My response to someone who think atheists are less atheists because they don’t come out themselves, they use alternate social networking profiles instead of their real names, or they don’t enthusiastically announce their non-belief in public as would fervent relidiots do it:
I’m sure there are a lot of good reasons why some atheists don’t act the same way some of us think how to. Is there a universal Code of Conduct for atheists?
Perhaps, some atheists are just protecting their jobs and family. I can’t say that they are in denial for I have no empirical data to cast such a judgement. Maybe they know who they are, and what they are and they have their own reasons for their anonymity. Not all atheists have the liberty of having to come out in this country for fear of losing their jobs, endanger their well being, their family or their status in the community (i.e. an atheist politician, an atheist doctor etc.).
Let us admit that the Philippine mindset, in general, is not yet ready for atheism. Maybe not all atheists want to brag their non-belief and just be content to keep their atheism to themselves and feel no need to come out. Maybe they feel that atheism is not a religion, and it needs no attendance. Maybe they know that atheism doesn’t have a universal dogma nor a creed, and therefore no universal lifestyle or attitude. Maybe they know that atheists have different philosophical subscriptions. Maybe they know they aren’t a lost sheep that needs a herder and that they don’t need an ID to be called as such a real one.
Now, who are we to judge them? Who are we to say who is the greater or the lesser atheists?
First, I am a proud secular humanist and being an atheist is just but a by product of being one. I don’t put a lot of words on atheism. It is just a lack of belief or non-belief on a deity or deities; a philosophical standpoint on a particular matter of debate. Atheism is neither a philosophy nor a religion. There is nothing to proselytize and preach about.
Second, I am a militant atheist but in a sense of fighting for atheists’ equal rights in society and not to preach or seek converts or followers. Whenever I could, I give the believers the chance to think for themselves. I give the the believers something that religion deprived of them: to reason for themselves for their own self-actualization. I fight for atheists’ rights but I don’t preach atheism in the same manner I fight for LGBT rights, but not to preach on how to become a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. If I have something to preach, that is Secular Humanism – the philosophy behind my actions and thoughts.
Can somebody judge my atheism?
I hope you have a good criteria for doing so.^^
“Taxonomically, my family is Freethinker (including atheists, skeptics, agnostics); my genus is Humanist (including the religion-based), and my species is Secular.”
– John Rafferty
The Atheist Freedom Wall 
You got my thumbs up on this one, dude. =)
Thanks, PA!^^
Akala ko Paa hehehe
NYIHIHI
Repent & be baptized! Jesus said, “I am God there is none besides me.” “I am the Way, the Truth & the Life. No man comes to the Father except by me.” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” “As many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God the Father even to those who believe on His name.” Jesus’ healing ministry began with adult baptism.
A New Agenda: We the people need no gas & no electric to have a man child with the spouses of our youth around the world. We shall build homes without electric, without gas, without roofs that exceed 7 & 1/2 feet, & with incinerators to burn garbage, burn dung, burn urine, & burn blood rags so that the entire sisterhood has a man child with the husbands of their youth.
TAKE MY CONFESSION WITH YOU. I have smoked cigars for 11 years & have no lungs, liver & kidneys at 44 years old. I continue to live through the Lord Jesus Christ as I received the Holy Spirit at 4 years old & was baptized as an adult in 1997. I continue to read my Bible & now use burned dung, urine, blood rags & tobacco butts to make meat offerings to eat. The Old Testament says that burned dung, urine, & blood rags were a part of the laws of Moses. Yes, it was in 2001 while I was driving to Florida that I was talking to the saints in heaven & Isaiah said, “You know that 70 years from now the sun will be dimmed in the sky” Oh, I said, “I don’t know.” I went back over the Old Testament & it said, “The sun shall be dimmed in the sky” & “I shall make them eat the grass of the field.” & “all these things shall come to pass” before the Lord Jesus Christ returns.
4 years ago I was stamping my feet at work over the excessive electric usage & complaining that I didn’t have a husband & children to God the Father. I prayed, kneeling at my bed as to adopting children. Then while I was at work I adopted over 500 children in Swahili (I was born with a spot-was a reject in Hebrew) to find out what day it was. I had been taught prophesy at Wheaton Evangelical Free Church in 1979 & 1980. We went back & forth in time while Governor Blagovich was verifying. We came up with 17 years of darkened sun before July 29, 2081.
