Nerd is my Gender
What's yours?
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Hi! Is it safe to say you're an atheist based on your picture? Me too! Are you new to tumblr? You seem really cool, so welcome!
Asked by oywithepoodle
I am most certainly an atheist. I’ve yet to see conclusive evidence for a deity that interacts with humanity. But hey, maybe ze’s on extended vacation! :D
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Atheist Humor
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What does the dyslexic insomniac agnostic do?
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Stays up all night wondering if there's a dog.
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Are you a Humanist? Take the Test!
Click on link for scoring!
Which of the following statements is closest to your point of view? (You can choose more than one answer to each question if you need to.)
1 Does God exist?
A) I am sure there is a God ruling over the universe.
B) It depends what you mean by God, but I think so.
C) I don’t know.
D) There is no evidence that any god exists, so I’ll assume that there isn’t one.2 When I die…
A) my soul will go to another place where I will be rewarded if I was good and punished if I was bad.
B) I will survive in some kind of afterlife.
C) that will be the end of me.
D) I will live on in people’s memories or because of the work I have done or through my children.3 How did the Universe begin?
A) God created it.
B) It was set up as an experiment by extremely intelligent aliens from another universe, who drop in every now and then to see how we’ re doing.
C) I don’t know.
D) The scientific explanations are the best ones available - no gods were involved.4 The theory that life on Earth evolved gradually over billions of years is…
A) just a theory. My religion tells the true story.
B) likely to be true, but I think God had a part in it too.
C) probably true, because my Science teacher said it was true.
D) true - there is plenty of evidence from fossils, DNA and many other sources showing that this is how it happened.5 When I look at a beautiful view I think that …
A) it must have been designed by God.
B) it would be a nice place for a motorway.
C) this is what life is all about - I feel good.
D) we ought to do everything possible to protect this for future generations.6 I can tell right from wrong by…
A) reading a holy book or listening to a religious leader.
B) I don’ t really think about it much - people should just do as they like.
C) accepting what my parents and teachers say.
D) thinking hard about the probable consequences of actions and their effects on other people.7 It’s best to be honest because…
A) my religion tells me so.
B) it’s usually against the law or the rules to be dishonest.
C) people respect you more if you’ re trustworthy.
D) I’m happier and feel better about myself if I’m honest.8 Other people matter and should be treated with respect because…
A) God created us all in his image.
B) they are useful to me.
C) they are people with feelings like mine.
D) we will all be happier if we treat each other well.9 Animals should be treated …
A) with respect because they are part of God’ s creation.
B) however we see fit - they don’ t have souls and were created for us to use.
C) kindly because they are sweet and fluffy and nicer than people.
D) with respect because they can suffer too.10 The most important thing in life is…
A) to have a good relationship with God.
B) to make lots of money.
C) to preserve the planet for future generations.
D) to increase the general happiness and welfare of humanity. -
Bill O’Reilly: “Clark goes in; Superman comes out. You can’t explain that!”
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Overcoming Sexism in the Freethought Community
I’m surprised that we still have problems like this. But then, maybe I should be surprised that I’m surprised. Here’s an excerpt:
Why don’t we see more women in our groups? Maybe because when Jen McCreight showed up to an atheist meeting, guys in the group stood around comparing her to her photos from Boobquake. Why don’t we see more young people? Maybe because when a new parent shows up to a group event, other members make rude comments to her face about how her child is disrupting the meeting. Why are we so overwhelmingly Caucasian? Maybe because a black person shows up and hears a bunch of racial jokes.
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Be a leader. Take responsibility for the tone of your group. If potential new members are being made to feel uncomfortable and aren’t coming back, you’re doing it wrong. As a leader, it is your job to prioritize the comfort of your attendees in programs, group dynamics, and communications. Try to put yourself in other members’ shoes and also ask for feedback.
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Promote a sense of community. Take the time to socialize and get to know each other. If you’re group isn’t primarily a social group, thinking about adding some social time. Go to breakfast before the protest, compose your letters to the editor over coffee, or grab a pizza and beer after that lecture. When you know each other, you have each others backs. Being a jerk isn’t tolerated.
