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I try to give equal time to all the gods that I don't believe in.

Religion is a huge force in the world. Good, bad or mixed, it's inescapable.

When something is a major component of the Human Condition, it's notable.

None.

wanted to make you and your children believe this too and were willing to change laws, education and polices to force this

how long would it take before you started speaking out?

Like all conscientious people who care about what goes on in the world, we are all struggling to define the best way for us to live.

There are good things in the world and there are bad things in the world. What is good and bad, and in what degree, depends on your perspective.

When it happens publicly, it is generally regarded by atheists as either gauche or extreme.It seems most extreme when it enters into political or other ostensibly secular arenas, like school.

the strengths of these secular institutions depends widely on the separation of religious and secular activities and ideologies

this resembles a backslide into barbarism and ignorance

For the atheist, it is a frightening prospect that people want to hinder education or freedoms based on Biblical writings.

if I did not care about the world, I would have nothing to say about God.

Both I, and the most extreme fundamentalist, want only to live in the best way we know how.

As an atheist, I personally have no qualm with any belief in a deistic God.

When I see people pushing other people around, trying to take away their rights of people, or hurting people in some way, I get angry.

For this atheist, it isn't about God, it's about how we treat people.

There is an unfortunate crossover with religion and social justice.

I am only concerned with the ways in which religion, as I see the world, hurts the vision I have of how we should best live. There are grave incompatibilities with that vision.

I don't believe in spirits, or souls, or gods or reincarnation. I do believe in finding meaning, in finding the "path to the self", and finding the best way to live in this world.

hope for the future elevation of humanity to freedom, to the best possible health and cooperation

There is beauty and wisdom in every belief system, but also there is ugliness and ignorance to be found, and I see it as a detriment to humanity if we simply avoid the hard work of re-examining those parts, and simply allow people to say "It is God's will, we've got a book that says so."

What am I talking about? Subjugation of women, ostracism of homosexuals, teaching creation myths as science to children, circumcision of boys by Jews, of girls by certain sects. From the eyes of an atheist, doing these things in 2012 is an archaic nightmare. Allowing these things to happen out of a fear of offending people is a most ludicrous failure of humanity.

a human person wrote any words in any book ever written. There are no gods, no sons of gods, and no prophets. To hold another person hostage for words written by a man, who possessed all the frailties we have today, but had far less knowledge, seems a dangerous and singularly terrible act to condone in this time. We know there is no basis for it, and it is frightening to see those who are willing to commit violence and abuse in the name of God and call it "good".

it seems simply like folly or madness

They had a belief that their view of the world was the right one, just as I have a view of the world that I believe is the right one.

To the atheist, it resembles a wave of madness taking over people.

Approach with caution and come with gifts

I know a lot about "this God" theists believe in

It is always good to engage your mind in an intellectual exercise

I was once a believer

I'm more certain on my position now that I ever was when I believed in god

it helps me refine my thoughts

often I find myself discussing something with a theist who has a strong intellect - and this is entertaining in the same way a sports person, or chess player, enjoys meeting their match or better; it gives me a chance to stretch and test myself - see where I might need to improve my "game".

All we do is try and unpack the reasons behind things

After unpacking these reasons the conclusion is baffling; These things are done, people are tortured, children are abused all in the name of a story.

I find belief in god and other supernatural entities an interesting human and social phenomenon.

Religion teaches to be satisfied with not understanding.

Religion teaches to not question authority.

Religion teaches a twisted concept of evidence and logic.

Religion advocates intolerance.

Religion promotes immorality.

Religion promotes inaction.

Religion inhibits progress.

I talk about the silly, stupid and vicious things that some people who claim to believe try to impose on the rest of us.

And sometimes I applaud the wonderful things that people of good character and religious belief do

What people do in this world matters.

Think of it as self defense.Atheists don't talk about their views until religious people refuse to shut up about theirs.

surrounded by theists trying to ram their beliefs down everyone else's throats, incorporating their religion into the government and legal system, corrupting the educational system by blurring the difference between fact and belief, and murdering and hurting people in the name of their "god"

Why should anyone assume that if one disbelieves in something, especially something that a lot of other people keep saying they believe in, one should not talk about it?

