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What do you see as being the best approaches to normalizing agnostism, atheism etc?
1
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28 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Define what you mean by normalizing? I think I know, but prefer that my understanding is consistent with the intent of your question.
t1nick
Level 8
Jan 18, 2020
1
I mean it in the way that it is accepted as a normal understanding that should not be hated as "wrong beliefs" and thus causeing discrimination, hate or shunning.
As in normal people may or may not like football or religion.
@DavidLaDeau Australian government to re-introduce bill to allow discrimination against others not of the same belief:
Effectively this will not only continue discrimination by protestants against Catholics but also legalise discrimination against atheists and agnostics.
@FrayedBear I would ask why but I know. It is sad. I hope it does not go through. In the U.S. it would very likely go through in todays United States of Trump.
@DavidLaDeau they may even follow the Australian practice as has occurred with offshore inhumane concentration camps for refugees.
Millennials are leaving religion in droves, and some of it is related to politics. People who vote or lean Democratic are more likely to be “nones,” defined as people who have no religious affiliation. But that’s the key: no religious affiliation.
Millennials are Leaving Religion and Not Coming Back
LiterateHiker
Level 9
Jan 19, 2020
5
Most atheists are quiet about it, while the religious are loud, and try to impose their beliefs on everyone. If all the atheists in the country came out and stop putting up with it things would change. They are so used to religious people getting their way though that a lot of them walk on eggshells afraid to say anything about how stupid beliefs are going to ruin our country.
Eazyduzzit
Level 7
Jan 18, 2020
4
The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
- Taking religion out of politics and government, nationwide. Even just secularizing the Oath by removing "so help you God" as they do in my state would be a good start. I listen to the oath weekly, as my wedding couples need to swear the information on their marriage licenses is the truth, the whole and nothing but the truth, period. No "gods" are invoked.
Politicians can surely talk about their spiritual and religious beliefs, as that can help their constituents get to know them better, but they should not include their worship slogans into their speeches and announcements.
I believe changes back to a secular government will happen slowly as we get more younger politicians, with more respectfully inclusive goals representing us. The older ones are just perpetuating what they've always done, and it is just part of their habits, charm or generation norm.
- Getting more normal people, who are doing good in the world, to come OUT and admit proudly their secularism, atheism, agnosticism, humanism, what have you. This will help normalize the idea that yes, people CAN be good and positive contributors to society and NOT be a follower of an imaginary deity, or member of a church dictating their choices.
When it is no longer a big deal to come out as agnostic, it will be considered normal. The more people who are strong enough to come out publicly, the easier it gets for the shy ones to voice their non-belief.
Julie808
Level 8
Jan 18, 2020
2
I think sites like this help people to cone out in public. I know it did for me.
I think one should be asked which deity , if any, they revere before being required to pledge or swear. Maybe we should start requesting (or have a law) that persons should be asked.
@AgnoBill Sure, or they could just swear on their own personally integrity of telling the truth, period. Their own human value of truth, honesty, honor and respect for the institution they are pledging to uphold.
I don't really see the value of invoking a deity which could also mean the Flying Spaghetti Monster, for all we know, since we are really talking about the subject's personal integrity, regardless of how much they fear the wrath of their personal deity.
They should be fearing the natural consequences of their actions, or the condemnation of their peers, if they are not telling the truth, since those are real.
One approach is to let people know that you are an agnostic or atheist so they can see that we are not the horrible people we are made out to be.
Now, if one happens to be a horrible person who is an agnostic or atheist, I would then prefer that they keep it to themselves so as not to make the rest of us look bad 
.
Joanne
Level 7
Jan 18, 2020
3
That is exactly what I was going to say. People need to know we are normal people just like them. Only smarter and more reasonable 
@JonnaBononna
So it is ok for the evangelistic hordes Are to stamp us out without a whimper!
Normal and average are what the evangelicalism are stating we are not!!!
It only matters to know when to step back and when to swoop over these fascist!