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Moderate discussions. Make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate- new people, quiet people, etc. Don’t let conversation be dominated by one or two people who must “win.”
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Embrace and accept different ways of communicating. Whether someone is an aggressive debater or not, make sure they’re still welcome. The other atheist in the room isn’t your enemy.
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Encourage subgroups. Every event your group hosts doesn’t need to appeal to your entire membership. Many women appreciate women-only space to express their nonbelief and to connect with other atheist women. Here at the Humanist Community of Central Ohio, we started a subgroup book club called Reasonable Women. When it grew to have about 25 regular members and was beginning to be a little too large and unwieldy to function as a book club, we created a second group, Heathen Chicks, which is just a social group that meets at a local cafe. It isn’t just about creating women only space, for us, this has been a way to draw more women into other events our group hosts.
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Foster women in leadership. Groups with women in leadership positions tend to have more women. Encourage women in your group to be visible in leadership.
Why don’t we see more action to support equal inclusion of all genders?
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Today in theology class…
We were talking about the second chapter of Proslogion. My professor was trying to explain to us what the work meant. Mainly, that if you could entertain the idea of God in your mind it must mean that God exists. Something like, you can’t think of something that doesn’t exist. Savvy?
I told him that the same thing can be said about a unicorn.
(I hope he doesn’t fail me.)
I hate to burst your bubble, but unicorns are in the Bible.
Psalm 92:10 (King James Version)
But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
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How to be a Gender-Inclusive Freethinker
Go to enough atheist websites and meetup events, and you’ll notice something: there sure are a lot of men! Now people are people, don’t get me wrong - atheism isn’t a “male thing” or a “female thing”. Making efforts to include other genders* shouldn’t be at the exclusion of making men feel welcome too. On the contrary, the more women we bring into the atheist community, the more people we’ll have altogether, and the stronger the community will grow. Everyone wins!
I read a very insightful list about how to encourage women in Linux. I invite you to read the original, but I’m creating a similar list for atheists. This is mostly written to a male audience, but it’s very applicable everyone. Hopefully many of you will find this helpful.*The original post was directed toward woman involvement, but genderqueer people often feel left out as well.
List not in order of importance - each point is an equal part of the whole.
Don’t tell sexist jokes. Most men I know would say they don’t do this. Some of them don’t, but some of them only think they don’t. Ask yourself: if the genders were different in this joke, would it still be funny? If so, then reverse the genders in your joke, and then tell it - it should still be funny. If not, then you probably should scratch it off your list.
Do protest sexist jokes. If you hear a joke that doesn’t pass the “gender reversal” test, call them out. Yes, people will say you’re just being sensitive or a spoil-sport. They’ll get over it.
Don’t call people bitches. People do overhear how you talk about women and other genders, and it affects their involvement in the group.
Do show some respect. The cliche advice is to treat every woman as if she were your sister/mother/daughter/grandmother. Again, women do overhear - if you treat everyone with respect, man and woman, she’ll have no cause to stay away.
Don’t take the “microphone” away. If someone is trying to find her place in the group, or is asking questions or feeling confused about something, don’t take over for her. Society already sends enough messages to women that they aren’t competent enough to do things for themselves. By avoiding this, you’ll be making a positive impact on her decision to keep getting more involved.
Do give directions and explain them clearly. This shows that se is worth your patience, and that you respect her intelligence. It will also empower her to have the tools she needs the next time around, so she’ll be less likely to need anyone’s help.
Don’t make sexual advances. Imagine if you were to walk into a house of worship while wearing an anti-religious t-shirt. You’d feel like you constantly have to defend yourself at every turn. That’s no way to relax and feel comfortable and accepted. Women often feel the same way when men make sexual advances: they suddenly have to be on the defense at a time when they’re trying to open themselves up to connecting with the community.
Do act friendly. Most men and women like to have friends of any gender. Being friendly is a great first step to validating their humanity.
Don’t whine about the lack of women in atheism. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t bring the topic up. But don’t complain about it: don’t whine, don’t lament, don’t talk about how inconvenienced you are by the gender gap. Women aren’t going to join as a personal favor to you, they need to do it for themselves. Plus, it makes the women who are already there feel like you’re expecting them to meet your personal needs somehow, or that they’re being overlooked completely.
