Mudita Journal

How Useful Is the “Atheist” Label?

October 19, 2007 · Filed under: Intellectual, Personal
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Atlasphere columnist Allison Taylor, who lately has become one of my favorite bloggers, has a new thought-provoking post up.

She begins:

Sam Harris recently gave a lecture at an “atheist” conference where he shocked his audience by telling them their use of the label “atheist” is a huge mistake — “a mistake of some consequence,” to be exact.

To understand the magnitude of his “seditious proposal,” you have to know that Harris is considered one of the leading public voices for atheism — along with Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett — but, therein lies his point — you cannot be for something that is by definition simply an absence of belief.

She then quotes Harris:

We should not call ourselves “atheists.” We should not call ourselves “secularists.” We should not call ourselves “humanists,” or “secular humanists,” or “naturalists,” or “skeptics,” or “anti-theists,” or “rationalists,” or “freethinkers,” or “brights.” We should not call ourselves anything. We should go under the radar — for the rest of our lives. And while there, we should be decent, responsible people who destroy bad ideas wherever we find them.

See Taylor’s full post for more.

As I read, I felt an instant recognition of Harris’s point. It was somewhat visceral … and I’m still unraveling its implications.

I would have to say that my use of the word “atheist,” when I was younger, always seemed to cause more confusion and consternation than recognition and understanding. Today I certainly lean toward Harris’s perspective; I don’t find the label helpful.

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  • Alex Breiding

    As much as it is an inconvenience for me to have to further explain myself when I state that I am an atheist, “going under the radar” could be the worst idea for an atheist, or whatever you would now refer to yourself as. How can we “destroy bad ideas wherever we find them” by being “under the radar?” If the term atheism or secularism bothers you too much, work towards the emergence of a society that does not place a negative connotation with “atheism” nor feels the need to respect others religious beliefs while we live in a society that argues over everything from sports team franchises to political parties. Those opposed to organized religion or those who simply do not believe in the existence of a supernatural being must speak out to change society before those who have no qualms about speaking out (religious heads) change society farther towards religious authoritarianism.

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