Atheists for Liberty News - Issue #17
AFL Attends FreedomFest 2023!
By AFL President Thomas Sheedy
We are pleased to share that among all the conference exhibitions we participated in, FreedomFest 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee, stands out as an exceptionally fruitful endeavor for Atheists for Liberty. The strategic positioning of our booth right behind registration granted us unparalleled access to the high traffic during the event's opening night. In a departure from our previous conference engagements, we introduced a new media booth this year. This initiative enabled us to conduct insightful interviews with prominent figures in the Liberty Movement and esteemed members of the AFL Advisory Board, including Michael Shermer, Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, and Colin Wright. Our annual breakout session, "The Rise of Atheism," which included a much-needed Q&A on the topic of Christian Futurism, was met with great enthusiasm, much like our prior year's session. Additionally, we are thrilled to have successfully promoted our upcoming 2023/24 College Tour: "Question the Dominant Culture," which is set to visit 24 campuses across the nation.
The success of FreedomFest 2023 would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication and hard work put forth by our exceptional staff and volunteers. They have tirelessly contributed to making this event a resounding success.
Looking ahead, we are excited to announce that we will be returning next year to Vegas. We sincerely appreciate the continued support and involvement of our valued community. Together, we strive to achieve even greater heights in the pursuit of our organization's mission.
Featured Article
Being the Only Atheists in Town, and Why That’s Healthy
By Burt Houtz
When I reflect on the old emotions I encountered after hearing or reading the word “Atheist,” I can now identify those emotions as shock, derision, and hate, which I was exposed to as a child when neighbors and friends found out that my family and I were atheist. I grew up in a small town in eastern Colorado in the 60s and 70s, and the town was almost exclusively Christian. Our family of five were the only atheists in town.
The only time that I recall religion being a concern in school was when the teacher was taking a count of students participating in local churches. When my friend Scott noticed that I had not affiliated myself with any of the churches in town, he gave me a derisive look and called me “Jew.” Scott may have been an antisemite, but more importantly to him, I wasn’t meeting a societal expectation. Despite that, I have found that understanding why I was raised an atheist, and to appreciate the philosophy of Objectivism in the context of today’s culture, has been a rewarding experience.
I learned that reason, not faith, is the only means of knowledge. Historically, questioning one’s faith in a religion is considered heretical, and even today, in some countries, can result in death. Stepping away from thousands of years of religious dogma, which had been a cornerstone of civilization and our culture, is no small feat! That said, being an atheist is only a part of who I am and I don’t generally think about it a great deal. I do think very seriously about the direction our current culture is going and how that needs to change.
It is because I am an atheist that I am more resilient to the hostility in the media, and public at large, than those who rely on faith. Questioning the validity of the concepts: God, man-made global warming, and critical race theory is not only correct, it is important psychologically. Humankind, as individuals, are designed to use our mind to survive. Reason, the faculty that incorporates facts, builds concepts, and exercises logic to understand reality, requires that we think for ourselves in order to thrive and, ultimately, to survive.
Many of us have been taught to value the collective, such as society, political parties, and organized groups. We frequently gain value by participating in organizations, such as Atheists for Liberty. However, we are also taught that individuals are subordinate to the collective, which is one of the most dangerous concepts today. Phrases such as “for the greater good” and “we need to make sacrifices” do not take into account morality for humankind. Society, and every other collective group does not exist as an entity. Obviously, individuals do exist as entities, and it is the nature of what it is to be human, the use of reason, that requires a moral system to protect his/her right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We are faced with a lot of irrational beliefs today and many are challenging our liberty. It is important that we use reason in support of atheism to fight the dogmas out there. In my opinion, the environmental, CRT or “woke” dogma and hysteria that we experience directly or see in the news is essentially another faith-based religion that demands your adherence. In each encounter or analysis we make, we need to use our mind and proceed with what is in our own personal best interest.
Any organization that requires adherence and a belief in premises that you have not validated, should be treated as a cult or a religion. This is why I believe atheism is healthy.
YouTube Highlight
AFL advisory board member Dr. Peter Boghossian has released a fantastic interview with iconic author, evolutionary biologist, and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins. Topics include rational thinking, gender, and good old fashioned atheism!
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