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What is Liberation Atheology? What are Liberation Atheology's Goals?
Given religion's role in preserving, defending, and justifying oppressive systems and ideologies, nothing progressive and no liberation can be achieved without taking on religion first. Even progressive believers have had to start with criticism of their own traditions. Liberation atheology stops trying to replace a bad religious system with a slightly less worse one. Instead, the goal is to reveal how oppression depends on religious beliefs which should be dispensed with anyway.
Passive vs. Aggressive Atheism - Should Atheists Be Passive o…
Different atheists have different attitudes towards their atheism and the theism of others. One difference which gets a lot of attention and debate is whether atheists should adopt a "live and let live attitude" towards religion and theism or whether atheists should be more active critics of religion and theism. This distinction between passive...
Threatening Atheism - Credible Atheism is a Threat
Faith is a critical pillar in religions like Christianity. This entails treating not only doubt and skepticism as enemies, but also nonbelievers asking critical questions, offering reasons to doubt the reliability of religious claims. This attitude towards doubt may be an important reason why atheists and skeptics are so reviled by conservative...
Defending Gay Marriage Against Conservative, Religious Attack…
On November 15, 2008, people in major cities all over America marched in protest of the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Gays who all too briefly enjoyed the right to marry each other on an equal basis next to straight couples had this fundamental civil right ripped away because of prejudice, ignorance, and hate. Proposition 8 was a...
Unapologetics: Countering Apologetics with Sarcasm, Laughter,…
Unapologetics are sarcastic, critical posters that take popular theological beliefs and turn them on their heads to point out how absurd they are. Maybe it feels more intellectual to counter them with sophisticated arguments, but sometimes an image and short phrase are sufficient to unmask the pretensions behind them. Sometimes, it's more...
Theology vs. Atheology: Systematic Engagement with Religion & Theism
Theology and atheology are systematic ways of thinking and talking about god-concepts, religious symbols, religious beliefs, religious traditions, and how they relate to human society. Whereas theology begins by taking basic religious beliefs for granted, atheology begins by questioning them and challenging their validity. Theologians believe...
Goals of Liberation Atheology: What Should Liberation Atheolo…
It's difficult to describe a single set of goals for liberation atheology because atheists are so individualistic in their own goals. For some the goals will be relatively moderate while others will seek to push them to what appears to be their logical conclusion. At best, this might allow us to describe a continuum of goals: a bare minimum to...
Liberation Movements: Atheology as an Instrument of Liberatio…
Criticism of religion is a prerequisite of liberation because religion helps preserve, defend, or justify oppressive systems. Even believers who support liberation must engage and critique traditional forms of their own religion. Liberation theology seeks to reform religious traditions from within; liberation atheology dispenses with religion as...
Why Advertise Your Atheism?
Atheists around the world have recently been experimenting with different approaches to activism. Such experimentation is bound to produce good and bad ideas, but one of the better ideas which has been growing in popularity is also the simplest: basic advertising. Atheists in Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, the United States and elsewhere have...
Speaking Out is Important - Atheists Need to Speak Out, Speak…
There are both atheists and theists who caution that it would be better for atheists not to make so much noise and not attract so much attention to themselves by speaking out against religion or theism. It's claimed that this only creates negative attention, thus encouraging distrust of and animosity towards atheists, but can't the same be said...
Destigmatizing Atheism: Assertive, Unapologetic Atheist Activism Works
Many religious theists and even some atheist apologists for religious privilege have argued that atheists should keep quiet and not rock the boat — that aggressive activism will only make public perception of atheism worse, not better. Not only is there no sound or empirical basis for such a claim, there are in fact very good reasons to think...
What Sorts of Militant Theism or Militant Religion Do You See…
Atheists are accused of being "militant" no matter what we do and even if we do nothing in particular. Atheists are accused of being militant simply because we exist - because we won't simply sit down and shut up. Well, how many different times have you seen religious theists doing the things which is called 'militant' with atheists? How many times have you seen religious theists go much further …
Secularism vs. Superstition: Secularization Promotes Reason over Superstition
Politically and socially, secularization is the creation of institutions independent of ecclesiastical authority - the authority of churches and religious groups. In the past, religious figures held the authority to govern, deliver medical care, and educate; today, such responsibilities have been taken over by non-religious authority figures who...