| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"JPG" |
| Date: |
04 Oct 2006 10:49:26 AM |
| Object: |
Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/15675596.htm
Atheist groups growing over last 6 years
By Rebecca Rosen Lum
Contra Costa Times
(MCT)
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - When Richard Golden put the word out that he was
starting a group for atheists in Walnut Creek, Calif., about a dozen
people showed up.
Two years later, 80 are dues-paying members and several more drop in on
twice-monthly meetings to chew on everything from particle physics to
court cases.
Horrified by escalating religious violence and alarmed by the Bush
administration's "faith-based initiatives," which make government money
available to religious organizations, atheists are coming out of the
closet - and organizing.
"Local groups are springing up all over the place," said Ellen Johnson,
president of American Atheists. Active groups have grown by about 90
percent over the past six years, she said.
In the past few years, groups affiliated with American Atheists have
taken root in Berkeley, San Francisco, Davis, Calif., and Silicon
Valley.
National membership in the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group of
atheists and agnostics that monitors the separation of church and
state, grew from 5,000 in 2004 to 6,400 members by the beginning of
2006, said co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor.
Meetings and rallies, once the province of older folk, now include
younger people with tattoos and dreadlocks. The Internet, radio spots
during "Al Franken's Air America" radio show and campus groups are
responsible, Johnson said.
"They don't have the baggage that someone my age does," Johnson said.
"Atheism was such a dirty word - associated with communism. Plus, this
is a very scientific era. They're not afraid to say what they think."
But atheism appears to be gaining ground as a belief, not just a wave
of political activism by those who fear the wall between church and
state is being disassembled. Books challenging religion like "Letter to
a Christian Nation," by Sam Harris and "The God Delusion" by Richard
Dawkins appeared at No. 5 and No. 23 on the Amazon.com bestseller list
Sept. 20.
"Our primary conviction is that there is only one world - there is no
supernatural world - the world that is the subject of scientific
investigation," he said. "We are focused, as the humanists are, on
having our human potential increased in this world, rather than working
everything out in the world to come."
Two University of California at Berkeley sociology professors found
that the proportion of Americans with no religion doubled from 1990 to
1998, but has leveled out at 14 percent.
"We argue that ... reflects a growing backlash against the role of
organized religion," said Claude S. Fischer, one of the authors.
"People on the political left have reacted against the organization of
churches on the right. Their statement is a reaction: `If that's what
religion means, than I'm not religious.'"
Studies suggest the surge in interest is more a wavelet than a tsunami.
The Baylor University Institute Religion Survey, released Sept. 11,
showed 10.8 percent of the nation's population, or some 10 million
Americans, do not adhere to some faith. The majority of the 1,721
respondents who were unaffiliated with a religion said they believe in
"some higher power."
On Oct. 6, many atheists will head to the Freedom From Religion
Foundation's convention in San Francisco to hear author Sam Harris
("The End of Faith") speak and to watch comic Julia Sweeney perform her
"Letting Go of God."
The Foundation has brought 30 First Amendment lawsuits since 1977 and
has more percolating through the courts. Among its victories: winning
the first federal lawsuit challenging direct government funding of a
faith-based agency.
Sept. 11, 2001 hammered home the dangers of religious fundamentalism
for Larry Hicok of Berkeley, who describes the terror attack as an
ultimate "faith-based initiative."
Now he chairs East Bay Atheists, whose membership has been growing over
the past five years.
One of the most recent developments to galvanize activists is the
Public Expression of Religion Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. John
Hostettler, R-Ind.
The bill would deny attorneys fees and damages to those who
successfully argue against violations of the church-state separation.
The House Judiciary Committee passed on a party-line vote, Republicans
for, Democrats opposed.
"There's no other time in American history where the wall between
church and state was in such danger," Gaylor said. "We could be taking
a faith-based case every day if we had the resources. This is the time
to come out swinging."
---
ATHEISTS IN COURT
The watchdog organization Freedom From Religion Foundation has sued
over violations of the church-state clause 30 times since 1977. Some of
its wins include:
_Overturning a state Good Friday holiday
_Ending 51 years of Bible instruction in public school
_Stopping direct subsidy to religious schools
_Stopping Job Corps members from working on a Catholic shrine
---
=A9 2006, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.).
Visit the Contra Costa Times on the Web at
http://www.contracostatimes.com.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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| User: "NC" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
05 Oct 2006 03:25:23 AM |
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"JPG" <j_peasemold_gruntfuttock@hotmail.com> wrote:
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/15675596.htm
Atheist groups growing over last 6 years
Muahahaha. So much for all of that Alister McGrath "twilight of atheism"
crap we kept hearing all last year.
NC
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| User: "bk" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
15 Oct 2006 01:59:20 AM |
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Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
--
midrash, n: precursor to a major viral infection
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
15 Oct 2006 04:48:33 PM |
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On 14 Oct 2006 18:59:20 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
Toddlers have that trait.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "Michael Gray" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
16 Oct 2006 01:13:56 AM |
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On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:48:33 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
- Refer: <kip4j2tkq00j72jar5v5dptiiils5emsam@4ax.com>
On 14 Oct 2006 18:59:20 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
Toddlers have that trait.
But they grow out of it.
.
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
18 Oct 2006 12:53:17 AM |
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On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:43:56 +0930, Michael Gray
<fleetg@newsguy.spam.com> wrote in alt.atheism
On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:48:33 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
- Refer: <kip4j2tkq00j72jar5v5dptiiils5emsam@4ax.com>
On 14 Oct 2006 18:59:20 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
Toddlers have that trait.
But they grow out of it.
Some do.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "bk" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
22 Oct 2006 10:59:45 PM |
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stoney wrote:
On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:43:56 +0930, Michael Gray
<fleetg@newsguy.spam.com> wrote in alt.atheism
On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:48:33 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
- Refer: <kip4j2tkq00j72jar5v5dptiiils5emsam@4ax.com>
On 14 Oct 2006 18:59:20 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
Toddlers have that trait.
But they grow out of it.
Some do.
And the rest become Christian.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "Michael Gray" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
23 Oct 2006 12:14:16 AM |
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On 22 Oct 2006 15:59:45 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com>
wrote:
- Refer: <1161557985.511398.126370@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com>
stoney wrote:
On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:43:56 +0930, Michael Gray
<fleetg@newsguy.spam.com> wrote in alt.atheism
On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:48:33 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
- Refer: <kip4j2tkq00j72jar5v5dptiiils5emsam@4ax.com>
On 14 Oct 2006 18:59:20 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
Toddlers have that trait.
But they grow out of it.
Some do.
And the rest become Christian.
Or Islamic, or followers of Moroni, or ...
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
24 Oct 2006 11:50:59 PM |
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On 22 Oct 2006 15:59:45 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
stoney wrote:
On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:43:56 +0930, Michael Gray
<fleetg@newsguy.spam.com> wrote in alt.atheism
On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:48:33 -0700, stoney <stoney@the.net> wrote:
- Refer: <kip4j2tkq00j72jar5v5dptiiils5emsam@4ax.com>
On 14 Oct 2006 18:59:20 -0700, "bk" <backandforthhope@yahoo.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
Hoping Christians will read "Letter to a Christian Nation", but I doubt
it likely, as they will shut their minds as soon as they skim the front
cover.
Sad.
Toddlers have that trait.
But they grow out of it.
Some do.
And the rest become Christian.
Remain Christian.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "mulbish" |
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| Title: Re: Atheist groups growing over last 6 years |
04 Oct 2006 11:43:37 AM |
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good info, thanks
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