Do encourage gender diversity in atheism. Everyone likes some support now and then. :)
Don’t stare when people who look different from you arrive. They already feel a bit out of place, this only serves to solidify that feeling.
Do treat new arrivals politely. Smile and greet them. This sends the message that not only do they not stick out, but you’ve been expecting them!
Don’t treat women stereotypically. They’re just as diverse as men are in their interests and attitudes. You won’t know what they’re really about till you get to know one. Also, avoid treating genderqueer people as if they’re men or women.
Do treat women as normal people.
Don’t criticize too much. In a world where far too often women are told that they’re less competent than men are in male-dominated fields, criticism is less likely to be appreciated at face value. This isn’t to say that you can’t ever disagree with her. Only try not to make it a challenge of your superiority verses hers.
Do compliment. Don’t invent things to compliment, but try to see the good things people are doing, and show that you notice them. If people go without validation for long enough, they’re liable to think nobody cares and simply give up.
Don’t invite only male speakers. This is a HUGE issue, one I really ought to place at the top of the list, except that it applies to only 1% of readers who organize events. When you have 9 male speakers and only 1 woman speaker (or worse, none), you’re sending out the message that “Atheism is for men.” The rest of us would do well to hammer this point to event hosts at every opportunity until we see results.
Do ask women to speak. Don’t say you can only find men - that means you’re not looking hard enough. At the very least, you could find a few people from within your local community to each give a short 10-minute presentation or story. This also shows that you care about the grassroots, not just the most popular names in atheism.
Don’t make your meeting hard to attend. Women are more likely in our society to be the primary caretaker of young children. This need must be addressed if you want women to feel included. The issue of child care cannot be ignored. If at all possible, find a way to incorporate children (what better way to influence our future generation?). Also, make sure you’re not picking too many male-dominated locations, such as sports bars.
Do make meetings easy to attend. When in doubt, ask your members what works best for most. Be sure to vary times and places if possible, so that those who work evenings and weekends will still be able to make it to the occasional morning event.
Don’t make new people feel unwelcome. They don’t know what to expect, so they’ll likely sit along the outside and talk very little. That can make them seem uninterested, but more likely it’s newness.
Do help new people get involved. Tell them about all the different ways they can find their niche, and guide them into it. Help them find a reason to get motivated, and the community will grow.
Don’t underestimate girlfriends or wives. Don’t assume that the girlfriend/wife is only coming to meetings because her man is there. She’s not an accessory.
Do treat girlfriends and wives as independent people. She’s here because she wants to be. She’s not just a Mrs. Atheist. She has her own ideas and expectations, and her own desires to fit in. Respect that she’s her own person by asking her questions even if her boyfriend/husband has already given his opinion on the same topic.
Anything you’d like to add? -
The Atheist "Challenge"
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Q:
At what point did you know you were an atheist? Why did you become one, what were the factors leading up to the decision, if you weren’t always one?
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A:
I wasn't always an atheist. I studied the Bible a lot. The more I did, the more I realized it was giving its God a bad reputation. After looking around, I realized that either God's a real jerk, isn't involved in human affairs, or doesn't exist. Either way, my participation is not required.
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Q:
What religion did you grow up with? Did you have positive or negative experiences with religion?
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A:
I've had mostly positive experiences with religion personally. Apart from the bits where Christians use the Bible to claim that they're not being hateful, they're just the messengers. I'm sure they really believe that, too, sad to say. But other than that, yeah, my childhood was full of Christians who had a personal code of conduct based in love and caring.
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Q:
Are you a more outspoken or more apathetic atheist? Why?
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A:
I'm outspoken about atheism because I'm outspoken about everything about myself.
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Q:
Do you think religion is obsolete and should be wiped completely off the face of the Earth, or does some good come out of it?
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A:
I object to the wording of this question. Are we really going to have a cleansing? The world has enough warfare as it is. But honestly, I see a future where religion simply fades into the background as we need it less and less.
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Q:
Did you lose any friends because you decided to be an atheist? Did your family flip out?
