Comment

Comment by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 25, 2011 at 5:24pm

http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/europeanatheists/forum/topics/do-...

More thoughts from Members regarding the Atheist symbol...............

Comment by Riomarcos on May 20, 2011 at 1:53pm

We should just carry little atheist calling cards like this one.

Comment by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 19, 2011 at 5:44pm

Ok, it looks better with a bird on it anyway but if Mr. Dawkins chose it himself I would suggest to him that he should not give up his day job as a scientist. Perhaps if our leader was tortured to death we could use the implement of torture as our symbol like the christians.

....it looks like an 'A' too.

Comment by Gecko, Seth...brother of Richie! on May 19, 2011 at 11:57am

@Napoleon Bonaparte we dont use the same A as the anachists. And since Dawkins et al have chosen a nice scarlet A, and have already sold and distributed thousands of them...I think A it is.

Comment by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 19, 2011 at 11:47am

 

 

The 'A' is not a good symbol for Atheism because it is already used by anarchists.

The 'A' for anarchy is already well known and more generally recognised by the public in the UK.

There simply isn't a good symbol for Atheism at the present time.

Comment by Gecko, Seth...brother of Richie! on May 19, 2011 at 10:55am

 For me it is the announcement of solidarity with fellow Atheists. And there is a bit of the

(juvenile perhaps) in your face to those in society who fear life without their dogma (xtian and muslim in particular). On the rare occasions that it starts a conversation I do try to take advantage of the opportunity to plant the seeds of doubt and perhaps start the journey of discovery for someone else. Of course I come from a tradition of symbolism that serves to create an "esprite de corps", and if you will, a stronger tribe.

  I agree with most of what John said in his post however, we are living in an era when theists are actively trying to inact laws based on the religious beliefs. Symbolism and solidarity seems to be very important in countering their attempts. To a certain degree the "new atheism" IS a movement complete with media campaigns and political activism.

Comment by Greg on May 18, 2011 at 5:23pm

Even though atheism isn't an affirmative belief, people can still rally around a lack of religion and faith and join together. This website is evidence of people's desires to associate with like minded individuals who share in their disbelief. Groups of people tend to like to create a symbol to be readily identifiable to each other, to show others that their group exists, and feel as if they are included in a community.

 

For example, Christians use the Jesus fish to announce their faith and to show their support for fellow believers. This doesn't suggest anything about how they view people in the out-group and I would be surprised if most people were using it to brag about their righteousness or tease people of other beliefs.

 

I, personally, enjoy random sightings of a flying spaghetti monster. Similarly, I have an Invisible Pink Unicorn symbol on my car so that other atheists can feel as though they are not alone if they see it.  I'm pretty sure that very few theists know what the symbol is or suggests, and I do not intend to mock their belief by displaying my own.

Comment by paul babcock on May 18, 2011 at 6:09am

Among other reasons for it, it is a way of showing that one is out of the closet, so to speak, as an atheist. Like gays plenty of atheists feel persecuted to the extent that they fear coming out about it. Wearing an "a" is a way of showing that one had come out. Gays went thru a similar thing and it was quite successful for them. Wearing an "a" is a nonintrusive way of declaring to the workday that one is an atheist and open about it.

I don't wear an "a" for the simple reason I don't wear any jewelry. However on the occasions that I wear my "New Orleans Secular Humanist" tee shirt, I often get a good response from it.

Comment by John Camilli on May 18, 2011 at 4:20am

I think that's exactly what it is: I think atheists are trying to give a face of some kind to their movement. But I think it's a mistake to think of atheism as a movement; as something to which people need to be converted or swayed. All I seem to hear from atheists is how stupid religion is, and how superior science is, and how theists are evil dogmatizers that need to be shut down. But all that will do is replace one oppressive system with another. Like every regime that overthrows another, atheists are on the march into the captial to topple the statues representing religion, metaphorically of course. But I have always looked at that process as a sad one. Why do we need to silence the ideas of others? Why do we need to destroy them just because we don't agree?

 

Atheism should be about allowing everyone to have their own belief system, regardless of whether it makes sense to others, so long as its not being forced on anyone.