Why do anti-war people talk so much about war if they don't believe in war? Pretty much the same reason for atheists and talk about god.

I only really talk about it when someone else brings it up. Since I live in the United States, this happens about every ten minutes.

large percentages of each country believes in some God

They have TV shows to broadcast their beliefs

billboards

huge gatherings

radio shows

You have people standing in the street, shouting at you, telling you how you are going to hell

You have religious people questioning evolution, preaching creationism, questioning the Big Bang and promoting God-magic.

some people still insist in teaching their children that an invisible being thought the universe into existence, and that believing this is more rational than to trust science's explanation of the same event

Religion is stepping on my toes - a response is pretty much expected don't you think?

if 'talking about God' means 'talking about theology,' then Atheists totally have a right and a commission to do so, because theology can be done by both adherents and non-adherents

Atheists have been portrayed as belligerent, annoying twerps who need to be quiet; when, in reality, their calling out religion needs to be applauded. This is the 21st century—a supposedly new era—and Atheists are doing a good job of calling out politicians and leaders who cannot and will not rationalize their decisions outside of a faith context.

So many people do boneheaded things in the name of God, both those doers and their God need to be called out...and that calling out is often done by Atheists.

I, for one, find religion/mythology fascinating.

bad things religion pushes and endorses

we do not have to believe anything on insufficient evidence

the harms it can bring

that is a serious problem

Atheists do not keep talking about god. They keep getting asked about it

it's a part of our history and culture that is hard to ignore

we don't like being lied to

there's no reason to believe it

try to reason

The hands that help are better far than lips that pray.

Without religion, we'd have good people doing good things, and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

To sit alone with my conscience will be judgment enough for me.

The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.

What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.

The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance is atheism.

Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it.

One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion.

Religion is an insult to human dignity.

If there is any kind of supreme being, I told myself, it is up to all of us to become his moral superior.

It is an approach to life that tries to be positive, rational, realistic, and open-minded

humanists are committed to promoting human values, human understanding, and human development

Humanists also emphasize the importance of self-determination - the right of individuals to control their own lives, so long as they do not harm others

people create their own meaning and purpose in life

The most important moral and political concepts of the modern era have developed out of humanistic thinking

humans have a moral responsibility towards the rest of the natural world

One political view that secular humanists do share is unswerving support for democracy, freedom, and human rights

all beliefs are fallible and provisional, and that diversity and dialogue are essential to the process of learning and developing

Humanists are staunch supporters of freedom of religion, belief, and conscience, as laid out in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights protect the freedom of religious belief equally with the freedom of nonreligious belief, the freedom of religion equally with the freedom from religion.

Separating church and state doesn't mean that the state promotes atheism and humanism, but that it provides equal protection to all beliefs

the vibrant movement that champions a moral approach to living based on reason and happiness is alive and growing

To convince me, a miracle would have to be genuine, verifiable, and represent a real and inexplicable divergence from the ordinary.

It seems reasonable to expect that, if there existed a god that was interested in revealing itself to humanity and desired that we follow its commands, that god would write down whatever instructions it had to give us in a way that was only amenable to one interpretation.

if faith healers could restore severed limbs...

"An omniscient, wholly good being would prevent the occurrence of any intense suffering it could, unless it could not do so without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally as bad or worse" (Rowe, 1979, p. 336).

"God by definition is all-powerful, all knowing and all good. If God is all-powerful, He can prevent evil. If God is all knowing and can prevent evil, He knows how to prevent it. If God is all good, He would want to prevent evil. But since there is evil God cannot exist” (Martin & Bernard, 2003, p. 316).

Epicurus (341 - 270 BCE) Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

nobody really knows what happens

It is up to the individual to give their own life meaning. 

One cannot simply decide to believe in something or someone as an act of will

if you adopt a specific religion, you might consider working from within to eliminate any bigoted policies that your chosen faith exhibits

Humanism aims at the fullest possible development of every human being

Humanism supports democracy and human rights

rights to individual self-determination, human rights and freedom of belief

a life stance rooted in rational thinking

Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility

The similarities between the beliefs and values of the different groups - even ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ Humanists - is more fundamental and more important than the different groups

humanism Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality. See also the Amsterdam Declaration.