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Probably, and yes. They believe there is a hell. An oppressive belief if there ever was one.
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Q:
How do you feel about so-called “militant atheists” such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris?
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A:
I laugh. And then ignore them. Wankers.
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Q:
Except for God, do you believe in anything supernatural or pseudoscientific? (Ghosts, alien abductions, spirits, souls, demons, psychics, magic, Harry Potter, etc.)
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A:
Hey, Harry Potter is REAL! But, um, if things are real, I don't even need to believe in them, so it doesn't matter either way.
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Q:
What’s your political alignment? Does your atheism influence how you vote and how you feel on issues?
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I vote anti-evil. Read into that what you will.
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Q:
Even though you’re an atheist, have you ever experienced a moment that could be called “religious?” Like an epiphany about the world or complete peace?
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A:
No.
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Q:
Are you spiritual, or are your feet always on the ground?
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Are those the only options? Seriously?
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Q:
Do you have/plan on having a career in the sciences? Alternatively: which branch of science intrigues you most?
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A:
I'd love to do science, but I like having a personal life more. I really enjoy physics and psychology, and the rest is rather cool too.
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Q:
What happens when we die? Do you fear death?
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A:
Nothing happens. Woohoo! I'm not afraid of death, though I don't like experiencing pain in any form, and I imagine dying probably hurts. Also, it would be really rude to everyone who's still alive that I owe money (though it's not like they could chase me down with torches and pitchforks into the nonexistent afterlife).
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Q:
Would you ever date/marry somebody who follows a religion? Be honest.
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A:
Probably. As long as they don't believe that hell exists.
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Q:
On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with life at this moment, and why?
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A:
RIGHT now, I'm a little hungry, but I just finished my schoolwork for the week, and I get to go hang out with Bencakes' family, so that's cool. This also sums up my feelings about the rest of my life, coincidently.
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Q:
Recommend a book. :) (Doesn’t have to be relevant to atheism, just any good book.)
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A:
The Gods Themselves, by Isaac Asimov. This actually has nothing to do with religion or atheism (contrary to what the book title sounds like). The second of three sections in the book is deeply touching to my life. It's all about an alternate universe where there is a race of beings which have three sexes (all three required for reproduction). The main character is physically in the form of the "emotional" sex, but she feels like she should actually be of the "rational" gender. Her struggle of coming to terms with her transgender identity really resonates with my personal struggle.
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Q:
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Gender Policing in Atheism
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Joe:
Is their some weird thing going on in atheist circles with the word ‘female’? I’ve been reading a couple of blogs and apparently someone on a panel used the word ‘female’ to describe…um…females and ONE WOMAN stands up and protests the use of ‘female’ as dehumanization. And when a man on the panel calls this absurd claim well, absurd, he got accused of being dismissive of ALLLLLLLL Women and a symbol of sexism in the atheist community. I’m sorry; getting bogged down in the use of word ‘female’ should be dismissed. There are unquestionably sexist atheists but I don’t see how that is reflected in the use of a word that the vast majority of people use with no cruel intent.
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Andy (me):
It really depends on the usage. Like, it also bothers me when people use "girls" and "men" together. This is most common in pop music (like "you be my girl and i'll be your man"), but sometimes people do it in real life too. If people are saying "females" for women but "men" for men, then we have a problem. If people are saying "females" and "males" like they do in the military, then it's all even.
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Joe:
Then it's the context, not the word. The complaints appear to be about the word itself and the reaction to the woman who claimed offense.
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Andy:
I haven't heard it. Maybe I'm too out of the loop here.
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Joe:
I wouldn't have brought it up but it has been mentioned on a couple of atheist sites. And let me be clear. That woman has every right to take offense but I also have every right to weigh what she's saying and call it stupid.
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Keith:
As I got older I began to understand what was behind 'womyn' and the dislike for the word 'female'. But also came to view it as going a little far in trying to right perceived social wrongs as opposed to actual social wrongs. Do keep in mind though, that no one has made any effort at explaining to me why using 'woman' or 'female' is wrong. Seems every time I have asked a woman who has issues with either term, all I got in response was "You're a sexist/fascist if you don't know!" I also hate it when someone uses 'girl' to describe and adult woman or 'girls' for a group of women.