July 29, 2081-the rapture of believers in Christ Jesus-all those who received the Holy Spirit-at the trumpet sound in heaven-1st the dead & then the living ascended to heaven in a twinkling of an eye
July 29, 2081-2088-the Great Tribulation-God’s wrath is poured out on the earth, Judgment of the Believers in Christ Jesus & the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven
2088-3057-the Reign of Christ Jesus-(the Bible stated “1000 years” & in actuality it was 969 years)
3057-3059-the Devil is loosed out of the pit –(the Bible stated “a time & a half” & in actuality it was 1 & three fourths years)-the battle of Armageddon-the nations are drawn together for the last battle in the Valley of Megiddo-the Lord Jesus comes down of a white horse with the words, “King of Kings, Lord of Lords” written on His thigh & a sword comes out of His mouth to destroy all who are in the battle. The bible says that the blood runs a “horses’ bridle high” & birds feed on the bodies.
3059-the old heavens & the old earth pass away & the new heavens & new earth are created by the Lord Jesus Christ-at this point in time the Lord Jesus says, “Depart from me I never knew you.” to all who died in the battle of Armageddon, to those who took the mark of the beast in their right hand or forehead during the tribulation, to all who died during our time without receiving the Holy Spirit, & to all those who died during the flood of Noah’s day in wickedness. Jesus says, “In this world you shall have trouble, but I have overcome the world.”
Jesus says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful & just to forgive us our sins & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Deliciously done!
5 out 5 stars
\m/^_^\m/ < picture here please!
Whoa, that’s huge dude. Thanks for read, comment, and the stars.^^
Some have their own versions of atheism. Those versions may include keeping quiet about it in real life. Who are we to judge? :)
Great post, YAHWAH! I hope the others you refer in the post will take it positively.
I hope so C’EST MOI ROBYN. I hope so.^^
atheism = lack of belief in a deity.
you’re not required to read a particular book, follow anyone like a zombie/sheep, subscribe to a particular group and attend regular meetings or preach/evangelize atheism. because that’s what people with religion do.
THIS. :D
There are many paths to atheism. Joining an atheist group is not the only way. They have the right to `evangelize`, I think, but the preaching must always come with the `how to think better` stuff.
I agree on preaching the “how to think better” C’EST MOI ROBYN.^^
Precisely my point, THE SECULAR BURGER!^^
I’ve said it time and again, Atheism is not a religion and it should not be preached. But, if that’s their thing, then I’ll let them do what they do, provided that they don’t disrespect even us, their fellow Atheists. Because the moment they shove their brand of Atheism on our faces, that’s when we draw the line. It turns out, they’re not different from the religious who have this “holier than thou” mindset cuz they have the VERY annoying “My Atheism is better than yours” thingy.
Atheism and Humanism are not stuff to brag about, neither are they something that can be shoved on people’s faces. That is just… silly at best.
Some people really think the Philippines is ready for atheism? LOL! The country can’t even get the RH and Divorce bill passed!
Anyone can try to convert. I think the atheists you refer to are well within their rights. But the others who brand fellow atheists as less cool than they because they don’t dance to the same tune must step away from that perspective.
It startled me when I saw such prejudices to fellow heathen. Kinda sad, but its real.
The great danger of conversion in all ages has been that when the religion of the high mind is offered to the lower mind, the lower mind, feeling its fascination without understanding it, and being incapable of rising to it, drags it down to its level by degrading it.
George Bernard Shaw (Well written YAHWAH)
Thanks much,CANTOTBIHON! ^^
Sweeeeettt! thumbs up
Thanks for dropping by HUH017!
Do i read bitterness here? It seems that you guys cannot come out as atheist thus you try to release your bitterness through blog. If other atheists in the philipine can come out regardless if they have jobs or not, have families or other reputation, why can’t you? Besides, it’s up to you to keep your own grief.
FYI JUSTIN HABBOR, the author was already out as an atheist, it even predates the publication of RD’s book “God Delusion”. And has been known as such in his family, friends and colleagues.^^
Chill, man! Welcome. Have some beer. Although, I’m technically “out” as an atheist (with my family in denial), I can’t demand others to out themselves, or feel indignant that others don’t out themselves. I think that’s what the author is going for.
We don’t know the life circumstances of other atheists. It isn’t our business to out people, or feel superior because we did out ourselves. If people like you can publicly declare your atheism, then cool. Others are not comfortable doing so or have other things in mind.
