Meeting of Atheist Groups Leaders (Recap) January 12, 2009

Meeting of Atheist Groups Leaders (Recap)

By Guest Contributor
January 12, 2009

I’ll go more in depth later about the atheist gathering over the weekend. (As I write this, it’s late and I’m going to bed soon.)

But a few things I picked up:

  • Now that atheist ads are on buses worldwide, our next goal is to take over the entire transportation industry. Planes, cars, scooters, etc. (Ok, no, but how awesome would it be to go on Atheist Airlines?!)

  • There’s some amazing news and some depressing news that’ll make it’s way into the atheist blogosphere over the next week. It’s weird to have knowledge of things to come…

  • While the idea of a Unity conference is still a great one, I don’t think much traction was made on it. It won’t happen for real unless participating groups decide to skip their own conferences for one year. That’s a hard decision for many to make. So for now, things hang in the balance.

  • The meeting took place right next to the entrance to the FEMA building. I hope that wasn’t an omen of sorts.

  • One number I heard: 3700(!) self-identified non-theistic people sent money to then-Senate Candidate Kay Hagan following the aftermath of Elizabeth Dole‘s anti-atheist bigotry. Go us!

More soon.

In case you wanted a visual, here’s a glimpse of the gathering:

img_0138

See?! Nothing at all like a meeting of the Springfield Republican Party on The Simpsons.

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  • One number I heard: 3700(!) self-identified non-theistic people sent money to then-Senate Candidate Kay Hagan following the aftermath of Elizabeth Dole’s anti-atheist bigotry. Go us!

    Was it was also acknowledged that Kay Hagan was not necessarily a friend to nonbelievers? Remember, she told one journalist, “I certainly don’t support anything that they [the atheists] stand for.” I’m as happy as anyone Dole is out, but Hagan is no hero of ours either.

  • It is great to see these folks meeting to discussing collaboration. There has been far too little of this, and I think it would be good for us.

    Needless to say, I’m eager to learn of the “amazing news and depressing news” you refer to so mysteriously. Since I have nothing to go on, I am going to assume that the amazing part is that you have become born again as an evangelical Christian. Oh wait, that would be the depressing part.

  • Creet

    See?! Nothing at all like a meeting of the Springfield Republican Party on The Simpsons.

    A water cooler would make an excellent representative of atheism though.

  • I can only imagine the moral outrage when it turns out Atheist Airlines has fewer crashes than any other airline.

    That is, until the conservative spin-doctors on Fox make it look like the planes stay up due to an unholy pact between the airline and Lucifer, driving down ticket sales and forcing the airline out of business, and the rift between critical thought and indoctrination widens…

  • SarahH

    There’s some amazing news and some depressing news that’ll make it’s way into the atheist blogosphere over the next week. It’s weird to have knowledge of things to come…

    You’re such a tease, Hemant. Really!

    I think the Kay Hagan fundraising can be summed up with “The enemy of our enemy is our friend.” We shouldn’t forget that the whole controversy began because Hagan was casually treating atheist supporters in the exact same way she would treat theist supporters. She didn’t refuse to attend their fundraiser, she didn’t attempt to hide them from the media – she matter-of-factly accepted their support without any weirdness. That’s how it started. Sure, I was disappointed by some of the “damage control” that happened after Dole’s attacks, but I think the incident is still a positive point for atheists.

  • SaraH:

    I respectfully disagree that it was an overall positive point. I think we saw a mainly universal consensus from mainstream politics and media that mere association with or even proximity to atheists is political death. The subtext of Hagan’s ass-covering was a tacit agreement on her part that atheists are not to be part of the respectable political discussion.

  • I think Atheist Airlines has potential to be hugely profitable. All we have to do is go to churches that preach the rapture and that the End is nigh and point out that we can guarantee none of our pilots or support staff will be raptured. Those unsure of their (or their loved ones) salvation will book Atheist all the time.

  • Atheist Airlines: We’re NOT flying on a wing and a prayer.

  • Hemant, what were the demographics of the attendees of that meeting like? Race, gender, age, orientation? I ask because from what little I can tell in the photo, the group seems more uniform than diverse.

  • Hemant,

    So will you be apprising us of this “amazing and depressing news” in due time? I can only hope so. What is this, some kind of atheist publishing embargo?
    🙂

  • So will you be apprising us of this “amazing and depressing news” in due time?

    In due time 🙂

    Hemant, what were the demographics of the attendees of that meeting like? Race, gender, age, orientation?

    Mostly white. Mostly older. Though there were plenty of women there. This tends to be the case with most atheist groups in general in my experience.

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