Evangelicalism is nothing but male dominated fascism used to enslave us!!!
Unfortunately you cannot reason with irrational peoole who believe in mythical gods. They have a tendency to spread lies about you being a witch, baby eater, pedophile, lower than a rapist, murder, proven wife beater, perjuring liar, etc. and that is before you have said more than "I'm an atheist or agnostic"!
In Australia, supposedly a secular country, the evangelical Prime Minister wishes the following bill to be enacted this year:
@of-the-mountain We are not only dealing with Evangelicals. There are also more liberal minded people who have misdirected, ill-informed, ideas about agnostics and atheists--especially about those who identify as atheist.
When we are dealing with those who wish to push their Evangelical religion on us via the government, we certainly must be vigilant and forceful; but, we can do this while not feeding into their biases and reinforcing their stereotypes.
At the same time, we can show the more reasonable minded people, who have wrong ideas about us, that they are wrong.
The question starts with a false premise "normalizing". That implies that non believers are not normal or do not see as themselves as normal. Can't be more wrong.
Mofo1953
Level 9
Jan 19, 2020
4
@ToolGuy from Webster:
normalize
[ˈnôrməˌlīz]
VERB
normalizing (present participle)
bring or return to a normal or standard condition or state.
mathematics
multiply (a series, function or item of data) by a factor that makes the norm or some associated quantity such as an integral equal to a desired value (usually 1).
"both sets of data have been normalized such that the lowest value is equal to 1"
Last tima I saw, returning to a normal state is exactly what I said.
@Mofo1953 Tool guy had it right. No reason to disagree.
@DavidLaDeau I disagrer, my comment was right in the first definition of the word, he used the other so we both used different meanings of the word. Besides there can be disagreements here. That's one of the main purposes of this site.
@Mofo1953 Okay at least you admit you were just being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative.
@DavidLaDeau still can't read, never said that. My opinion was clearly stated and wrongly challenged.
@DavidLaDeau, @ToolGuy why? when people attribute only partial definitions of a word, the best way to clarify is a dictionary, definitely faster and shorter and clearer than inane wordy explanations that are too long, unclear and frankly boring.
@Mofo1953 You may disagree with your self and be distracting as you wish.
@ToolGuy, @DavidLaDeau don't need you to remind me what I can do here, not up to you.
I think this mostly has to do with the US, the rest of the western world do not give one fig about your religious beliefs.
Jolanta
Level 9
Jan 18, 2020
4
There are some religions that would love to remove our heads for not believing what they do.
@DavidLaDeau Not necessary religions but fanatic people in religions. It is usually cultural stuff that is the problem.
@Jolanta You are correct.
Oh yeah? That must be why Morrison's government is reintroducing this bill in 2020:
@Jolanta, @DavidLaDeau cultural bullshit. It is sick people wanting to control how others think and believe whilst pretending to respect others rights to differing viewpoints.
@FrayedBear The religious must push their religion on everyone.
@FrayedBear It is a culture that tolerates said bullshit!
@DavidLaDeau the easy line of "she'll be right" has grown more and more as people's respect for one another, desire to control, greed and sociopathic tendencies have developed following dumbing down of general education, a sort Stockholm syndrome/apathy developing in the general populace whose views are ignored more and more.
Be yourself first and foremost. Hopefully that’s a good person, one people look up to. Then people will see there’s no correlation with myth(religion).
Bilbobagins
Level 6
Jan 20, 2020
2
Be out, be skeptical, be nice about it. Give them a pebble that they take back to church that contradicts the godless heathen image.
TaylorWalston
Level 6
Jan 26, 2020
2
We as atheist/freethinkers need to start conglomerating in one state. We need to pick one, CO would be great. We all begin moving to said state to start voting our representatives into office. Once we have atheist senators and house reps we will start to move forward normalizing atheism in the country.
Bearded_Bard
Level 4
Jan 22, 2020
2
I think there is enough voice for us to simply stay in the state we are in. The south will be difficult, but we need a voice where bigotry exist the most.
