https://www.ftsociety.org/2025/03/07/march-april-2025-freethought-society-ezine/
Part 5
Some questions I have been asked about religion over the years, and my answers
Cooperation
Why don’t atheists have more influence in our society? Despite the growing number of atheists, we have not been nearly as influential politically as most other minority groups. That’s partly because we take pride in being an independent lot. To gain influence in our culture, we have to become more cooperative and establish our legitimacy as a demographic. That’s why I helped form a cooperative organization, the Secular Coalition for Americans. https://secular.org The organization has grown to include 21 national member organizations covering the full spectrum of atheists and humanists. The Secular Coalition advocates for the equal rights of nonreligious Americans, and defends the separation of religion and government. The Secular Coalition incorporated as a political advocacy group to allow unlimited lobbying on behalf of secular Americans, with lobbyists in Washington, DC.
Does the Secular Coalition for America have anything to do with donating to charity?
Just about all 21 national member organizations have a charitable component.
Are we making changes fast enough?
Some of you may be discouraged because we haven’t seen change fast enough. But we are evolutionists, not creationists. Evolution takes a long time. Whenever you feel discouraged by slow progress, keep this in mind: If we do nothing, nothing will change. You don’t have to do it all, but I hope you will find something positive to do for our secular movement.
What should we avoid doing with Christians?
Don’t stereotype them. They don’t like it any more than atheists do. We must not assume all Christians are fundamentalists who need to justify ridiculous biblical passages. Don’t try to fight every battle. We haven’t the good will, resources, or political capital to respond to every offense.
What worked best for you in cooperating with religious people?
One of my math students once told me after class that he was a member of First Baptist Church, the oldest Southern Baptist church in the South, and had seen an article about my atheism in the local newspaper. He said both Southern Baptists and secular humanists probably had unfair stereotypes of each other, and it might be a good idea to get together for discussions. I heartily agreed, and we arranged for several members of each group to meet for brunch at a local deli.
One of the participants, Dr. Mitch Carnell, was a Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church and also wrote a weekly column for the Charleston Post and Courier. The title of Mitch’s piece on September 25, 1995, was “Good Conversation Is Lurking If You Look.” He wrote, “We were meeting to discuss religious beliefs or the lack of them. We knew in advance that we not only disagreed with each other, but that our views were directly opposite of each other’s. Yet, by all accounts the event was a rousing success. People not only enjoyed it, but also wanted to continue the discussions. Why? There was mutual respect for the individual.”
And that was the key. Both groups chose representatives who knew how to disagree without being disagreeable. We continued to meet periodically, and even gave a name to our group: BASH (Baptists And Secular Humanists), We had good conversation along with refreshments. We got to know each other and learn about different perspectives and worldviews. Priority was given to finding common ground, without attempting conversion. We measured success by the number of new friendships. We were successful, but none of us became talk-show hosts or politicians.
What are the problems that arise when working with theists on politics?
Politics is the art of negotiation and compromise, which rarely works with theists who claim to have the absolute truth.
What unites us, regardless of religious belief?
We must respect all human beings. Humans create problems and humans can solve them—in a peaceful way if we try hard enough to do it. Far more important than nationalities or religious creeds that can divide us is our common humanity, which unites us.
Any other benefits to working with different groups?
Working with diverse groups provides the additional benefit of gaining more visibility and respect for our unique perspective. Improving the public perception of secular Americans is as important to many of us as pursuing a particular political agenda. Politicians think they are being tolerant when they express support for all faiths; instead, we hope to hear them express support for all faiths and none, with freedom of conscience for all people.
Where does character come in?
The conservative politician J.C. Watts once said, “Character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.” By that definition, only atheists are capable of showing character.
Do you believe the meek will inherent the Earth?
If the meek are to inherit something of value, we must seek ways to understand and respect those with whom we have significant disagreements.
What should we do when communicating with people with whom we disagree?
Listen carefully to what they say, and try to understand them. You might find that they make some sense. Look for points of agreement and see how you can work together on them.