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Joe:
It is a little troubling that this post appears to only have dudes responding.
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Asia:
Apparently, you're unaware that Andy isn't a dude....
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Paul:
There are more male head's of state then female heads of state. There are more male CEO's then there are female CEO's. Until that becomes equal then men have no right to claim sexism.
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Amber:
I *heart* Paul.
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Laura:
The conversation must have set off some kind of trigger for her. Sometimes even rational people go rabid when certain buttons are pushed. It really depends on the context, like Andy said. Girl/boy, man/woman, female/male....all equivalent when paired like that but maybe a little offensive when mixed. I have seen so called feminists call grown men boys. Using patronizing speech is really off-putting no matter which gender it's aimed towards.
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Andy:
I'll call my boyfriend "boy" when I'm trying to sound insulting, but only for jokes and stuff, because it really is degrading to call a grown adult by children's terminology.
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Jude:
I'm not offended by the word "female" as long as it's used as a correlate of "male" but I do think part of the problem with "female" might be old connotations from cultural folklore, like "the female of the species (is deadlier than the male)" and other usages that seem more oriented to taxonomy than to human beings.
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Bridget:
I'm still trying to understand why she became upset over the word female.
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Kenneth:
I like females. That's right I said it. I said I like females. Sometimes I want to have sex with them. Sometimes I like very feminine females.If a female don't like that then we don't have to have sex at all. If she wants to get an attitude about it I don't even have to like her at all. I might not even qualify her as being a female.We can fight about it if she wants. but we will have to fight in the nude.
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Andy:
Weird, I could have sworn I just heard someone say something completely irrelevant. Must have been the wind.
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Joe:
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Response to the “Religious Antagonist”
In his latest episode, Mike approaches a homeless man and offers him $20 to scratch the word “God” off the sign he is holding. The man refuses. Mike questions the man’s rationality. Why is he refusing real money for a ‘fairy tale’? The man’s wife gets involved and also refuses. Mike engages them both. Supposed hilarity ensues as Mike tries to get the couple to give up their faith in a higher power for the temptation of $20.
I’m sorry, Mike, I don’t think this was the reaction you were expecting when you sent this to us but I think this is a cruel, cold and pointless tactic and I am struggling hard to understand why you think this is a) meaningful or b) something we’d appreciate.
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Humanists strive to affirm the dignity of every individual. People without homes are not our props. They are not our cute little visual aids. They are people. Why is that so difficult to grasp?
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Apparently we should simply accept racist imagery without comment; as long as we’re scoring ideological philosophical points, that’s what counts, right?
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At some point in human history, people thought it would be a good idea to let men who hear voices from invisible friends tell us when we can fuck and with whom and that we should pay them for this so that they don’t have to get real jobs. Worse still, this is still considered to be a good idea.(via sexgenderbody)
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The possibility that the church has been wrong on the ethics of committed homosexual behavior — that’s a momentous question,” Gushee said. “It’s obviously one that people in the broader culture have determined a long time ago that the church was wrong about. But I would say that, from the perspective of any kind of understanding of Christian doctrine and Christian ethics, it is not an easy thing to throw (overboard) the majority position of more than 2,000 years.
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Greatest church mural ever?!?
Oh my Flying Spaghetti Monster this is for real!
Years ago I wrote a post in which I bemoaned the fact that no church would paint a mural of the scene in the Bible where Elisha orders bears to kill a bunch of teenagers. Well, a really talented comic book artist named Wes Molebash illustrated it based on my description. Here is what I wrote:
“That story is insane and here’s how I envision the mural. Elisha is standing in the middle of all these angry, bald hating teenagers. He looks really enraged and the caption out of his mouth says, “Do you know where you are? You’re in the jungle baby! You’re gonna die!” And then in the corner of the mural are two huge bears with hockey sticks. I’m not sure why they have hockey sticks but it seems a little tougher to me.”
Well, I found out last week, a church actually painted it full size! A guy named Scott Welsh sent me this photo, which is awesome:
I can’t even…
Genderqueer with a touch of happy humanism.
