Sometimes we forget that people are taking notice of our group, and our core values and mission are being promoted -- we are a part of a much larger movement to restore moral and intellectual integrity to those who reject religion, and opt for freethought. Sometimes the question comes up, as it did today between myself and Ryan, why we do what we do. We agreed on this: In many ways, we are "just" socially and politically motivated, but one must never forget the reason for our motive. There are many groups who have millions of dollars and millions more people, and who want to use their influence to erode our civil liberties and the social tolerance for atheism/agnosticism/freethought generally.
Fourteen percent of Floridians are nonreligious, according to the last ARIS survey in 2001 (the largest self-identification religious survey ever conducted). A recent Baylor study concluded that 10.8% of people are "religious nones". However, this month we witnessed the very first Congressman to ever "come out" as a nonbeliever, and poll after poll shows public distrust and intolerance for nontheists and freethinkers. Our efforts are aimed at changing that public distrust and intolerance, at raising the intellectual level of the dialogue about religion, and at maintaining the beauty of our democratic secular state. Thank you for that. Thank you for helping silence those who would argue, "Why do we care what 1-3% of people think, or if they're offended?"
Thanks for being willing to stand up and be counted, and being willing to promote science, freedom of inquiry in all areas of human endeavor (esp. religion), and the triumph of reason over faith and superstition.
See you Sunday!
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Technorati tags: Gator Freethought, God, Atheism
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