Are Atheists The New Campus Crusaders?

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/atheologies/6790/are_atheists_the_new_campus_crusaders/

February 7, 2013
Are Atheists The New Campus Crusaders?
By KATHERINE DON


Members of the Illini Secular Student Alliance having good, nonreligious fun

Katherine Don
Katherine Don is a freelance writer and editor in Queens. She tweets on pregnancy and childbirth care issues.

This month at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a select group of students will show their humanitarian spirit by participating in the Bleedin’ Heathens Blood Drive. On February 12th, they will eat cake to celebrate Darwin Day, and earlier this year, they performed “de-baptism” ceremonies to celebrate Blasphemy Day, attended a War on Christmas Party, and set up Hug An Atheist and Ask An Atheist booths in the campus quad.

These activities and more are organized by the Illini Secular Student Alliance (ISSA), one of 394 student groups that are affiliated with the national Secular Student Alliance (SSA). “We brand ourselves as a safe place and community for students who are not religious,” says Derek Miller, a junior at Illini and president of the ISSA.

Secular groups on college campuses are proliferating. The Ohio-based Secular Student Alliance, which a USA Today writer once called a “Godless Campus Crusade for Christ,” incorporated as a nonprofit in 2001. By 2007, 80 campus groups had affiliated with them, 100 by 2008, 174 by 2009, and today, there are 394 SSA student groups on campuses across the country. “We have been seeing rapid growth in the past couple of years, and it shows no sign of slowing down,” says Jesse Galef, communications director at SSA. “It used to be that we would go to campuses and encourage students to pass out flyers. Now, the students are coming to us almost faster than we can keep up with.”

The Secular Student Alliance provides its affiliate groups with support and materials, including banners, pins, and informational materials with titles like What Is An Atheist?, a brochure with cheerful graphics and information about the identities of secularists, including “nontheist,” “freethinker,” and “humanist.”

more at link

[Fumesucker]

1. Insha'Allah n/t

[trotsky]

2. Of course not, and the proof is a quote right in the article.

Jesse Galef, communications director for the SSA: "... the students are coming to us almost faster than we can keep up with."

CCC harassed and preached to students. I remember being accosted by one.

Students are themselves coming to the SSA.

So no, the SSA isn't the new CCC. Good freaking grief.

[cleanhippie]

3. Why do you constantly feel the need to try and falsely equivocate?

It's dishonest and hypocritical.

[humblebum]

4. Oh now that's just precious coming from you. LOL!

[cleanhippie]

9. Thanks. I hope you are not offended.

[humblebum]

5. When the words and actions of their organization are negatively focused upon

religion and the practices and traditions of religious groups, they are plainly a bigoted group. No different than any anti-racial or anti-cultural group.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. What, like Cru chalking "The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt...

... and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good" on the sidewalk? What was the reaction of the atheist group? To chalk other Bible verses.

The Atheist Society responded by chalking verses such as Deuteronomy 22:28, which says that if a woman is raped, she must marry her rapist, as well as verses supporting slavery and the killing of homosexuals and disobedient children.

While chalking, the group was approached by several students, one of whom told them they were going to hell. It wasn’t long after before they were reported and University Police arrived on the scene.

After seizing their IDs, the students were called into the office of the Dean of Students, Edwin Cowell.

“He told us we hadn’t broken any rules and that we were free to continue chalking tomorrow,” said Matt Boyd, a member of the Atheist Society who helped with the campaign. “But he still ordered horticulture to remove the verses.”

http://www.thesuflyer.com/2011/12/04/atheist-society-and-cru-members-clash-over-chalk/

Be honest - which group attacked which? Oh, that'd be the Christians attacking the atheists; and yet it was the Christians who complained to the campus authorities that the secular group was using verses 'out of context'. We can see there that Cru was the bigoted group.

[humblebum]

7. No, like "'de-baptism”' ceremonies to celebrate Blasphemy Day, attended a War on Christmas Party..."

Clearly anti-religious activities. Perfectly legal but very bigoted. No different than holding a "black-face" event would be.

[Fumesucker]

8. Why do Christians become so angry when others try to hand you the key to the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 5:10 (NIV) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Here we atheists are trying to give you folks a go to heaven free card and all you do is whine about the rules. It's not our fault, atheists didn't write the Bible, someone else is responsible for that.

