My better half (E) and I were watching an old episode of BattleStar Galactica the other day, when Brother Cavil was counselling Chief Tyrol. We paused the episode and had a long discussion about religion and atheism in the context of our lives.

To make this part brief, I can be described as an atheist — I believe that the only definition of god that fits is “the Universe as god.” If it has a consciousness, it’s so far beyond our comprehension and we are so far beneath its notice as to make the question of religion moot. It’s not going to intercede on your behalf, and you certainly don’t pray to it. Any afterlife (as part of the universe) will not be in any form that we recognise or imagine now. E has described herself to me as a Christian — her faith is personal, while her membership in her church is social.

One of the comments I made was something along the lines of “atheism now is where homosexuals were a few years ago.” E’s reply was “That’s ridiculous; no one’s getting beaten to death because they’re an atheist.” And she’s right. That wasn’t where my main argument meant to go. But I think my comment is also right; it just needed clarification.

And it’s here, in Greta Christina’s article 10 Myths and Truths About Atheists that I found the same argument, only worded much better than I could put it. It neatly sums up what I meant:

6. Atheists are just being trendy.

Yes, atheism is everywhere now. In bookstores, on the news, in the blogosphere. Just like gay people were in the early ’90s. African Americans in the late ’50s. Women in the early ’70s. There’s a point in any major social movement when it reaches critical mass. It gathers adherents and sympathizers, who become more visible and vocal … a process that’s self-perpetuating.

The movement picks up steam. It can no longer be ignored. At which point the mass media has a collective “WTF?” freakout. Who are these atheists (gays, African Americans, women), and where did they come from all of a sudden? Like we haven’t been here all along.

Does that make atheism trivial? A fad, something people do to be cool? Of course not. No more than being queer is. Coming out as atheist is often a big deal. It can mean losing friends, being cut off from family. It can mean getting threatened by neighbors or kicked out of school, losing job opportunities or custody of your kids. And it often means a major upheaval in how you see yourself and your life. People don’t do this to be trendy. People do it to be true to themselves.

The rest of the article can be read here: http://www.alternet.org/story/126118/10_myths_and_truths_about_atheists_/?page=entire
Greta Christina’s blog can be found here: http://gretachristina.typepad.com/