New Atheist Symbol

I like it…I have a necklace w/the American Atheists logo, but according to my kids, it looks like the Jimmy Neutron cartoon logo. heh

Wow, now we’re a luxury car?

Excellent idea, J.S.

I can’t believe that nobody has noticed the close relationship to the traditional anarchist symbol of the circle-a:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchist_symbolism

I personally have no problems with anarchism as a political philosophy but maybe atheists shouldn’t brand themselves in a way that can be mistaken for supporting a certain (whatever it is) political viewpoint.

It’s an A in a circle. Don’t we use those in our e-mail addresses (somebody@something.com). So does this mean every Christian who sends an e-mail is promoting atheism?

A symbol has to stand for something else besides just the lack of belief.

I’ve always like the Greek letter Phi, which stands for Philosophy and also symbolizes the Golden Mean, an intersection of Science and Beauty. That’s a symbol that represents what I DO believe.

Hi Hemant,

I’m a long time reader but this is the first time I post a comment.

While I do like the look of this suggestion for a symbol for atheism, I have a problem with every atheist symbol that is based around the letter “a” – it specifically refers to the English word for atheism. In Iceland atheists are called a “trúleysingi” (=faith-free), and I’m sure that there are many languages where the word for atheism is not derived from the Greek.

The symbol for humanism is perfect in this international regard. But it’s not surprising that it’s harder to find a symbol that catches the essence of atheism, so if this ,,a” or Dawkin’s ,,a” gains support, I’ll settle for it 🙂

I want to touch it and say, “Mr. LaForge, one to beam up.”

It’s very nice photoshopping but how would it look on letterhead or a bumpersticker? I’m being serious- an effective symbol has to communicate itself through a variety of mediums. It seems to me this one got the vote just because it’s pretty.

It speaks to me, it says, “I was once part of an expensive automobile. The Acura.”

@Gastren

Actually, I think it was Sam Harris who said that.

@All:

The American Atheists’ symbol is the standard atheist symbol with an “A” in the middle for “America”. I don’t see the point of branding notions of country into our identity, so why not just use the “atheist atom” alone? It has almost universal recognition and I’ve seen it on atheists’ tombstones.

Plus, it looks cool if you ask me. And anyway, regarding the ability to have different symbols, as long as they retain the base design of the universally recognized one: the “A”, or the atom. Examples of this symbologic polymorphism in the religious community are the various stylized crosses of Christian denominations (or non-denominations (or whatever they’re called this week)) — the Methodists’ flame cross, the “modern” cut-out cross that looks like the pattern of light coming through a window (end result looks a lot like the Windows logo, actually). Yet they’re pretty instantly recognizable ’cause they all retain that basic cross image.

Since our “atheist atom” symbol is in widespread use and generally understood, and has been used for a long time, and (bonus) is easy to draw (it’s just a parabola and a pair of ellipses, which also adds a nice mathematical touch now that I think of it), we should just stick with that one and permutations of it.

And yeah, my first thought when I saw the circled A image up there was “car company logo?”, and the second was “Starfleet Command?”

~k8e

I’m not really a big fan of the atheist atom. It has too much of a 60’s Sci-Fi feel for me. I didn’t understand why one of the orbitals was cut off, but now I see from your explanation that it’s supposed to be a parabola.

How about something more fundamental: the atheist quark! How would that be drawn?! Or maybe atheist photon? atheist M-brane?

Those are good points about the variety of crosses out there. It would be nice to have one symbol that could be varied but still recognized. I’m just not sure the atom is a good choice, since most people would think it means “radioctive!” or maybe, “Flash Gordon was here!”.

It might also be better to have a symbol that is more “grass roots” and not associated with any particular atheist organization. I didn’t see the list of other choices, but has everyone seen this list from the IIDB thread?
http://homepage.mac.com/lpetrich/Pix/NumberedAtheistSymbols.jpg

An email symbol? Come on, where are the creative atheists? People will just think you’re some kind of web developer geek.