What a bunch of ingrates.

[humblebum]

14. So then, I am assuming you would have said the same thing to Black Christian groups

during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's?

[Fumesucker]

38. I have no idea what color you are

But I think you may be overreacting a touch by equating a little criticism of your religion with Jim Crow, not that I offered any actual criticism to start with.

I actually grew up in the time and place of Jim Crow, I guarantee you that an atheist black would have gotten exactly the same treatment from the system there and then as a Christian one.

[humblebum]

39. Criticism is one thing. Openly mocking is quite another.

[Fumesucker]

40. People of my sex, race and age are mocked on DU on a regular basis

None of the three are characteristics I have any control at all over and I don't even get a go straight to heaven card out of the deal.

Yet somehow I bear up under the awful burden of being mocked as a member of the majority.

[cleanhippie]

10. Do these activities offend you?

[cbayer]

12. I read those as just silly events that gave them an excuse to get together and not as

anti-theist at all.

How could any of that hurt believers?

[humblebum]

15. How could a "black face" party or a parody on Asians-themed party offend those groups if

it was all done in fun?

[cbayer]

17. This is nothing like that which you describe, imo.

Lighten up. These sound like good groups promoting good causes, not like theist haters.

[Goblinmonger]

18. Thank you.

I appreciate you position on this one.

[humblebum]

19. There are just some things that should not be met with the reply "Just lighten up."

And this is one of them.

[cbayer]

20. I completely disagree with you here. These are college kids who

are forming groups based on common interests and ideologies. I see absolutely nothing to indicate that they mean any harm to anyone. I do see evidence that they are using their organizations for good and to build bridges.

I think Lighten Up is exactly the right phrase to use.

[humblebum]

22. I agree that there are some good elements involved common interests and ideologies. But that

does not mean that questionable practices such as those referenced should be ignored.

[cbayer]

23. I'm glad you can see the good. In general they sound like kids who will try to

find common ground with others while celebrating what they share with each other. No need to attack them from outside, imo. I would let them figure it out.

[humblebum]

24. Would you have the same response then if the kids who recently, in the news, had black face parties,

parody on Asian themed parties? Perhaps those who complained should just lighten up? I don't think so. And the truth be known, those were probably conducted by very normal college kids just having fun. But I think they finally figured it out.

[cbayer]

25. Again, I don't see anything equivalent to what you describe.

If they were having mock crucifixion parties or were dressing as muslim suicide bombers, you might have a case.

But de-baptism and war on christmas parties just don't reach that level.

Looks like they got into a "chalk" war with another group which they resolved in a positive way.

I just see no good reason to criticize them based on the information available.

[humblebum]

26. I would say that baptism is central to the Christian faith, as well as Christmas. So in that sense I

do not agree with you and I would also question the motives behind these events. If their purpose was to get a reaction, then they need to be called on it. I think if any group is openly ridiculed for race, or culture, or for any number of other reasons, and these things occur often enough that we are desensitized to such practices, then society has a problem.

[cbayer]

31. I hope you have read the article. They are working with religious groups to build

understanding and cooperation.

That's a good thing. Sounds like groups on both sides have made some missteps but have increased their interactions and cooperation with other following that.

Let me ask you this. Do you object to these organizations in general? Do you think non-believers have suffered a certain degree of marginalization and even discrimination?

[humblebum]

32. I already said that there are many good qualities mentioned in the article and the

interactions and cooperation are definitely among them. No I do not object to any on campus organization and I do think non-believers have been marginalized and discriminated against. That in no way justifies condoning certain things that have been done. Any on campus organization must be held accountable for their actions, however.

[cbayer]

33. Agree that they should be held accountable, whatever the group.

It's refreshing to see some peer to peer calls for accountability.

[Goblinmonger]

21. Oh Noes!!!1!!

The atheists are organizing! Get the pitchforks!!

[2ndAmForComputers]

41. Dude. Take a look at WHO thinks you're way over the top here.

That should tell you something.