I'm not sure I like the idea of "normalizing" atheism. People step up to the plate, or they don't. I'm okay if they don't.
Shawno1972
Level 7
Jan 19, 2020
2
Being an atheist is normal for me.
At age 13, I became an atheist when I realized the Bible is just a book of stories or fables written by men. Like Grimm's Fairy Tales.
LiterateHiker
Level 9
Jan 19, 2020
2
Be yourself, everywhere. Fight actively to separate church and state. Do good deeds that others may associate with churches (like loving your neighbor and feeding the hungry). Try to keep the diet of christian babies to a minimum, especially since they are mostly fat and chemicals and are usually served deep-fried. Delete texts you may have exchanged with the devil. Do not paint the number 666 anywhere on your body.
g
genessa
Level 8
Jan 18, 2020
1
Whhhaatt? Keep the diet of Christian babies to a minimum? I'm OUT!
Can I still write hate mail to Jesus?
@DavidLaDeau Only anonymously, and cut the letters out of someone else's home newspaper to make it harder to trace the source.
g
One big start on this would be to get religion the hell out of politics. This is the big American problem.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Jan 18, 2020
2
This is the country where politicians swear they love god when they don't give a rats ass about god. Then like Trump they endorse religion to get re elected. It is sick.
@DavidLaDeau Th@t is a 2 way street - you need undiscerning godbotherers to vote for them in the first place. If like Australia the individual aspiring politician tells you nothing and you know that any promises made will be broken in the first twelve months.
All the normal things really
Setting an example as a decent human and atheist
Gently resisting religious privilege.
Seeking understanding of the role the religion plays in society, both good and bad.
Pretending to be religious when carrying out acts of unspeakable evil.
MattHardy
Level 7
Jan 18, 2020
2
And introducing the legalisation of discrimination on religious grounds
@FrayedBear Oh yeah Scott Morrison is definitely one of us. That's just one of many examples of him pretending to be religious whilst carrying out acts of unspeakable evil.
@MattHardy Not being from the south I ask is your comment in Essex dialect or google spell check?
@FrayedBear whoops. Edited for finger trouble
Publicity person to person.
That is the more atheists people come to know, the more likely they are to see that we are just like them in almost every aspect of life, except for a belief.
Same exact tactic the gays used, come out of the closet and force the overarching society to "get used to us". As long as the majority remain closeted due to social strictures and social repercussions, the longer it will take for them to realize we are not other, we are them plus critical thinking.
Davesnothere
Level 7
Jan 18, 2020
1
The LGBT community is a great model for us.
For more people being willing and brave enough to say they are agnostic/atheist. People are afraid of losing their communities, families, friends, and maybe even their jobs. So many just want to keep the peace that they stay silent. So, just speak up when the opportunity arises.
RhondaShotwell
Level 7
Jan 30, 2020
1
You appear to be well rounded and understand human beings.
Allowing children to reach the age of reason before shoving fairy tales down their little throats. Easiest thing in the world!!
Bigcity943
Level 5
Jan 26, 2020
1
Humanism has summarised this neatly. The world is a natural place, and science explains it. There is no need to invoke a creator. Secondly, rather than a book telling you what is moral, treat other animals and beings how you would want to be treated. Simple.
Vpatel
Level 5
Jan 25, 2020
1
Bring back crusaders but agnostic ones. It was through torture and war that xians spread there beliefs compounded with capitalism. Pick a State and establish a community. Colorado would be my choice. Be prepared to fight to keep it.
Tooreen
Level 7
Jan 23, 2020
1
Colorado may be more religious than you imagine. Colorado native.
First enforce legal protections against religious discrimination and just like the LGBT community has to stand up and demand their rights we need to do the same. I have been discriminated against many times because of my atheism, but it is very hard to prove in a legal sense. Second lets stand up and be counted let the world know plenty of good people in their community don't beleive but are their neighbors, co workers , etc.
Tommcphillips
Level 4
Jan 20, 2020
1
Heck yeah!
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