The Rise of Black Secularism




TheThinkingAtheist show

Summary: In his presentation “Breaking the Taboo of Atheism in Black Communities,” Leo Igwe said that “If there are people who should be religious and theistic today, it is not black people.” Yet black people are reputed to be the most religious people on earth, and the social stigma for the black atheist can be significant and often severe. As skeptics, how do we approach the issue of color in relation to non-belief?  Should we strive to be “colorblind,” ignoring labels like black, white, etc?  Or should color be acknowledged, embraced and even celebrated by those who accept the evolutionary explanation of our origins (aka: we are all Africans)? Tonight features a panel of very special guests:  Jamila Bey: Director of Commnications for the Secular Student Alliance, Alix Jules, President of Black Nonbelievers of Dallas, and Bridgette Gaudette, Executive Director of the Florida Humanist Association.  The show will respectfully approach a subject that is controversial, even considered taboo, and will hopefully provide education and resources for atheists of all colors and cultures. LINKS: DFW Coalition of Reason: http://www.dfwcor.org Black Nonbelievers Inc:  http://blacknonbelievers.wordpress.com The Gospel of Doubt:  http://gospelofdoubt.net Secular Student Alliance:  http://www.secularstudents.org Florida Humanist Association:  http://www.floridahumanist.org