That’s not bitterness because we don’t go out in the open screaming “we’re Atheists!” you’ve gotten a whiff of. That’s actually a facebook comment that my contributor posted as a blog post.
We are WRITERS and we use blogging to voice out, to speak our minds. We are “out” Atheists and we use our real name, our real pictures and our real facebook profiles. But there are some of us who are using sockpuppets for understandble reasons.
We don’t care if the other group is an evangelist Atheist group. What we don’t like, you’ll know if you read what my blog contributor wrote, is we’re being labelled as NOT A REAL ATHEIST/pseudo Atheist if we’re not in their group, giving away fliers, not reading a certain book, and being present in every meet up. It’s annoying.
I am NOT a sheep. So why should I follow them?
Me and my are not perfect. We are only human beings and we get hurt too you know.
Nobody is competing with them. They should stop insulting fellow Atheists. First it’s our blog, it’s labelled as unintelligent and bashful. Now this, being labelled as not a real Atheist. Annoying.
Why can’t they just concentrate on their thing without badmouthing other people? I guess that’s asking for too much, huh.
Do not own something you cannot stand for.
Just mind your own group’s agenda.
Yeah, we’ve done that for a looooooooonnngggg time.
Secular Humanism – Excluding God from Schools & Society
Secular Humanism is an attempt to function as a civilized society with the exclusion of God and His moral principles. During the last several decades, Humanists have been very successful in propagating their beliefs. Their primary approach is to target the youth through the public school system. Humanist Charles F. Potter writes, “Education is thus a most powerful ally of humanism, and every American school is a school of humanism. What can a theistic Sunday school’s meeting for an hour once a week and teaching only a fraction of the children do to stem the tide of the five-day program of humanistic teaching?” (Charles F. Potter, “Humanism: A New Religion,” 1930)
John J. Dunphy, in his award winning essay, The Humanist (1983), illustrates this strategic focus, “The battle for humankind’s future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith: A religion of humanity — utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to carry humanist values into wherever they teach. The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new — the rotting corpse of Christianity, together with its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism.”
Is this what’s happening? John Dewey, remembered for his efforts in establishing America’s current educational systems, was one of the chief signers of the 1933 Humanist Manifesto. It seems the Humanists have been interested in America’s education system for nearly a century. They have been absolutely successful in teaching children that God is imaginary and contrary to “science.”
Secular Humanism – Main Tool is Evolutionary Thought
Secular Humanism is manifested in Evolutionary Theory. To satisfy the fundamental question of “Where did we come from?” children are taught the doctrine of Evolution. The first plank of the Humanist Manifesto states: “Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.” The second plank states: “Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as a result of a continuous process.” Certainly, the public school system propagates the Humanist doctrine (clearly an atheistic “religion”), and thus, condemns the concept of God. This is an amazing irony. Creation Science has been successfully kept out of the public schools by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (A.C.L.U.) on the grounds that Creation is religious, and the government should not support religion in any fashion. “In fact, evolution became in a sense a scientific religion; almost all scientists have accepted it, and many are prepared to ‘bend’ their observations to fit with it.” (H. S. Lipson, FRS, Professor of Physics, University of Manchester, UK, “A Physicist Looks at Evolution”, Physics Bulletin, vol. 31, May 1980, pg. 138).
Yet Evolution has not been proved. Sir Arthur Keith, a famous British evolutionary anthropologist and anatomist, confesses, “Evolution is unproved and unprovable. We believe it only because the only alternative is special creation, and that is unthinkable.” In fact, it seems that the Theory of Evolution is contrary to established science. George Wald, another prominent Evolutionist (a Harvard University biochemist and Nobel Laureate), wrote, “When it comes to the Origin of Life there are only two possibilities: creation or spontaneous generation. There is no third way. Spontaneous generation was disproved one hundred years ago, but that leads us to only one other conclusion, that of supernatural creation. We cannot accept that on philosophical grounds; therefore, we choose to believe the impossible: that life arose spontaneously by chance!” (“The Origin of Life,” Scientific American, 191:48, May 1954).
One of the base faith of atheism is that to disprove the Bible (like Secular Humanism that wanted to exclude God after gaining Philosophy, Philosophy by the way did not originated in Atheism nor Agnosticism) and to accept the impossible that Darwin is right when in fact science is against everything he said about the origins of species. “Evolution is unproved and unprovable” after all the word evolution means turning a page of a book by scientist and etymology of words not the other way around.
