laurenhill

“We need people to ask the tough questions, and they’re not. What’s more important: the Bible or the Constitution? Do they want theocracy? Do they want Christianity as the official religion, and if so, which version?” Silverman stated, adding that despite his Republican affiliation, he feels himself without a candidate that supports his beliefs. “Hopefully what we’ll do is get people talking about what … atheists and secularists think.”

“There are more atheists in the country right now than Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined and doubled – that’s a lot of people, and we are the most hated … for no reason other than pure and simple religious bigotry, spurned by ignorance,” Silverman said. “Ignorance is killed by awareness … we want to put many faces to [atheism], so people will understand us better and tolerate us more.” - David Silverman, president of American Atheists. 

The reasons I’m posting this article are 
a) because I think the idea of a Reason Rally is awesome
b) because of the response I heard against it.

I found this link via a facebook - here was the commentary:

“Really, David Silverman? This is the ‘tough’ question that we need to be asking the American public right now? Are Christianity and its followers really encroaching on our day-to-day freedoms to the degree that the American Atheists suggest, or is this a fantasy? … We have never been a Theocracy nor will we ever be one, so what is the purpose of political fear-mongering against those who choose to believe in God or practice a religion?”

The problems I have with this:

1. It is certainly a tough question that needs to be asked - especially considering the front runners for the presidency in the Republican party. Religion is a huge factor with these people and they will NOT hesitate to push that religion on U.S. policy. It isn’t a matter of atheists “fear-mongering” against people who believe in God - it’s a matter of keeping God out of policy making.
2. Religiously conservative politicians, who are becoming very influential, apparently still don’t believe in gender equality and are voting FOR legislature like the VA abortion act, which involves an unnecessary medical procedure that amounts to rape. Still say that Christianity isn’t encroaching on our personal freedoms?

I think this rally is a wonderful idea, if only because it keeps people discussing the separation of church and state. Atheists could also use a new stereotype. We’re not all morally depraved cavemen, thank you.