Is there an "atheist" culture?

[Dane]

What do you think? I responded to a statement about "atheist culture" and wondered what others think.


I said "There is no atheist culture." Any apparent "atheist culture" would be borne from stereotypes about vicious, godless attackers of religion, about as accurate as a "catholic culture" of paedophiles.

[SchizoDeluxe]

No because atheists are too varied in nature. The only common interest really is logic and reason.

[ugu80]

Perhaps not a culture but personal experience is that we have to be somewhat guarded. It seems, amongst the general populace, its okay to proclaim to be whatever religion, but state that you are an atheist and you get, from people who never think or really even care about religion, the "How could you not believe in god" sort of reaction.

I was recently at my best friends home, not particularly religious people, and his wife overheard my discussing 'The God Delusion'. This woman I had known for 15 years looked at me as I was something hot, steamy, mushy and smelly that the dog had left and she had just trodden in, barefoot, and screamed (and I mean screamed) "You're an atheist. An atheist (apparently it requires two vocalisations). How could you not believe in God". Well, as she did ask, I commenced to inform her as to why. After 5 minutes she retreated with the vacuous, "Well, I believe there has to be something out there". Off she then went, taking her three daughters with her as I could be no longer trusted not to molest them.

The indoctrination of religion from childhood seems to instil more distrust of atheism than fundamentalist islam (at least they believe in a god).

[DanielV]

I'd suggest that atheists as a whole tend to hold science in higher regard than the religious, but I have to be careful because thats my view and not necessarily that of other atheists.

[Lord Blackadder]

I don't know about culture, but there seems to be a common interest in Monty Python.

As I found out after the convention, when I wound up in a pub singing with other atheists The Lumberjack Song, The Bruces' Philosophers' Song and The Penis Song and reciting verbatum large chunks of Life of Brian...

[atheist_angel]

Atheists come from all kinds of different cultural backgrounds. It is not a cultural-specific phenomenon. Atheism has no folk tales or dogma of its own. It did not evolve from an earlier model of itself. A few popular memes may have developed, but you still couldn't call it a culture.

[Nozzferrahhtoo]

It could be a description about atheists if you make a loose enough definition for the word culture I guess.

However the distinction is clear and should be pointed out:

Wherever humans congregate under a common theme a certain level of “culture” will emerge. Be it social, moral, intellectual conventions etc.

However in this case it is the people coming together who bring that culture to the table and refine it to suit.

This is NOT true of religions. They pre-define the culture and the people who come to the table conform to it, not the other way around. The religion under which they are meeting contains rules and regulations in and of itself by which the participants are required to act and proceed and think.

Not so for atheism. Atheism has nothing within it that dictates how those meeting under its banner should act, think or proceed. Not a single iota.

[Seamus]

Originally Posted by Lord Blackadder

I don't know about culture, but there seems to be a common interest in Monty Python.

---and Blackadder


I'm also inordinately fond of canoli, fresh mango and chilli chocolate (separately)

There is is no identifiable atheist culture of which I'm aware. However, there are some common interest groups with almost all atheist members,and some preclude theists. EG Atheist Nexus;not that I've noticed any difference when it comes to ignorance and narrow mindedness.

Atheists are just people. I'm more interested in finding commonalities than differences between people.My life experience so far has included visiting nearly 2 dozen countries and over 50 cities,(and lived in a Muslim country) beginning in 1969.

I have been treated poorly three times;Once by a dropkick immigration officer at JFK and twice in London. (OK, I WAS terrified by a couple of New York coppers)

[Mentally Saturated]

Originally Posted by Nozzferrahhtoo

Wherever humans congregate under a common theme a certain level of “culture” will emerge. Be it social, moral, intellectual conventions etc.

However in this case it is the people coming together who bring that culture to the table and refine it to suit.

This is NOT true of religions. They pre-define the culture and the people who come to the table conform to it, not the other way around. The religion under which they are meeting contains rules and regulations in and of itself by which the participants are required to act and proceed and think.

Not so for atheism. Atheism has nothing within it that dictates how those meeting under its banner should act, think or proceed. Not a single iota.

A most eloquent answer to an interesting question, Noz. Thanks to you and the OP both.

Gary

[Nozzferrahhtoo]

Thanks, but do not give me a big head! I was just awarded poster of the month over on the Atheist Think Tank forum today too. This is NOT good for my ego!

Drop over and partake on our free forums at http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB3/ sometime. I am there all week