Quantum mechanics says that taken one particle at a time, this particles are behaving in a random manner but when you look at them in a population all of a sudden laws of regularity appear, therefore the theory of Random Mutation or Spontaneous Generation is false.
Evidence for God from Science
http://www.godandscience.org/
Mates, you guys are being insulted by other groups? How could you say so? Bad mouthing? What’s your proof? done that for a long time? for I know, CTF is not even six months old to a year old? What’s your description of so looooooong time ago? come on mates. Why don’t you set up a meeting with them personally and not just sour-graping among your group. Try to make up with their issues with you, if they have one. That will make their issues clear with your group too, if you really have no insecurities with them mates. be more matured.
The Atheist Freedom Wall is NO LONGER CTF. And before you tell us to mature, ask your homies on the other side to do that okay? If they can’t, don’t expect us to just take it all in and not say anything about it. Okies?
Now I see who’s a better group now mates. You’re promoting humanism yet within yourselves you’re very inhumane. Why don’t you lead them to be more mature instead of you waiting for them to approach you? I thought your critical thinkers? Why don’t you treat them as your friends rather than nemesis? besides, why would you hurt if you aren’t even carrying atheism in your flags? why do you care to their rules and how they treat their members if you aren’t even part of them? Come on mates! be friends with them!
I’m disappointed with all this hurt for ONE post. ONE. Don’t people take things positively anymore? Not all people will like you, that’s a given. :|
“Now I see who’s a better group now mates. You’re promoting humanism yet within yourselves you’re very inhumane.” —- TAFW is NOT CTF. TAFW is a MILITANT Atheist group composed of WRITERS who make commentaries and we don’t want to evangelize. CTF is a HUMANIST association and neither do they want to preach Atheism.
“Why don’t you lead them to be more mature instead of you waiting for them to approach you? I thought your critical thinkers? Why don’t you treat them as your friends rather than nemesis? besides, why would you hurt if you aren’t even carrying atheism in your flags? why do you care to their rules and how they treat their members if you aren’t even part of them? Come on mates! be friends with them!” —- You know what happens if you’re silent, not doing anything against anyone, not saying anything bad about other people and then a video from another Atheist group comes out, saying something bad about your group to make themselves feel extra special, how would you feel? Hmm? How would you feel if you’ve welcomed them in your group and allowed them to invite your members to their group? Hmmm? You’re going to keep silent?
Justin Habbor, or whatever your real name is, I don’t beat around the bush so here’s my final comment on this issue: just concentrate on what your doing. You know, you can gain respect and recognition without badmouthing other people or other organizations just to make yourself feel good. NOW, this essay is a REACTION to what we’ve been reading lately. Okay?
I can certainly feel your angst. feels like you are getting it from somewhere. Was the topic from the video true? If it’s not then you don’t have to be angry about. Pinay Ateista or whatever your real name is, how come CTF is not TAFW whereas I also found your name as one of the admins there, or most of your admins are there? Let me ask you, how sure are you, that you guys are not doing anything against other group or individual or saying bad things about them? Come on mates. I have been observing all secular and atheist groups in your country and I also ask some members of what’s going on and the stories of some gaps. from what I am seeing here, full of angers and bitterness. Better improve your attitude before it burns your emotion and may affect your entire group. Just a tip from an experienced member from an international group. Thank you guys.
Angst? I’m explaining things to you. You may be as you said, an experienced member from an international group, but you don’t know what really went down from November 2010 to present. You don’t know me, I don’t know you, and your being in an international group doesn’t give you the right to jump to conclusions and to judge me. We have a valid reason for our REACTION. Take note, REACTION cuz there is a CAUSE.
TAFW is NO LONGER CTF. Just because we got the same members, and just because I’m an admin in both groups, it doesn’t mean that they are one and the same. The chairman of CTF has no authority in TAFW. And I can’t re-post TAFW articles in the CTF page because the former is an activist and the latter is a humanist association and they actually have theist members there. Get it now?
The president of the other group is also a member of FF and he has lots of articles posted there. Does that mean that FF and his group is one and the same? NO.
As for your other questions, I CHOOSE not to give all the details with regard to what happened between us and the other group because that is unethical and the only time that I will do so, is when the need to break my silence arises -AGAIN cuz this is actually the 2nd time.
Nobody is competing with them. We the TAFW Squad are activists and our weapons of choice are our thoughts, our creativity and our keyboards. Activists don’t always need to go out in the streets you know.
