by Justin Scott, founder and Director of the Eastern Iowa Atheists
Yesterday, in between work and other things, I was scrolling through Facebook when I noticed this in my timeline:
I had to stop scrolling and go back up to it. Did I just see this?
I've only been an open and outspoken atheist for about a year and a half and I've never seen anything like this. A lot of atheists are fearful to even post memes critical of religion and religious belief on their Facebook page, let alone publicly professing their atheism specifically. This connection took it a step further and decided that this moment was so important, so impactful in their life, that it warranted having its own place in her life experiences on Facebook.
HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!
There's been a lot of discussion lately about atheists doing their part to help normalize atheism. There's a fantastic effort on Facebook and Twitter with corresponding hashtag #NormalizeAtheism circulating on Twitter that I've tried to contribute to on a regular basis. I haven't seen anything as simple but as impactful of doing what this connection did.
As I put on my personal Facebook page a little bit ago, what a brilliant thing to do. If religionists get to brag about the day they were baptized or when they baptized their unsuspecting children, the day they were confirmed, the day they accepted a made up character to be their "lord and savior" or the day they were "born again" (whatever the hell that even means) then why wouldn't we atheists--especially us "Dones" that grew up with religion at some point only to reject it--not do the same.
Why wouldn't we want to celebrate this in the same way that we celebrate our employment/dating/living/pet status? Why isn't the single greatest influence on our worldview and for many, the one thing that guides how they treat certain people not be held in such esteem? Why isn't our decision to reject dogma and doctrine but instead embrace reason, observation and experience something to appreciate?
It's such a simple thing and yet something that I've overlooked since my day of "coming out". That's the only problem I'm facing now: When exactly was it? When was my "ah ha!" moment
Like many of you reading this, I don't think there was one single day that I declared that I was an atheist. It was a process. It required time. It didn't just happen in one single moment. Guess it's time to start racking my brain to try to figure out the best date for my profile. I encourage all of you to do the same! And once you've figured out your date, please do the following:
-Add a "Came Out" as an Atheist life event on Facebook
-Screenshot it
-Tweet it to @eiowaatheists using the hashtags #AtheistOutDay and #NormalizeAtheism
-Go to the Eastern Iowa Atheists page on Facebook and share our graphic asking others to do the same and ask your friends/family to do the same
Some of you may think there's not much that you can do to help normalize atheism. You may not have the time/energy/resources to take on elected officials, challenge city councils/school districts or organize atheists in your area. That's totally understandable.
But with a few minutes on Facebook by adding this life event, you will be doing your part to help normalize atheism. You may not realize it now but you may be inspiring the next closeted atheist to come out thanks to your courage in taking part in this!
**UPDATE: Here's my contribution to this effort as I decided on a date that my whole atheist activism really got started!** (If it's difficult to read, please send me a friend request and you'll be able to view the original on my Facebook profile.)
Good luck and thank you!
Yesterday, in between work and other things, I was scrolling through Facebook when I noticed this in my timeline:
I had to stop scrolling and go back up to it. Did I just see this?
I've only been an open and outspoken atheist for about a year and a half and I've never seen anything like this. A lot of atheists are fearful to even post memes critical of religion and religious belief on their Facebook page, let alone publicly professing their atheism specifically. This connection took it a step further and decided that this moment was so important, so impactful in their life, that it warranted having its own place in her life experiences on Facebook.
HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!
There's been a lot of discussion lately about atheists doing their part to help normalize atheism. There's a fantastic effort on Facebook and Twitter with corresponding hashtag #NormalizeAtheism circulating on Twitter that I've tried to contribute to on a regular basis. I haven't seen anything as simple but as impactful of doing what this connection did.
As I put on my personal Facebook page a little bit ago, what a brilliant thing to do. If religionists get to brag about the day they were baptized or when they baptized their unsuspecting children, the day they were confirmed, the day they accepted a made up character to be their "lord and savior" or the day they were "born again" (whatever the hell that even means) then why wouldn't we atheists--especially us "Dones" that grew up with religion at some point only to reject it--not do the same.
Why wouldn't we want to celebrate this in the same way that we celebrate our employment/dating/living/pet status? Why isn't the single greatest influence on our worldview and for many, the one thing that guides how they treat certain people not be held in such esteem? Why isn't our decision to reject dogma and doctrine but instead embrace reason, observation and experience something to appreciate?
It's such a simple thing and yet something that I've overlooked since my day of "coming out". That's the only problem I'm facing now: When exactly was it? When was my "ah ha!" moment
Like many of you reading this, I don't think there was one single day that I declared that I was an atheist. It was a process. It required time. It didn't just happen in one single moment. Guess it's time to start racking my brain to try to figure out the best date for my profile. I encourage all of you to do the same! And once you've figured out your date, please do the following:
-Add a "Came Out" as an Atheist life event on Facebook
-Screenshot it
-Tweet it to @eiowaatheists using the hashtags #AtheistOutDay and #NormalizeAtheism
-Go to the Eastern Iowa Atheists page on Facebook and share our graphic asking others to do the same and ask your friends/family to do the same
Some of you may think there's not much that you can do to help normalize atheism. You may not have the time/energy/resources to take on elected officials, challenge city councils/school districts or organize atheists in your area. That's totally understandable.
But with a few minutes on Facebook by adding this life event, you will be doing your part to help normalize atheism. You may not realize it now but you may be inspiring the next closeted atheist to come out thanks to your courage in taking part in this!
**UPDATE: Here's my contribution to this effort as I decided on a date that my whole atheist activism really got started!** (If it's difficult to read, please send me a friend request and you'll be able to view the original on my Facebook profile.)
Good luck and thank you!
Comments
Post a Comment