Humanism is undogmatic, imposing no creed upon its adherents. It is thus committed to education free from indoctrination.

fundamental principles of modern Humanism

an alternative to dogmatic religion

Humanists promote free inquiry which is the basis of the scientific spirit

Humanism ventures to build a world on the idea of the free person responsible to society, and recognises our dependence on and responsibility for the natural world

seeks to use science creatively

Humanism is rational

Amsterdam Declaration

where people do feel that their beliefs are ‘Humanist’ they should use the word

humanist A person who adheres to or advocates humanism, a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives.

Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others.

Humanists believe that the solutions to the world's problems lie in human thought and action

Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process. of observation, evaluation and revision.

ethics grounded in human values

Humanists aim for a social order in which individual freedom and dignity, social justice, fundamental rights and the rule of civilised law are protected

the outcome of a long tradition of free thought

human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives

Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance

Humanism advocates the application of the methods of science and free inquiry to the problems of human welfare

the official defining statement of World Humanism

human rights Universal rights to which every person is entitled

rationalism The view that knowledge is aquired through reason, without the aid of the senses. Perhaps the best example of such knowledge would be mathematical knowledge, but rationalists typically argue that many other important truths can also be grasped by reason.

Humanists have a duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.

fundamentals of modern Humanism

freethought An intellectual and cultural movement. A freethinker is a religious unbeliever who forms his or her judgments about religion using reason rather than relying on tradition, authority, faith, or established belief.

justified by a moral standard that stands above the laws of any individual nation

secularism A neutral attitude, especially of the State, local government and public services, in matters relating to religion; non-religious rather than anti-religious.

Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.

Humanists consider human experience to be the only source of knowledge and ethics

It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities

the application of science and technology must be tempered by human values

Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination and recognises the transforming power of art. Humanism affirms the importance of literature, music, and the visual and performing arts for personal development and fulfilment.

Humanists believe in intellectual integrity, and do not allow custom to replace conscience

Science gives us the means but human values must propose the ends

skeptic A philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge

rationalist Rationalists believe that reason alone is sufficient to gain knowledge of the world.

Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times

Humanism can be a way of life for everyone everywhere

utilising free inquiry, the power of science and creative imagination for the furtherance of peace and in the service of compassion

we have the means to solve the problems that confront us all

We have a world to change. We need your help to change it!

Families are defined by the love they have for each other and the work they do together, not by the specific genders involved, whether children are present, or even the number of people present.

Religion and theism aren't needed for family values or for strong families because the values which make families strong exist outside of religion.

"Whatever religious people may say about their love of God or the mandates of their religion, when their behavior toward others is violent and destructive, when it causes suffering among their neighbors, you can be sure the religion has been corrupted and reform is desperately needed." Charles Kimball

"When religion sanctifies hatred, it lends to that hatred a special ferocity. Normal moral inhibitors are erased." Johannes Cardinal Wildebrands

"You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image, when it  turns out that God hates all the same people you do." Anne Lamott

homosexuality is morally neutral, is determined by some combination of genetics and environmental factors before school age, is a sexual orientation, is defined by ones sexual attraction to persons of the same sex, and is very rarely if ever changeable during adulthood

"It always seemed to me a bit pointless to disapprove of homosexuality. It's like disapproving of rain."  Francis Maude

others consider homosexual orientation to be a morally neutral trait, like left handedness. It is normal, natural, and unchosen

the same equal rights and protections enjoyed by other groups

equal treatment and protections

Abigail Van Buren

Homosexuality is measurable and thus is a legitimate area for human sexuality researchers to study. They have generally concluded that adult human sexuality comes in three natural, normal, unchosen, and almost always unchangeable orientations: Heterosexuality: Most people are sexually attracted only to members of the opposite gender. Homosexuality: A small minority of adults are attracted only to members of the same gender. Bisexuality: A smaller minority are attracted to both men and women, but not necessarily to the same degree.