As for CTF, we are humanists and we don’t do it for the recognition. Cuz if we are competing against them, we would have done lots of projects by now. We are laying low as of the moment and our next project is scheduled in August.
Now, back to the topic. Let me re-post my comment.
“I’ve said it time and again, Atheism is not a religion and it should not be preached. But, if that’s their thing, then I’ll let them do what they do, provided that they don’t disrespect even us, their fellow Atheists. Because the moment they shove their brand of Atheism on our faces, that’s when we draw the line. It turns out, they’re not different from the religious who have this “holier than thou” mindset cuz they have the VERY annoying “My Atheism is better than yours” thingy.
Atheism and Humanism are not stuff to brag about, neither are they something that can be shoved on people’s faces. That is just… silly at best.”
You’re commenting here with a lot of baggage, mate. PZ Myers has devoted several posts to his fellow atheists that are not pats on the shoulder. In a movement where diversity is staple, are you going to react like a religious fundie when a nonbeliever doesn’t like your style?
Peace out. :)
Or lastly, you can watch this video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ImMtHrrKo
Thanks.
J. Habbor
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Epic article. “I don’t put a lot of words on atheism. It is just a lack of belief or non-belief on a deity or deities; a philosophical standpoint on a particular matter of debate.” Those were exactly my thoughts. Right on. XD
Btw, could I use your article for my religion class? My prof says that he would me to further explain atherism for the sake of my classmates.
Thanks, Ryan!
Sure, you can use it to your class, by all means!
Thanks, again!^__^
does the other group really do evangelizing??? any proof???
and as I was reading all those commentaries form one page to the other, like that of JP’s case, why not go to authority and file a legal case against him??? as you say you’re a Militant atheist? how?
This is your chairman’s definition of militant atheism.
MTL
What is militant atheism..educate yourselves..I did..and I fit in this category..what about you?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Militant atheism, also referred to as atheist fundamentalism, is a term which refers to the ideology of hostility towards religion. British philosopher Julian Baggini defines militant atheism as “atheism which is actively hostile to religion”, which “requires more than strong disagreement with religion — it requires something verging on hatred and is characterised by a desire to wipe out all forms of religious belief. Militant atheists tend to make one or both of two claims that moderate atheists do not. The first is that religion is demonstrably false or nonsense and the second is that it is usually or always harmful.” Militant atheism was an integral part of the materialism of Marxism–Leninism, and in the early years of the Soviet Union, and more recently the terms militant atheist and atheist fundamentalist, have been used, frequently pejoratively, to describe leaders of the New Atheism movement. However, the term has been used going back to at least 1894, and it has been applied to people from Thomas Hobbes onwards.
*Emphasis on the phrase WIPE OUT RELIGIONS.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We got our own definition of militant atheism.
We are militant atheists in the sense that we’re fighting for atheist equal rights. We don’t want to evangelize atheism.
As proof that you are evangelizing atheism, you engage in feeding programs with a HUGE tarpaulin that says I CAN BE GOOD WITHOUT GOD. And then your group read The God Delusion to children. Isn’t that evangelizing? That’s your group and you don’t know? Nuff said.
^_^*** does reading GRIM”S Fairytale to a child means you’re evangelizing to the child to believe all what’s inside the book??? just a question… ^_^*** well nuff said about MILITANCY too.. ^_^*** and I think you’re not a militant atheist but a moderate one… I know you know much about MILITANCY but to say you’re a militant atheist you’re fooling yourself…
@Yudzin You’re operating under different definitions of militancy. Why are you still discussing this? lol.
As for evangelizing, I’m interested on your take as to what is “evangelizing” to you.
Do you really expect us to buy whatever you’re saying here, Yudz?
We have our own definition of MILITANCY and by saying
“and I think you’re not a militant atheist but a moderate one… I know you know much about MILITANCY but to say you’re a militant atheist you’re fooling yourself…”, you are admitting that you are an evangelist Atheist.
nope, it”s just what you are… I’m not evangelizing here either.. ^_^*** Just saying.. ^_^***
Who told you you’re evangelizing HERE? Huh? Why would you EVANGELIZE ATHEISM in a group of Atheists?
Our Militant Atheism = fighting for Atheist equal rights and secularism. We don’t want to evangelize. Why do we say we’re militant? Cuz we’re coming out, we’re making it known that Atheists and Agnostics have a voice and we’re now positioned to also talk about POLITICS.
You can check out our past articles here, we talked about the RH Bill.
entropy.
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