I like the Happy Atheist T-Shirt. Best design yet. And it’s not even Alliance-approved!

http://www.cafepress.com/affable_atheist.22008329

Dawkins needs a new set of creatives over at campaign headquarters 🙂

You know, atheist doesn’t start with an “A” in every language, so this really is limited to the anglophone world.

Russian: “????????” starts with an “N.”

let’s see if the letters come through.

I think it’s a tendency of freethinkers to always want to invent new names, labels, identities, and symbols for themselves. Another tendency of freethinkers is to oppose all of the above. Freedom!

Re the symbol itself, nifty! More nifty than anything else, really. I think it evokes the same futurism as does the atom, except without all the bad science. In physics, the Bohr model of the atom is famously wrong. The symbol is simple and recognizable, more so than the scarlet letter. It would go well on a necklace, but I think most atheists will react violently to the thought.

The other side of it is that it hasn’t acquired any authority. I think the success of the scarlet letter has everything to do with, first of all, the marketing, and second of all, the authority recognition commanded by Dawkins. (I just know olvlzl’s going to jump on that one.) I think the authority of the symbol is far more important than anything else. But then, I really hate the Bohr atom and the Darwin fish based on their content, so maybe I’m refuting my own point.

NYCatheist said,

Vovic,

this…?

maybe:

this comment rocks!
this comment is too nerdy.

Or maybe just “this.”, like a Zen koan I have to meditate on.

It means “I agree with this.”

We should have this instead.

I guess if Christians get the + sign, you can claim the @. 🙂

We agnostics take =

Thanks for the link. I kind of like this symbol, although I have seen others I like as well. However, I seem to be in a very small minority, so I am not expecting it to catch on any more than Dawkin’s A.

I love it. It’s clean, modern and will lend itself to good-looking jewelry. Yes, it looks like a hood ornament. “Mr. Laforge, one to beam up” is hillarious, but I still like it. I even think the resemblance to the anarchy symbol is kinda cool.

Of course, this symbol is obscure as is Dawkins’s “A”. It’s our job to make it famous and commonplace.

um … I think the designers and promoters should be a tad bit concerned about Paramount calling.

http://www.costumecostumecostume.com/kirkW.JPG
http://www.costumecostumecostume.com/MovieBuckle.jpg

That looks a LOT like the Star Trek movie uniform lapel pins. Especially over that red background, given it’s the exact same color as the uniforms.

It’s the devil’s tail, curled up a ready to strike. I love it!

Okay, this is wierd.

Today, at the bank, I saw a white Camaro with almost this exact symbol applied as a decal on the gas tank lid.

The only difference is that the crossline on the A connected to the circle, not the leg.

The car also had a cross necklace hanging from the rearview.

Methinks someone else has claimed this symbol.

It looks close enough to the Star Trek symbol it should be easier for people to pick up and remember. Good idea, though.

Oh ok. I don’t know then.

Great! Just what atheists needed…a symbol. Maybe we can also come up a hymn.

When I first saw this, I thought it was a link to an ad for the new Star Trek movie.

I’m all for having a cool symbol for atheists, but maybe it would be good for something a little more identifiable – unless you want it to be a secret handshake kind of thing or a way to invite someone to ask you about it so you can explain to them what the symbol is and have a conversation.

unless you want it to be a secret handshake kind of thing

That’s how the “fish” symbol started supposedly. One person would draw the fish in the dirt or sand (or part of it, as NY said) and if the other person knew what it was, they knew they had ran into another X-ian. It was like a secret handshake in a way.

I like the empty set or the head with an exclamation mark in it. I’ve seen an asterisk as a suggestion too, but I think the American Atheists’ logo is very ugly and complicated.
That A logo could suggest anything starting with an A. I think we need something simple and completely new.

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”

– Richard Dawkins

Someone would like to speak with you about copyright infringments…

More than anything, it looks almost exactly like the logo the magician Criss Angel wears on his stage clothing. Maybe there’s another way to go?

3 words for you people:
Chris Angel Mindfreak
I saw this for the first time last night and low and behold what did I see at the end of his show? You guessed it – a great big red A in a circle.
check out his online store Angel store
We have to dump the A in a circle, now!

