the culture is predominantly religious based, so activities in the community that don't cost any money are awash with religious-based programs and activities that require exposure to "scripture."



I am aware of local Freethinker Meetups that gather once a month, but the last few I missed because of my work schedule. There is one Unitarian Universalist Congregation here, but I totally reject all religion and organizations that tolerate all… Continue

Like all on this site, I am not a religious person. I did not grow up going to church. Instead, I was left to read and learn about anything I wanted on my own and with questions. There was no dogma given to me. While I am very thankful to my family for this, I also realize there is a gap in my life experience that is often filled by religious affiliation and the extended-extended family that is provided by peers in religious associations.



I've often heard the radio report that… Continue

One of the advantages church-going theists have over non-believers is community. They know that in their church they are accepted, supported and cared about. Non-believers have no such support system. We make our own friends, perhaps relying on our other interests (i.e. hobbies) to provide us with a sense of community.



Perhaps that's why I'm such an advocate of forums and atheist websites. I joined my first forum (Lockergnome) in 2001, and since that moment have tried to establish a… Continue