Freeform: Pros and Cons of the Term "Atheist"

Freethought Freeform

Topic: Pros and Cons of the term "Atheist":  How  do we come out?

Guest Host: Audrey G., PhD

Updated link

https://meet.google.com/beh-azmo-wcw

The civil rights, anti-drunk driving, and LGBTQ+ rights movements show us that huge cultural changes are possible.  But, movements do not achieve success by staying hidden.  

Discussion questions

• How is the word "Atheist" interpreted by American society in general and by different demographics?  Are other terms like freethinkers, agnostics, nonreligious, nonbelievers, nontheists, secular humanists, skeptics, etc., better received?
• How do you self-identify and why?
• How can we move from our current status to just another well-accepted part of a diverse American society and perhaps to a majority demographic, as in many other advanced industrialized countries?
• Why is coming out so hard for many of us? What can we do to make it easier? What experiences can you relate?

Suggested links

• We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too), interview with Kate Cohen on TheThinkingAtheist, 2023
• CNN, Why People Are Reluctant to Call Themselves Atheists, 2024
• What do you believe?, Kristen Weir, 2020

Freethought Freeform is a variable format event that can be a group discussion, an interview, a tutorial, a movie discussion, a show-and-tell, an in-person event, or maybe something different.  It may feature an invited speaker, or maybe it won't. Topic and format will be chosen monthly by the host with inputs from the PFC community.  Email your suggestions to info@pghfreethought.org. 

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