Atheism & Discrimination

More of this Feature • Part 1: Growing Up Without Religion • Part 2: The Other Side • Part 4: Responding to Discrimination    Join the Discussion "Atheism cheapens everything it touches - look at the results of communism, the most powerful form of atheism on earth." Major Tom     Related Resources • What is Atheism? • Interview with an Atheist • Jesus' Ethics

Since leaving the faith three years ago, I have become increasingly vocal in my opposition to religion. This has brought reactions from many people around me, giving me many opportunities to see the various myths and misconceptions that people have in connection with atheism and religion. One of the most striking areas of this concerns morality.

As an adult leader in Boy Scouts, I had a lot of exposure to these myths. While the Boy Scouts pride themselves on their toleration of many different religions, they actively perpetuate the myth that moral behavior is only possible to those who practice some religion. To this day, the application forms for joining the BSA states:

The Boy Scouts of America maintain that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing his obligation to God.

This is used as the rationale for officially excluding atheists and agnostics from the ranks of the Boy Scouts. In many instances, I've seen this used with enthusiasm, sending several boys away from Scouts. Many members, myself included, remained in the organization under false pretenses.

This was one of the last of the misconceptions of which I divested myself. I was frankly puzzled the first time I was confronted by the argument that living without a "higher law-giver" would automatically mean that nothing can be defined as "right" or "wrong." It took a lot of studying to find that morality is based ultimately on agreements within a culture, and does not exist as a universal constant.

It became obvious to me that fighting against the misconceptions of the people I come in contact with would require more effort than simply saying "this is wrong."

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