Positively Non-Religious

In the generation born since 1982, variously referred to as Generation Y, the Millennials, or Generation Next, one in five people identify as nonreligious, atheist, or agnostic. In the youngest cohort, the trend is even more dramatic: as many as 30% of those born since 1990 are nonbelievers

It’s time again, to spend time with your atheist loved-ones, drink, carouse, or just finally come out to your parents.

Here’s a good article on the politics of religious belief (and non-belief) by Adam Lee at alternet.

American politics clearly has a “stained-glass ceiling,” a de facto barrier to atheists running for office. Despite the many great Americans who’ve been nonbelievers, despite the guarantees of secularism written into our Constitution, outspoken atheism is still seen as an insurmountable liability for anyone who seeks to serve our country as an elected officer of the government.

Why is this? It’s not because atheists are so rare that politicians can safely ignore us. On the contrary, nonbelief is far more common than many people realize.

You wonder the difference between religion and science? You say they’re both based on “belief”? That may be true - but there is one monumental difference: a scientific theory collapses under disproof (evolution would fail if rabbits were found in the precambrian) - religion never collapses because it can change at any moment. That is, of course, because it isn’t true. Science collapses under disproof because reality itself must be true… stories have no such constraints.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13516796

I saw this article in the New York Times the other day about atheists in the military. I must admit, I was reasonably shocked to hear of such an outspoken atheist population in the military, given my experiences with current/former military members. It’s pretty much All Jesus, All The Time. I would think it would be really hard to live with these people day in and day out as a nonbeliever. Not sure that they’ll ever gain legitimacy in the chaplaincy, but an interesting notion nonetheless.