Atheism should be the belief in living life, thus it needs no symbol it also doesn’t need a name since it is life, living it for yourself and others and not for some ‘spiritual’ being to praise and thank for it.

Thus a symbol and the name atheism is pointless.

Oz Atheist said,

October 27, 2007 at 2:56 am

3 words for you people:
Chris Angel Mindfreak

Ah! S/he’s right! It’s pretty damn close! Not exact, but easy to be confused: http://www.crissangel.com/ The loop comes from the side, not one of the legs, but it looks too close to this one. It’s on his pants at the top center of the main page.

to paraphrase the cookie monster: “A is for A$$Hole thats good enough for me”

Friendly Atheist,

You could always transfer to site to WordPress.com. I think they can handle that type of traffic (for example, they host CNN’s political ticker blog: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/ ) and it’s free 🙂

Paul

It’s a Star Trek comm-badge….I bet the atheists will all be screaming GOD HELP ME when Paramount sues them for 50 million in trademark infringement damages..
LOL ‘Beam me up Jesus”

The LAST thing you want to be associated with is Criss Angel. To me, he’s like half a step above Uri Geller. I don’t want to be seen, even accidetnally, as promoting some lame-ass fake psychic bullshit.

Rethink!

It looks like the Anarchist symbol, another A in a circle. We don’t want to be associated with them.

I don’t even like the term “a-theist.” It says I’m not something, and I’d rather say I am some other thing. We should have a positive term to describe ourselves.

Instead of “Atheist” or “Bright” we should use the term “Rational” or “Clear Thinker” to describe ourselves. Religion is just irrational, delusional. We are the normal state of things, they have the polluted thoughts, they are irrational. Label them as not-something, or something wrong. Redefine the playing field.

Labeling ourselves as “Rational” is labeling them as “Irrational,” which is an accurate description. Belief in invisible omnipotent capricious giants is irrational !

Atheists really don’t need a symbol: we’re not a religion or even a club. What we need is to speak up when religion is raised in a conversation. However, that didn’t stop me from creating my own symbol, which I like better than any of the others because it actually says: ATHEIST. Read about it here.

Instead of “Atheist” or “Bright” we should use the term “Rational” or “Clear Thinker” to describe ourselves. Religion is just irrational, delusional.

Yeah, that Wittgenstein was such a fuzzy thinker. William of Occam too. And you might as well include John Dalton and Asa Grey and Theodosius Dobzhansky, Gregor Mendel…. Not to mention any of the myriad of other faith-heads that you are so obviously more rational and less deluded than.

looks like the uppercase symbol of the “@” symbol to me. perhaps people will think its part of a new email address?

It’s sad to see that you so called “enlightened” Atheists would push your beliefs on people. One reason I hate religion is for that simple fact. You, the “Modern Day” Athiests, are no better then the churches you proclaim to hate. I’m agnostic, but I also belive that religion can be about the most destructive thing on the planet, and you so called “athiests” are starting up a whole new Following. You are blindly following your faith that there is no god, which you can not completely prove….. May your new symbol force many people to your belief.

Terrible, for all the previously posted reasons.

If athiesm is focused on the belief in the power of life above that of the supernatural, why not do something with a double helix? It’s not found anywhere in nature that a human can see without the aide of a whole lot of rational thought building up to the electron microscope.

Maybe null set sign with a double helix used for the cross, possibly separating to form an A? No wait, that would still turn into the Anarchy symbol.

Anyway, a message matters more then a symbol. I’m sure athiesm will grow with or without it’s own sign.

I just got back from my ski retreat with Noah and wanted to check in to see how the whole “Crazy A” necklace was coming along. Its neat I guess… I was reading the blogs and it looks like you have conventions?! How was I not invited. I am like the entire reason for the convention… (And I am the reason for the “Season”) Great bumper sticker by the way. I think the necklace should be changed to a clear plastic bubble. Then the air inside the bubble would symbolize what you belive in… nothing. You better hurry with that one because I think the scientoligists might steal that one soon. I passed by one of those science places the other day for a free “Stress test” and man I was a bit stressed… it bummed me out. Anyway, good luck with the whole removing my dad’s name from money, the constitution, and any book within 300 feet from schools… he sends his love as always.

can you say star trek…………beam me up
looks like the federation logo

Criss Angel will sue your asses!

