"I'm Not An Athiest, I Swear To G...ummmm..."
I just read that the Atheist Alliance Convention in DC September 28-30 is SOLD OUT. Now, I'm completely aware that there have been atheist conventions and meetings for decades. This is nothing new. More and more, however, it seems like the athiests are sculpting for themselves as, of all things, an organized church. With conventions, outreach programs, even convert testimonies, I have to wonder.

Pat Condell, a pop-atheist, says this about religion: "They wear their ignorance as a badge of honour, and they hold very strong opinions about what other people should think." By they, he means all religious people, Christians, Jews, Muslims, whoever, so at least he's consistent. I want to challenge that notion. Atheists, as much as any other religion, hide behind the idea that we can't know anything about the supernatural, at least not with any certainty. But the last time I checked, it was the atheists that were telling us that we can't have God in school. Not that we can't demand conversions at gunpoint (which I would be horrified to see), but that we can't discuss God rationally, question scientific beliefs, debate religion. At least Condell prefaces his site with the warning, "I don't respect your beliefs..." At least one of them is being honest.

I particularly glad to see them establishing themselves as a religion. I hope to see them joining the Sunday morning rush to our various places of belief. It'll make Applebee's more crowded about one o'clock Sunday afternoon, but that's okay. What, I wonder, will their hymns sound like?

None above loves me, this I know,
because nothing tells me so.
Little ones, this world's all you'll ever see,
but it's enough, don't be so greedy.

I'll guess I'll just wait here, by the door until the Nothing Witnesses come knocking.

~J