Are there any black atheists?

[TheWilliam]

It used to be annoying (socially) being a black atheist, but now I think the biggest problem is dating.  It's tough out there for a black atheist male.

[George]

I know a quite a few black atheists personally. Living in the UK however, where there is a higher proportion of atheists in general, this is probably not all that uncommon. The singer in my band is a black lesbian atheist!

Even over here it does seem that black people do seem more religeous in general though..

[humblesmurph]

I'm a black atheist.  I'm pretty rare in the US.  

One of the problems is a lack of Black role models.  The guy generally considered to be the epitome of Black intelligence is Cornell West.  Obviously, there are likely lots of black people smarter than he is.  Nonetheless, he's our "smart guy".  He's very Christian.  Obama is Christian. Oprah believes in God too. Nearly all of the black sports stars thank God for every touchdown or dunk.

BET sucks.  They show raunchy videos and silly reality shows like MTV.  However, in the morning, BET shows preachers preaching gospel.  I couldn't imagine MTV shoving Christianity down the throats of it's viewers, but it seems quite normal for a black channel to do it.  Most black people I know watch BET.  

Every nearly every movie with a black cast, Christianity is a theme. Coming to Christ is often depicted as a happy ending. I have friends that will only see a "white" film if there aren't any "black" ones showing at the theater.  I once had to leave a chick at the theater because Tyler Perry wasn't getting my 20 god damn dollars.  If you don't know he is an alleged  closeted gay black film maker who's simplistic storylines almost always have a healthy dose of God.  He's quite popular.  I personally think he can't come out of the closet because as Whitney noted, that's likely not a good career move if you are in black entertainment.

There are many other reasons I think US blacks are so into the Jesus thing, but I've rambled enough.

[keith2004]

Hi Keith2004!

It's really great to see you here. I am a white atheist living in the southern US (Texas). I can tell you that it's very difficult sometimes being an atheist here. It seems like everyone I come in contact with is a Christian, regardless of race. I noticed that you live in Maryland. I would imagine that it would be a little better living up north away from the bible belt. Down here, there are Christian churches on every block it seems. Someone is always mentioning something about Jesus around here too. I can't even read a book in my lunch room at work without someone asking me if I have ever read the bible instead of what I was reading. I couldn't believe someone would ask me that. I believe that he soon regretted asking me that when I revealed myself as an atheist and we began talking about religion. It's funny because this guy had the bible in his hand and I had a book called "Biblical Nonsense" by Dr. Jason Long that I was reading.

Also, my entire family (even my own wife) is Christian. We just don't talk about religion. She is fully aware that I am an atheist. We just don't talk about religion and that works for us. She goes to church most Sundays while I stay home or I meet them later on for lunch after church. Do you have to deal with things like that? Is most of your family Christian? I've at least heard of black men atheists and it's so nice to be able to chat with you but tell me, why is it that there seems to be no black women atheists?

Living in the Washington DC metro area, I am in an environment that is very open to non-beleivers. An with the high percentage of college proffesionals It was easy to find like minded friends. I definately read books like "God Delusion", and "Atheist Universe" in public with impunity. I feel you pain, I grew up in a very religious, conservative environment in Jamaica and Florida, before I moved to Maryland. My Father is a Pastor, and my Mother is the Principal of a Church School. 90% of my family is christian, so to keep the peace I dont speak on religion around them.

I dated a black girl who was Atheist (a pastors daughter)....but Life events convinced her to return to religion. The person I am with (also black) in not religious, but they beleive there is some kind of god.
I have met black men and women who are atheist, but they are both rare, again I think this goes back to the culture and how many Black families are raised in the church, and its just taboo to be anything but christian. I havent seen a clear distincition between the amount of male and female atheist in the African American community, but traditions hold strong and even tho the county I live in is 67% black, I rarely meet black atheists.

[Ã¥scertain]

*is black*  

[Thumpalumpacus]

There are six black atheists.  Four of them post here.  The other two are unaccounted-for; they haven't reported in lately.

[Cite134]

Normally,( and in a sober mindset) I would not take the energy to make my race known, given that I find it ultimately superfluous and irrelevant. However, I will give in on this particular thread I suppose.  Here is another  

[Sophus]

I'm white, but I haven't ever really noticed before that black atheists are more rare than white atheists, that is to say within their respective race. Atheists are already a minority so I figure it would be expectedly more difficult to find a minority within a minority. So as far as number go there may be more white atheists, but percentage wise I can't imagine there would be a huge difference. Maybe I'm wrong.