The idea that atheists need a symbol is ridiculous. The fact that the winning entry resembles a Star Trek symbol makes it even more farcical. You certainly won’t catch me wearing it.

Why does atheism need an official symbol? It’s not an organization. I find the idea of an Atheist symbol to be offensive. I don’t want to Identify with other atheists by conforming to some standard symbol.

At least the creators had a sense of humor about it… making it look like star trek meets anarchy, and then using that cliche’ photoshop glow effect.

Thanks for making atheism a joke, guys.

It looks like a variation on the at sign. In any case, I don’t think lettering should ever be used in a symbol. It’s a symbol and should be independent of any language. That should have been one of the basic requirements, and this shouldn’t have even been in the “select set” that apparently weren’t very select. It should not have been an option.

Also, it should look good on a necklace or whatever. This thing just looks excessive. And it should be sturdy if carved out of wood, cast in metal or plastic, or otherwise presented physically, even the really cheap and flimsy stuff. This thing will break.

If there is anything that isn’t wrong with this, I can see exactly one: It’s all one piece with no closed space or floating parts. That’s especially important for the above points.

I see several folks who don’t like the idea of a symbol at all. And I agree with the fact that atheists are not a club or a religion. But I do think it’s a good idea for a symbol of belief (or lack of) to be seen. It shares an idea to the rest of the community that there are people out there who aren’t hiding how they feel.. And hopefully might get them to feel it’s ok to confess they really don’t believe in god because they see others who do. And besides, in a sea of crosses, it would be nice to see a symbol I agree with once in awhile.

Well, just a thought, anyway.
But don’t care for the @ either…

How about a stylized eye in a circle suggesting we believe in what we see? Or a brain that suggests we use it?

I did an Anarchy sign you can use…

OK, but mine’s better.

when I saw this symbol I was waiting for Chris Angel to crawl out of my monitor and show me that the dollar he just tore up is back in one piece and that my signature was intact.

i think there is a god. how can u not see that!!!!!

John, Betty,

I’m not sure anyone is looking at this comment thread anymore. Try the newly opened forums for more discussion:
http://www.friendlyatheist.com/phpBB3/index.php

(Short answer: most atheists do NOT say they know there is no god. Just like I don’t know there are no fairies, but the lack of evidence suggests the default position is a lack of belief. A discussion can be had on what exactly is to be considered evidence relating to the question of god(s).)

Berzerkomandr,

Finally someone is making sense around here! Have you investigated the time cube?

http://www.timecube.com/

EVERYONE QUIT PATRONIZING IT AND EXCEPT IT! its fine! let it be thats that if its like that then so what what are we going to do about it. don’t be like those Muslims that want to push there religion on everyone.

Hey, this guy is right. Let’s just accept everything and stop trying to change things. If some distant power says that’s the way it is, then that must be the way it is, so I guess they’re right about God too. I think I’m going to become a Muslim now.

That logo says to me: cold, hard, militaristic and passionate in the sense of erotic (with the deep reds). Is that the message the atheist ‘movement’ wants a logo to convey? Don’t think so.

Shouldn’t there be some indication of humanity, science, inclusion, progress, freedom? The Ubuntu logo is a good example – although I’m not suggesting that just gets copied with an ‘A’ smacked in the middle.

‘fraid this is no better than the Dawkins’ red ‘A’ with drop shadow.

Next!

well said Pdsok, I personally think that atheistism is such a vague concept-it simply suggest the lack of belief in “god” . How can someone possibly create/accept a symbol that conveys the lack of belief in god when there is no symbol for god at all. Plus, atheists are a very diverse groups of people; we have different believes other than being atheists. It’s be extremely hard to agree on something as important as this.

i personally like the circle, either empty or filled solid (for solidity in non-belief) or maybe the null symbol. i like the empty circle though, especially as a necklace like the cross and other religious symbols often are.

