In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is ostracized and viewed with disdain by the rest of her Puritan village. She is forced to wear an "A" on her dress to represent her crime against God. However, Hester is not ashamed of her sin and embroiders herself a luxurious "A" to wear. She turns her sin into an embodiment of power and wears it at all times. Eventually, the town remembers she is no different than before and allow her to return to their society.
The Scarlet A represents who this group is composed of: atheists and agnostics. Our "A" doesn't represent "adulterer," but it does hold similar values. We are shunned by many theists. Some consider us parasites (source), but we refuse to let the disdain they feel stop us from doing what we think is right.
Disbelief isn't a sin, just like Hester's love for Dimmesdale wasn't a sin. Like Hester, we wear our atheism/agnosticism proudly, showing we are not ashamed nor will be made to feel guilty for disbelief.
Why
join a group for something you're not? A group for atheists and agnostics may seem pointless, but there is very much a community
for those with disbelief, especially in the last couple of years. In a world filled with theists, this group was made to offer a safe haven where members can interact with other nonbelievers. It's a place to discuss science, the future of humankind, religion, and anything else we feel needs to be addressed.
Fellow atheists, nonbelievers, doubters.... YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There are many, many brilliant minds who disbelieve.
This group was also made to fight the negative stereotype. Atheists are often discriminated against, and though some can handle the discrimination, there may be times when they need to vent. A group with similar individuals will be able to understand and help. United, a group like this will be able to reverse the negative connotations "atheists" and "agnostics" receive.
Fellow atheists, nonbelievers, doubters.... YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There are many, many brilliant minds who disbelieve.
This group was also made to fight the negative stereotype. Atheists are often discriminated against, and though some can handle the discrimination, there may be times when they need to vent. A group with similar individuals will be able to understand and help. United, a group like this will be able to reverse the negative connotations "atheists" and "agnostics" receive.
According to Dictionary.com, an atheist is someone who "denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings." As Richard Dawkins puts it, "We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." As with all the definitions below, atheism can cross over with skepticism or even be blended with agnosticism, but the identification as an atheist is up to the individual. This flash animation provides definitions and explanations for difficult concepts concerning atheism and agnosticism.
An agnostic is someone who does not believe that the existence of an intelligent designer can be proven or disproven. Many people will identify as agnostic if they are on the edge between theism and atheism. Some people who first begin to doubt their faith identify as agnostic, and others have always been agnostic and prefer to be referred to that way.
Secularism is the belief that religion and politics should be kept separate. For example, a secularist would object to having mandatory prayer in public schools. A secularist does not necessarily mean that person is a nonbeliever; in fact, many of our founding fathers were theists (though some are more properly referred to as deists), yet they built a secularist government.
It is not that secularists reject religious freedom; it is actually quite the opposite. Many secularists, especially in our nation, believe that things such as, "In God We Trust," trespass on others' religious freedoms.
A secularist would reject the following things:
Freethinking is a philosophy that rejects outdated, dogmatic practices, and instead favors decision-making based on reason and rationality. A freethinker is someone who follows this philosophy.
It is not that secularists reject religious freedom; it is actually quite the opposite. Many secularists, especially in our nation, believe that things such as, "In God We Trust," trespass on others' religious freedoms.
A secularist would reject the following things:
- Swearing oaths on the Bible in court
- Mandatory prayer in schools
- Murals of Jesus or scripture from the Bible/Qur'an in government-owned areas
- "One nation under God" in the pledge of allegiance
- The printed phrase, "In God We Trust," on our money
- Withholding of individuals rights due to another's religious beliefs (ex: gays and lesbians not being allowed to marry due to many people imposing their religious beliefs over politics)
- Teaching of creationism in public schools