Part 5
Some questions I have been asked about religion over the years, and my answers
Cooperation
Why don’t atheists have more influence in our society? Despite the growing number of atheists, we have not been nearly as influential politically as most other minority groups. That’s partly because we take pride in being an independent lot. To gain influence in our culture, we have to become more cooperative and establish our legitimacy as a demographic. That’s why I helped form a cooperative organization, the Secular Coalition for Americans. https://secular.org The organization has grown to include 21 national member organizations covering the full spectrum of atheists and humanists. The Secular Coalition advocates for the equal rights of nonreligious Americans, and defends the separation of religion and government. The Secular Coalition incorporated as a political advocacy group to allow unlimited lobbying on behalf of secular Americans, with lobbyists in Washington, DC.
Does the Secular Coalition for America have anything to do with donating to charity?
Just about all 21 national member organizations have a charitable component.
Are we making changes fast enough?
Some of you may be discouraged because we haven’t seen change fast enough. But we are evolutionists, not creationists. Evolution takes a long time. Whenever you feel discouraged by slow progress, keep this in mind: If we do nothing, nothing will change. You don’t have to do it all, but I hope you will find something positive to do for our secular movement.
What should we avoid doing with Christians?
Don’t stereotype them. They don’t like it any more than atheists do. We must not assume all Christians are fundamentalists who need to justify ridiculous biblical passages. Don’t try to fight every battle. We haven’t the good will, resources, or political capital to respond to every offense.
What worked best for you in cooperating with religious people?
One of my math students once told me after class that he was a member of First Baptist Church, the oldest Southern Baptist church in the South, and had seen an article about my atheism in the local newspaper. He said both Southern Baptists and secular humanists probably had unfair stereotypes of each other, and it might be a good idea to get together for discussions. I heartily agreed, and we arranged for several members of each group to meet for brunch at a local deli.
One of the participants, Dr. Mitch Carnell, was a Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church and also wrote a weekly column for the Charleston Post and Courier. The title of Mitch’s piece on September 25, 1995, was “Good Conversation Is Lurking If You Look.” He wrote, “We were meeting to discuss religious beliefs or the lack of them. We knew in advance that we not only disagreed with each other, but that our views were directly opposite of each other’s. Yet, by all accounts the event was a rousing success. People not only enjoyed it, but also wanted to continue the discussions. Why? There was mutual respect for the individual.”
And that was the key. Both groups chose representatives who knew how to disagree without being disagreeable. We continued to meet periodically, and even gave a name to our group: BASH (Baptists And Secular Humanists), We had good conversation along with refreshments. We got to know each other and learn about different perspectives and worldviews. Priority was given to finding common ground, without attempting conversion. We measured success by the number of new friendships. We were successful, but none of us became talk-show hosts or politicians.
What are the problems that arise when working with theists on politics?
Politics is the art of negotiation and compromise, which rarely works with theists who claim to have the absolute truth.
What unites us, regardless of religious belief?
We must respect all human beings. Humans create problems and humans can solve them—in a peaceful way if we try hard enough to do it. Far more important than nationalities or religious creeds that can divide us is our common humanity, which unites us.
Any other benefits to working with different groups?
Working with diverse groups provides the additional benefit of gaining more visibility and respect for our unique perspective. Improving the public perception of secular Americans is as important to many of us as pursuing a particular political agenda. Politicians think they are being tolerant when they express support for all faiths; instead, we hope to hear them express support for all faiths and none, with freedom of conscience for all people.
Where does character come in?
The conservative politician J.C. Watts once said, “Character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.” By that definition, only atheists are capable of showing character.
Do you believe the meek will inherent the Earth?
If the meek are to inherit something of value, we must seek ways to understand and respect those with whom we have significant disagreements.
What should we do when communicating with people with whom we disagree?
Listen carefully to what they say, and try to understand them. You might find that they make some sense. Look for points of agreement and see how you can work together on them.
