Godless in Alabama

[HarveyDarkey]

Challenges for Bible Belt atheists
by Anthony Chiorazzi

A red Hyundai with a Darwin fish and an “atheist” license tag eases up to a fast food drive-through window in Huntsville, Alabama. A van pulls up behind it. Five children slip out, line up along one side of the car and chant “God loves you” and “Praise Jesus.” The kids scramble back into the van, congratulated by a high-fiving mother.

Blair Scott — the 38-year-old, cherub-faced man in the red car — still chuckles about it a year later, joking that the kids yelled “god-scenities” at him. The quick-to-laugh Scott shrugs off the negative attention — which also includes 75 hate emails and at least one death threat a week. Scott is the founder of the largest atheist organization in the state, the North Alabama Freethought Association (NAFA) in Huntsville.

In 2004, NAFA had two members; today it has more than 200. Scott says that a decade ago, three atheist organizations in Alabama floundered, but now 10 thrive. “Atheists are on the rise in Alabama. But we may not be what you think,” he beams.

Many NAFA members say that the increased interest in atheism in their state reflects the country’s growing movement toward disbelief. And according to Newsweek magazine, they’re right. The number of self-described atheists or agnostics in America has almost quadrupled, from 1 million in 1990 to over 3.5 million in 2009.

Kenny White, organizer for the nearly 150-member Birmingham Atheists — which in 2003 had 15 members — says that atheists have always been in Alabama but that the visibility of groups like Birmingham Atheists and NAFA have given nonbelievers in his state increasing courage to come out and socialize with like-minded people.

http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/godless-in-alabama

[awoke_in_2003]

1. "Five children slip out"...

this is why we are devolving as a species- the stupid reproduce faster.

[Kolesar]

8. Every sperm is sacred

[immoderate]

2. Blair came to one of our South Florida Atheist meetups about two years ago.

A real nice guy.

We were surprised that atheists survive in Alabama. Apparently, they have a strong group there.

-imm

[lazarus]

3. around ten years ago or so

there was a massive rally/counter protest regarding the ten commandments in the Supreme Court building in Montgomery. I was stunned at the number of atheists who showed up.

I actually scored a point as a counter protester. I was mentioned from the podium by the pro-ten commandments speaker as being the "fat loudmouth". :evilgrin: I used to be a herald in the SCA. I can be heard from hundreds of yards away.

We were even respectful and made sure everyone was quiet during their prayer to kick off the rally. They had several arrested, no atheists were.

[Warpy]

4. There were fellow atheists in high school

and all of us were science nerds with interests that were all over the place. We tended to hang out together because we were drowning in a sea of Southern Baptists. Most of us left the south like we were shot out of cannons.

[Stuckinthebush]

5. This Alabama atheist high fives NAFA

Although, Scott should have calmly gotten out of his car and said to those five children, "Your mother is telling you lies."

:)

[dropkickpa]

6. I don't think it's a "growing movement"

It's a lessening fear of openly acknowleging disbelief. I know a lot of people who are just afraid to openly admit it, to coworkers, family, certain friends, etc. ESPECIALLY in the bible belt. I've always been openly atheist and have always gotten a lot of shit for it everywhere I've lived. Sorry folks, you were raised batshit crazy, I was raised atheist, deal with it.

[Kolesar]

7. I had a fuckhead boss who used to harass me although I never talked religion

He had all this pius shit in his office like pussy willows at lent and pipe-ash on his forehead. He had crap for management skills.