[karadan]

I know a quite a few black atheists personally. Living in the UK however, where there is a higher proportion of atheists in general, this is probably not all that uncommon. The singer in my band is a black lesbian atheist!

Even over here it does seem that black people do seem more religeous in general though..

I'm not saying your comment isn't true, it's just that, where i live, the proportion of atheists to religious people seems pretty steady regardless of skin colour or gender. I know a few black and asian atheists. In fact, i only know three religious people and only one of them goes to church.

[humblesmurph]

I'm white, but I haven't ever really noticed before that black atheists are more rare than white atheists, that is to say within their respective race. Atheists are already a minority so I figure it would be expectedly more difficult to find a minority within a minority. So as far as number go there may be more white atheists, but percentage wise I can't imagine there would be a huge difference. Maybe I'm wrong.

How many black people do you know?  I can only speak for my experience in the US, but here, yes, you would be wrong.  It seems things are a little more reasonable across the pond.  Maybe I should move.

[George]

I'm not saying your comment isn't true, it's just that, where i live, the proportion of atheists to religious people seems pretty steady regardless of skin colour or gender. I know a few black and asian atheists. In fact, i only know three religious people and only one of them goes to church.

If you're referring to my comment that even over here black people seem to be more religious in general, I'm not sure if it's true either, thats just the way it seems to me. Thinking about it I'm not even sure why it seems that way to me, none of my black friends are religious. I live up north these days but I lived in Brixton, London for a few years very close to a couple of churches with practically all black congregations, of which many of my neighbours were members. There were also loads of black street preachers in Brixton that I'd hear every day on  my way to and from work. Anyway maybe these experiences influenced my opinion and lead me to think that black people were more religious, having thought about it now I realize that this isn't justification for such a generalisation!  

[lundberg500]

I have to say that this is very good news. I appreciate the people here who have let their race be known and proudly claim that they are atheists. Most all black atheists seem to be from the US west coast or up north. I never find any black atheists here in the southern US. I really have never met a black person here in Texas that is not a christian. It happens every time for me. Maybe I should move up north where it is more acceptable to be a free thinker.

[Ultima22689]

*raises hand*

Black male atheist here, from and living in Chicago. Yeah, we're like unicorns it seems. I believe it's a cultural thing, i've yet to meet another black atheist in person. I feel like an exile all the time when i'm talking to friends, it's not just that they follow Christianity though, I think the culture sets blacks up to be gullible. I know several friends who think that spirits live in water because a friend from Africa told them so and believed it. Back in highschool, someone told a similar story that related Mohammed, half that class are still Muslims. In the south it's even worse, oh man, they sound like broken records out there, the general consensus is  that science is bad, god is good. I can't remember how many people told me that evolution is just a theory and I had to facepalm then explain to them the difference between a theory and a scientific theory, it just went over their heads. This is thanks to many blacks receiving a piss poor education. I wish that wasn't the case, I can't remember how many black women i've been attracted to and don't even bother to make a move after talking to them for 30 seconds and realizing that it could never work, something my family has also criticized me about since the only women they have ever seen me with have been latino or white which makes them facepalm.

[DropLogic]

Are there any...Jewish Atheists?  I say it that way because Judaism seems to be an ethnicity/religion/lifestyle.  I have a friend who does not go to temple, does not believe in god, but still participates in 'The Tribe' functions as he calls it.  
I wonder if a similar distinction can be made within the black community.  Maybe to blacks, Christianity is like Judaism in that respect...that it is their ethnic/cultural duty to participate.
Cornell West definitely bothers me.  The man is a genius no doubt...I can only imagine that he fell victim to extremely deep indoctrination during his formative years; so much, that he cannot change his mind on the subject.

I don't think Obama is a true believer.  I think he's being a politician.  I feel that many politicians are closet atheists, but they know that the "40-percenters" (Dawkins) control the vote.

[Sophus]

I'm white, but I haven't ever really noticed before that black atheists are more rare than white atheists, that is to say within their respective race. Atheists are already a minority so I figure it would be expectedly more difficult to find a minority within a minority. So as far as number go there may be more white atheists, but percentage wise I can't imagine there would be a huge difference. Maybe I'm wrong.

How many black people do you know?  I can only speak for my experience in the US, but here, yes, you would be wrong.  It seems things are a little more reasonable across the pond.  Maybe I should move.

If I only went by personal experience/who I know, I would think white atheists are just as rare. You may very well be right, but I would rather see a scientific survey before coming to any conclusions.