Nica Lalli1 (USA Today blog columnist, writer, educator and former PTA member) never fails to fail. She tries, really tries hard, to paint herself as a member of the happy face sect the positive public image sect of atheism yet, it never quite seems to pan out for her.
In her latest installment she writes that, “Demographers are already salivating ahead of the upcoming U.S. Census, which will no doubt show…the fastest-growing religious group in our country…None. As in, no religion at all.”
She writes, “atheists like me are just content to be able to be religion-free without the social stigma that has been attached to ‘my kind’ the irreligious minority in this country.” But what about “my kind”? Well, in the previous sentence she wrote about “God-fearing Americans” how is that for stigma?
In the past she declared her atheistic individuality in attempting to describe her particular, and peculiar, concept of what atheistic ecumenism:
I am more interested in dialogue, and I hope that conversation will get us to respect and understanding. I cannot see dialogue happening with someone who tells you that your core beliefs are wrong, so I refrain from telling anyone what to believe…With that in mind, let’s invite more of everyone to participate in the discussion…
Once we start, we might see that we have more in common than we all think. Once we all agree to disagree, one we set the rules that no side is trying to convince the other of its rightness or wrongness, once we clarify that we are simply trying to understand each other – and then move on to other topics of common interest – then the conversation about religion and its place in our society can really begin.2
Note that her brand of ecumenism, which claims to include “more of everyone,” would exclude by its “rules” anyone who is “is trying to convince the other of its rightness or wrongness.” Yet, since she is trying to convince us of the rightness of her position as to who will be excluded from “everyone” and why they will be excluded she excludes herself and the project fails before it begins.
As to the none/no religion at all fastest-growing group in our country; every few months someone on this blog writes a flummoxed comment expressing some level of annoyance at the title “Atheism is Dead”-it is not dead, atheism is growing, etc., etc., etc. As I have explained in the past if you cut the head off of a chicken it is, for all intents and purposes, dead yet, you may still find it scampering, beep-bopping and scattin’ about. Someone who did not know anything about chickens or earthly bio-functions in general might beam down from a spaceship and back up in 5 second only to see this headless chicken gesticulating and would surely surmise that the chicken was alive and well indeed. Yet, it is all but dead.
Meanwhile, atheists are singing the praises of the little corner of reality known as materialism which, so they surmise, has rendered theism dead (or “religious belief,” or “faith,” or “God,” or, or, or) while the overwhelming majority of the planet’s population believes in god(s)-yes, the majority who are, in the atheist estimation: uneducated, superstitious, gullible, etc. (the word “gullible” is not even in the dictionary).
I wonder if other believers will agree that we should only expect atheism to become more and more popular.This is due to a few factors which tie into one which is good old fashioned spiritual warfare:1) Falling away from the truth of God’s revelation and the embracing of a lie.2) The ultimate outworking of the popularizing of rebellion against God.
3) The good old fashioned appeal to the flesh in the form of Stephen F. Uhl’s book “Imagine No Superstition: The Power to Enjoy Life With No Guilt, No Shame, No Blame”-talk about having your cake and eating it, and then eating someone else’s also.
In fact, Nica Lalli wrote, “For years, non-believers have been considered undesirable, untrustworthy and essentially reviled.” For support of her claim to reviling, which are surely not altogether fallacious, she relies on the, surely, unbiased reportage of positiveatheism.org (of whom I have posted, see here) who quote the “then-Vice President George H.W. Bush said, ‘I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots.'” For whatever it is worth to whomever this was from a private interview with Rob Sherman and while George H.W. Bush has apparently not had much, if anything, to say about it Rob Sherman’s story seems to have evolved, or devolved, over time.3 This is the same Rob Sherman who wanted to make silence unconstitutional.
Overall, I could not agree more with her sentiments as for years, believers have been considered undesirable, untrustworthy and essentially reviled by non-believers.She also writes that “Atheists can tell you that they have faced problems – some at work, some with family members or friends – once their non-belief is stated publicly.”
Again, I could regale you wish stories facing problems – some at work, some with family members or friends – once their belief is stated publicly.
Furthermore, she notes,
Some atheists out there might wish to de-convert believers, pull them away from their faith or disprove their gods, and it is true that those are the atheists who write the books that make the best-seller lists…But many of us – dare I say most of us – would prefer coexisting over combat…whenever I have published anything about being an atheist, I have had to stop reading my e-mails from people of faith who – oh, the irony – say things that are very hateful. Yet as anyone in my shoes knows, the discomfort and challenges of not believing are most difficult in your own family.
Again, I could not agree more with the sentiment. Keep in mind that her perspective is that “Nothing a devout person tells me is going to change my mind.” Thus, I may say that some theists out there might wish to de-convert un-believers, pull them away from their atheism or disprove absolute materialism, and it is true that those are the theists who write the books that make the best-seller lists or post to obscure blogs…But many of us – dare I say most of us – would prefer coexisting over combat, if “coexisting” allows for reasoned discourse…whenever I have published anything about being an theist or contra-atheism, I have had to stop reading my comments from people of no faith who – oh, the irony – say things that are very hateful. Yet as anyone in my shoes knows, the discomfort and challenges of believing are most difficult in your own family.
Obviously, the point is that this sort of thing goes both ways in general. As just noted if the majority of atheists are not anti-theists but only care to coexist likewise the majority of genuine lovers of God care to coexist and are not hateful (although this is a generic term that is meaningless without an appendage definition).
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A plea: I have to pay for server usage and have made all content on this website free and always will. I support my family on one income and do research, writing, videos, etc. as a hobby. If you can even spare $1.00 as a donation, please do so: it may not seem like much but if each person reading this would do so, even every now and then, it would add up and really, really help. Here is my donate/paypal page.
Due to robo-spaming, I had to close the comment sections. However, you can comment on my Facebook page and/or on my Google+ page. You can also use the “Share / Save” button below this post.