Jon

everyone at my school thinks atheism is a cult that warships satan or something so me and my friend are making group that will show every one that atheism is not that bad

Wow thats really cool, but i think its gona take more than just a silver “A” to stop us. ACLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dang thats pimp lol i like it i want to get one were at though?

hey i like the symbol it is very cool…

Just was anointed atheist brand manager by someone who is actually qualified to give me the job!

Yes, a symbol is needed for branding.

Unclear if this is a good enough one, as Atheism starts with an A in English, but not Chinese (for example).

Did have a terrific brain fart today however and appreciate any reactions:

Atheism – cool, no doubt!

Anarchists are going to sue you.

Jesus loves you, but Anarchists are a salty lot. You trod a slippery slope, ye peoples.

That is interesting, faith- free… Is that a recent development in Iceland or the way the word translates? Then again, does atheism preclude “faith”? You could be a ferverent atheist or have faith of the heart or something.

i both agree and disagree with athiest having a symbol. On one hand we have something to show/say what we are and what our beliefs are but on the other hand we are turning into an organized group…which i feel will turn us into the same thing which alot of us are agianst..organized religion. But in my final decision i would love to have a symbol that shows what my beliefs are since there is a void so far in that area. Being in the military my dog tags dont say atheist, it says “norelpref” which means if something happens to me some priest of whatever denomination will pray over me. I would like to have something thats says “hey!! i am an atheist…dont try and give me my final rights”. But as for the icon above…its cool, its nice, but it just doesnt say athiest to me… hopefully one day it will.

Come on! If your going to start a revolution you shouldn’t get all factional.

Can’t write russian or chinese on this board, but I find it doesn’t appear that to translate Atheist would start with an “A” in either case. Guess the A is pretty anglophone.

Are you damn kidding me? It’s the hood ornament of the USS Enterprise…
Try again.

I think that there needs to be a more unique archetype, or symbol 4 all of us Atheist, i’ve been an Atheist throughout all of my life, & not frightened,nor scarred as a child about silly things such as gods,ghost,magic,supernatural,etc. everything is linked with science and the universe, so we need something indicating just that. A strong ATHEISTIC beleif symbolic 4 what we are and where we stand. WE ARE ATHEIST. I’M AN ATHEIST.
WE ARE OUR OWN GODS. THERE IS NO GOD BUT MAN. JUST SCIENCE.

Why should atheist have the burden of wearing a symbol? Since atheism has no history, no prophet and no god and is not a religion, why carachterize ourselves with a symbol. I’m proud to believe in nothing if not science and do not think we need to lower ourselves to the rank of those who still have a primitive system of belief, thus needing symbols to feel like they belong to a group.

I recently got this symbol tattooed on the back on my neck. I wanted something representing my beliefs or ..disbelief if you will, but didn’t quite know what to get. Not that I’m at all ashamed of what I stand for. I just wanted something subtle enough to still get my point across and flow well with the rest of my artwork (tattoos)without getting the word “godless” or something to that extent tattooed across my body. So does this symbol still represent atheism? Or is everybody just gonna think I’m really into Criss Angel? lol

Hmm Can not find a silver pendant with this design…

I don’t think anyone is paying attention except various Atheists, so no harm no foul.

It’s up to the individual to make up his or her choice to use a symbol or not. I can create a symbol and say to me personally this means that I am an atheist. Or I can us no symbol at all, I’ll still be an atheist. Personally, I like symbols.

Quite a good symbol. Balance in design is clearly evident. Emphasis is inherent,and emphasis in combination with balance produces a striking and memorable image. Add to this its visibility, and its clear and no-frills simplicity, and we then have a symbol that suggests or emphasizes essential conceptions:

Occam’s Razor

A clear beginning and ending

Quite a striking and memorable work–a metaphor, in this sense, of what a life should be.

A brush-stroke that instantiates a figurative life-span
Eternity, existence, eternity

looks like ill have a new tattoo

Looks like a dorky Star Trek icon

I may get a tattoo of that symbol.

Is the symbol merely the metalic silver stylized emblem, or is the background also a part of the symbol?