[humblebum]

43. There is a point being made here. It is a good thing when groups can work together and in

agreement, and are able to lighten up. That is great. But how often do we see simple public displays of voluntary religious belief or events complained about or condemned, when in fact they have hurt no one, and are really no big deal? Case in point, a restaurant that gives a discount to customers who bring in a church bulletin. Did you notice the firestorm of criticism that resulted over that incident, when in reality it was no big deal?

[cleanhippie]

36. +1. Thank you.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Ha ha, thanks for providing the laugh, humblebum

As cbayer says, they are silly. They are not in the least 'bigoted'. 'De-baptism' is something some people want to go through to symbolise leaving a church and belief behind. No more 'bigoted' than baptism is. And a War on Christmas party is obviously laughing at the ridiculous claims from Fox News and others that there is a 'War on Christmas'.

[humblebum]

16. I think you pretty much illustrate my point and that is why some, but not all of their

activities need to be called out. There is nothing wrong with extolling the virtues of secularism, but if this a way they choose to do it, then it needs to challenged.

[cleanhippie]

37. It would appear that, while obviously passionate about your opinion, no one agree with you.

But thanks for sharing your opinion.

[humblebum]

42. So you think I honestly expected you to agree? Some things just never change.

[cleanhippie]

44. It's not just me, HB, no one agrees with you.

I mean, even cbayer thinks you are full of it.

But again, thank you for your opinion.

[humblebum]

46. So let me rephrase that. So you think I honestly expected you, or anyone here, or

even a majority to agree with me? But if you want to see real passion displayed, or outrage feigned, just watch how the hippie and other hardcore atheists react when public prayer happens, even when it is voluntary and perfectly legal, or any similar situation. Remember next time to lighten up, hippie.

[cleanhippie]

47. Don't let it bother you too much, HB. While your opinions are very unpopular, they are yours.

You should be proud of them.

Maybe I should apologize. I really didn't mean to try and belittle your opinion, even though I personally feel it is complete and utter hogwash, but when I saw that was cbayer even disagreeing with you and saying how nonsensical you were being, it made me feel a bit sad for you. I mean, if she cannot find something redeeming in your posts, I know of no one else that could.

But hey, you can hold your opinions, regardless how nonsensical or ridiculous they are. That's the beauty of our democratic secular system. Were we somewhere else in the world, your opinion, and even mine (mostly mine though, since mine stems from things based on testable evidence and not religious dogma), along with the facts that support them, would not be tolerated.

Anyway, keep up the good fight. If you stopped posting, no one would get to know just where you are coming from. And that would be sad.

Have a nice day, HB, I know I will!

[cbayer]

11. If you read the article, you will see that this clearly is not the case

for most of these organizations.

They work together with other secular and with religious organizations, often for causes that I, at least, value.

I don't see anything at all in the article that would justify the position that they are anti-theist groups.

[Ligyron]

34. aye-men! n/t

[pinto]

27. I live in a college town and would love to see an SSA affiliate group here.

The college was once overwhelmingly white, conservative with fraternities, sororities and faith-based groups (Christian, evangelical) forming much of the cultural context on campus. That was 1980. In the intervening time the college has made determined efforts to diversify and it shows, both on campus and in the neighborhoods (a large proportion of the student body lives off campus).

Now I see Asian/Pacific Islander student associations, Muslim associations, African American associations, LGBT associations, etc. holding events in the park or hosting booths at Farmers' Market downtown. Along with the Christian associations. The town literally looks and feels more diverse. I think an SSA association would be a great addition to all that.

(on edit) And that some SSA groups strongly encourage political participation, voting and separation of church/state is a plus, imo.

[cbayer]

29. What I particularly like about this is that they are joining "interfaith" groups and efforts

to promote greater understanding and cooperation.
That's a very good thing, imo.

[upaloopa]

28. Why do people have to tell me what religion they are or

are not?
I hate it when I am at a light and the car I front of me is preaching to me.
Now there are atheist bumper stickers.
I'm tired of the fish and Darwin fish and the blessed be and the I don't believe in god folks.
Who gives a shit?

[cbayer]

30. As long as it is not an attack on the other, I don't mind at all.

Some people feel the need to wear it and others don't.

Bumper stickers are generally easily ignored, or in my case, just not read due to my eyesight, lol.

[rug]

35. I like this one.

[cleanhippie]

45. I wish everyone took the same appraoch as you, for we would be better off.