Some of the students at my high school are planning to start a Secular Student Alliance group next year (Their idea, not mine, though I’m honored to be their sponsor). We met yesterday to talk about what they’d like to do with such a group, what goals they have, etc.
Among other things, they said they wanted to dispel the awful stereotypes people have about atheists — and doing community service is one way to put a stop to that. They also wanted to educate religious people about why atheists believe what we do — bringing in speakers and hosting discussions can help with that.
Their ultimate goal is to start a larger conversation about religion/beliefs, the kind you rarely see in a high school setting. I’d love to see that happen.
They also want to educate students who are already atheists about what that really means and what they’re up against in our culture.
To that end, I’m asking for your help.
What are some basic things that atheists — especially newer, younger atheists — ought to know?
For example, they should know that even though there are millions of non-religious people in the country, there is only one openly non-religious person in Congress — Pete Stark (D-CA).
What would you add to the list?