Congrats to Teresa MacBain!

Former pastor Teresa MacBain has been hired as the Public Relations Director for American Atheists!

MacBain formerly served as the Executive Director of The Clergy Project and as a pastor and educator in the religious non-profit sector.

American Atheists president David Silverman says:

It is an honor to have Teresa on our team. Since coming out as an atheist at the 2012 American Atheists Convention in Washington, DC, Mrs. MacBain has proven herself to be an effective communicator and a champion of the rational, religion-free life. As the Marines of the Freethought movement, it is fitting to have a Cabinet-level director who has only recently been freed of the bonds of religion. She is a shining example of the fact that atheists who feel trapped in the preacherhood can escape the lying life and get honest employment: there is no life after death, but there is life after church!

MacBain is the first female graduate of The Clergy Project, and officially came out as an atheist at the 2012 American Atheist Convention with an extremely touching speech.

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Sam Kay

I don’t really like the phrasing “coming out as an atheist.” I know that being an atheist is much harder in places outside of the SF Bay Area, but I think it belittles the ordeal that the vast majority of gay people go through.
Marsha A.

I’m sorry, Sam Kay, but I’ve “come out” as an atheist and I lost a lot of family members, and a church community (aka “family) of 800 people, who shunned me. Even friends from childhood won’t speak on FB now that they know I’m no longer a Christian, and my brother identified me to little old people we knew as kids as “a fire-breathing atheist.” It’s difficult – atheists are discriminated against, cannot be elected to public office very often, and one loses community. So there is a real comparison.
julie

I would agree that coming out as gay is probably a little worse, but I don’t think is belittling. Atheist or gay, a conservative religious family will still see that as immoral and they will think you’re going to hell. Plenty of people are disowned by their family for being atheists.
rlrose328

I concur. I don’t think either of these “coming out” events is worse than the other as they are both traumatic, especially if one is leaving a church one has been attending and been a member of for years and years. The harsh reality of the world is cold and unwelcoming, especially if one has no support system. The same can be said of a gay person from a particularly religious family and church.

I don’t think any group “owns” the phrase “coming out” and we should all respect each other’s usage of said phrase as meaning a traumatic change in one’s representation to the world and leaving an old “life” behind. Both communities have many more important issues than the use of that phrasing.
Nathan

No life after death but there is life after church? I pray you people realize the mistake you are making. What is the point of this life if you just die and that’s it. It’s a shame what this world is becoming, hopeless and sad.
Edward Tarte

Nathan, I invite you to go to YouTube and search tarte no hope. The “point to this life if you just die and that’s it” is, every day of this life is precious, something that I need to treasure and make the most of. More about that in the YouTube video that I am inviting you to watch and ponder.
Glasofruix

There are no mistakes being made. If your only purpose in life is to be a slave to an imaginary twisted maniac in hope that after your death you might be living eternaly with the crazy guy, it’s a sad sad existence…
Buffy

I find it sad that so many people can’t find joy in the life they have here because they think it’s just some way-station until they get to some imaginary afterlife. The very reason life is so precious and beautiful is because that’s all there is. Stop wasting it waiting around for your never-never land.
Buffy

Welcome, Teresa!
WayBeyondSoccerMom

I am excited that Teresa MacBain is going to be a counselor at Camp Quest Smoky Mountains later this month.
Buffy

I can only speak to my own experience, but for me coming out lesbian was a big nothing, while coming out atheist was pretty freaky although prior to each “coming out” I was terrified. Nobody really reacted when I came out lesbian. The biggest response I got was “I was wondering when you were going to get around to telling us”. When I came out atheist people became uncomfortable, started asking all sorts of questions that gave the impression that they no longer knew what to expect of me (as if no longer believing in gods changed who I was ). I even lost a long-time friend who called me an “atheist f*ck” and implied I was contributing to the downfall of America.
I_Claudia

I look forward to seeing what her influence is on American Atheists. Goodness knows they could use a little work on the public relations side of things.
Marsha A.

Nathan, this world has always been exactly as it is now. There IS hopelessness and sadness at times for all of us, even those who wish for heaven. We make our own hope and happiness, and religion only succeeds in obscuring that fact. We are responsible for living well, laughing often, and helping others do the same. When I finally understood the precious treasure that we have – life from birth to death – I began to savor each moment rather than live fearfully, afraid of hell fire. The point of life is living it well.
Val0221

Congratulations to Teresa! You will be an asset to the AA team as well as all Atheists everywhere. You go get ’em…
Elaine Hull

Teresa, Congratulations!!! However, we in Tallahassee are going to miss you!!!!!
Elaine
Life8

For shame on the org., if you need to call it that. I am Jewish and and from Connecticut and see no problem with a cross, everyone knows who died, celebrate their deaths any way you want. As for this Teresa and the rest of this org for shame on you all, what will you think as your last moments come around. Get a life before before the lousy one you have is over. I think I will sue you, yes I think I will.
If you don’t believe in a G-d, what do you believe in? Oh do I dare ask?? You are all pathetic losers!

Jay Schwartz
Life8

What a loser org.! Stupid obama lovers, wait and see, little losers…