There exists a small chance that the use of the word “worst” was, in this instance, tongue-in-cheek

One of the most annoying things about being an atheist is the way believers accuse you of that which they themselves are guilty of. Adherence to dogma! Unwillingness to brook dissent! No sense of humor! Martyr complex! Sorry, faith-havers, you’re engaging in a little something we call projec…

I would not consider anyone who donates money to a good cause to qualify for the “worst person” list. As one YouTube commenter stated “Personally, I think the person who gave the generous amount of 10,000 should be appreciated for their generosity. . .”

Hey, do you mind? I’m trying to…

Is there an irony in the fact that the major donor behind an atheist visibility ad campaign is choosing to remain anonymous? You bet there is. But that irony should not be making you think, “What a hypocrite that person is. They’re one of the worst persons in the world.” It should be making you think, “What a messed up world it is we live in—that even the person promoting atheist visibility doesn’t feel safe being completely open about being an atheist.”

Yeah, okay, but…

Maybe its his upper class status, his tolerant Unitarian upbringing, the colour of his skin, his heterosexuality or perhaps the combination of all of them, but I’m not sure that Keith is fully equipped to understand the finer nuances of being an outsider.

Well, that’s a little…

I’m not calling for an apology from Olbermann. This isn’t all that serious, and at least he said he had no problem with the actual message. I do wonder, however, whether he ever considered the donor’s possible reasons for remaining anonymous.

Y’know, I really think you guys might be overreac…

And why does Keith-O think they’re so terrible, presumably more terrible than Osama bin Laden, who didn’t make the list?

If anybody needs me, I’ll be at church.

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UK trialled, Turjey trialled, not yet US trialled for maybe obvious reasons.

http://richarddawkins.net/article,3567,n,n

Comment by TheBigotBasher on 07/01/09 at 08:04 PM

(Turkey not Turjey)

Comment by TheBigotBasher on 07/01/09 at 08:04 PM

Today I am ashamed to be a member of the Atheist Church.

Comment by Allan on 07/01/09 at 09:48 PM

not yet US trialled for maybe obvious reasons

Apparently PR is something else we don’t believe in. Fuck, that’s not even preaching to the choir, that’s holding auditions for the choir but only choir members are allowed to try out and the audition process consists of telling everyone who’s not in the choir that their singing sucks.

Which is fine as long as you don’t have the stated goal of making your choir bigger.

Today I am ashamed to be a member of the Atheist Church

I consider myself an unspiritual person but I don’t believe in organized irreligion.

Comment by gil mann on 07/01/09 at 10:26 PM

I’ve been a member of the “atheist church” for as long as I can remember. My parents weren’t quite there and put us through “confirmation” into the Episcopal Church. The priest or reverend or whatever did not care for my essays on “religion as a crutch”. But I still got “confirmed”. Point is I have never hidden the fact that I’m a confirmed atheist and it hasn’t hurt my life too much up to now. I mean, it’s the “thinking persons” way, no?

Comment by marindenver on 07/01/09 at 10:37 PM

Allow me to introduce you to my newest little friend on Twitter.

She’s a very moral lady. That’s what makes her my superior and more American than me.

Comment by Allan on 07/01/09 at 10:47 PM

Point is I have never hidden the fact that I’m a confirmed atheist and it hasn’t hurt my life too much up to now.

That might be partially a function of where you live. I grew up in a JesusLand outpost where the question “Where do you go to church?” was a common “ice-breaker” and considered perfectly acceptable to ask of total strangers.

Being an out atheist in the rural South is considered odd and freakish at best and downright demonic at worst. People will forbid their children to play with yours, etc.

But the way I look at it, the atheist “coming out” process is valuable in the same way gays coming out has been: Once people see that we don’t have horns, a bifurcated tail and do not carry a hay fork, they begin to think we may actually be human beings, and that helps The Cause.

Comment by Betty Cracker on 07/02/09 at 08:55 AM

I work in a community where there are a lot of Catholics. If I were at work and mentioned that I was an atheist, THEIR heads would be spinning around, not mine. ;-)

I never ever discuss religion and politics there. Too dangerous. Some of those women who seem to truly like me would never speak to me again.

Comment by donnah on 07/02/09 at 09:15 AM

I think the saddest thing is how many people keep saying that their faith is the bedrock of their lives, it is unshakeable, yadda yadda yadda—and then something as insignificant as a neighbor or coworker being a nonbeliever or the Wal-Mart greeter not saying “Merry Christmas” sends them into conniptions. So I guess their faith is a house of cards, after all, if that’s enough to tumble it.