Are there any black atheists?

[Whitney]

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.

you sound retarded at times. Are you?  

Congratulations...you just received a forum warning.  Btw, if the above comment was because you are a racist (and I'm inclined to think it was since TheWilliam has not posted anything "retarded" on the forum) I suggest you just not come back to the forum.

[lundberg500]

TheWilliam wrote: 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.

you sound retarded at times. Are you?

This comment by ascertain was extremely rude and very uncalled for. I agree with TheWilliam completely. It would be tough for any atheist, regardless of race, to find a compatible mate out there.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I like TheWilliam.  Sonofabitch cracks me up, and thinks in tangents, which I like.

[Sophus]

There's an interesting discussion on this subject at the Richard Dawkins' website: http://richarddawkins.net/videos/536413-dialogue-of-reason-science-and-faith-in-the-black-community

[NothingSacred]

There is a facebook group called african american humanists (aah) you should take a look its pretty good. I just found it myself.

[Sophus]

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier but Oprah Winfrey left Christianity for New Age Deism didn't she? Not an atheist, but still, that takes some guts, right? I mean, the Christians have been blasting her ever since.

[Thumpalumpacus]

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/oprah-fool.htm

[macktheknife]

(very) long time reader, first time poster, this thread made me want to register. Black Atheist 27 year old male from little rock, AR

[Tank]

(very) long time reader, first time poster, this thread made me want to register. Black Atheist 27 year old male from little rock, AR

Have you met the Clintons, I hear they hang out there sometimes  

Welcome aboard !

Regards
Chris

[lundberg500]

Macktheknife, very glad to see you here.  

I'm also from the south (Texas). I'm sure you know that it can be VERY difficult  sometimes to be an atheist in the south.

Welcome!

[Whitney]

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier but Oprah Winfrey left Christianity for New Age Deism didn't she? Not an atheist, but still, that takes some guts, right? I mean, the Christians have been blasting her ever since.

Oprah has a group of followers even the best of cult leaders would be jealous of...I don't think it takes much courage to do whatever you want when you are that popular.

I don't know much about her beliefs but am not sure that The Secret and Deism are compatible.

[tunghaichuan]

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier but Oprah Winfrey left Christianity for New Age Deism didn't she? Not an atheist, but still, that takes some guts, right? I mean, the Christians have been blasting her ever since.

Oprah has a group of followers even the best of cult leaders would be jealous of...I don't think it takes much courage to do whatever you want when you are that popular.

I don't know much about her beliefs but am not sure that The Secret and Deism are compatible.

I like to call The Secret by its other name: "wishful thinking."

Oprah was allied with Eckhart Tolle, the Power of Now guy. I don't know about now. I do know that she took a lot of flak for denying that Jesus is the One True Path(TM) when she had Tolle on her show, which pissed off a lot her fans.

I've read a few of Tolle's books, and I liked some of his ideas. Warning bells did sound when started cashing in on TPoN though.  

[ShanelThalia]

I found this forum literally 30 minutes ago and just had to post!
I am in deed Black, female, and 19 yrs old. I also unfortunately live in a very southern conservative town in west central Florida. Admittedly, I am an Atheist, but I cannot really tell anyone that. My mom would be soooo disappointed, look at me differently, and say repeatedly that she has failed me blah blah blah... She said this before when I was younger, after asking me tons of religious questions when I couldn’t seem to let go of some of the un answered questions about her, my, our entire family's understanding of religion.  (I was in elementary and this was around the time when I was praying to God not to let me wake up in the morning) I was one depressed little girl. I don't know anyone who is atheist actually.

** Just the other day a friend from school was telling me about a mutual friends family barbeque and how her and some others were talking amongst themselves and a kid walked up and said they were atheist and they all up and moved away from him...needless to say she thought it was so very amusing. So yup, no one has outright asked me my beliefs lately, so i have not said the words but when they do. I wont hesitate to claim my departure from the sheep. (society)



                                                                                                                                                                                    ~Shanel

[Chandler M Bing]

In all the years that I have been an atheist, I have never met a black atheist. I am your typical Caucasian male atheist, by the way. Is this purely an educational level or intellectual thing? Is it a social thing where black families raise their children to be Christian and none of these children break away from religion as so many of us atheists have done? Are black people generally more spiritual?

The main thing I have noticed throughout my discussions with both atheists and Christians (both white and black) is that the atheists are ALWAYS more intellectual. They read prolifically and intelligently inquire into everything. They are natural skeptics who base everything on logic and reason. This is not to say that there are absolutely no intelligent Christians. But still, the atheists that I have conversed with ALWAYS seem to have a higher educational level than the Christians that I have been around. Every single time.

There are many college educated black people out there and I'm sure they are well educated but are any of them atheists? I would LOVE to meet some black atheists and get their views on what it is like living in a Christian dominated America. Not to stereotype, but every black person that I have talked to is ALWAYS Christian, every single time. There are several black people at my work and I am friends with many of them and every single one of them are Christian. Are there any black atheists on this forum? Do any of my fellow atheists here know of any black atheists living in America?

It's true I've noticed that too. Atheism seems to be more of a white thing, like beans on toast or conquering foreign lands for some manufactured purpose or other. Black folks tend to perceive deep meaning in things, and are, I guess, more inclined to not take things simply on face value. Educational level (whatever that means, usually it boils down to just learning other people's ideas and long words when short ones usually suffice) doesn't seem to make much difference. Look at Louis Farrakhan. He's extremely intelligent and well spoken and could easily wipe the floor with many a smartass, yet he obviously is a theist. It's a myth that educational level has much to do with whether one is an atheist or theist, or that people with dark skin are dumb, as is so often insinuated. It's also a myth that "education" makes you intelligent. I've come across many "educated" people who are just as dumb as some non "educated" people. The only difference is that they express their stupidity and childishness with longer words.

[LegendarySandwich]

It's true I've noticed that too. Atheism seems to be more of a white thing, like beans on toast or conquering foreign lands for some manufactured purpose or other. Black folks tend to perceive deep meaning in things, and are, I guess, more inclined to not take things simply on face value. Educational level (whatever that means, usually it boils down to just learning other people's ideas and long words when short ones usually suffice) doesn't seem to make much difference. Look at Louis Farrakhan. He's extremely intelligent and well spoken and could easily wipe the floor with many a smartass, yet he obviously is a theist. It's a myth that educational level has much to do with whether one is an atheist or theist, or that people with dark skin are dumb, as is so often insinuated. It's also a myth that "education" makes you intelligent. I've come across many "educated" people who are just as dumb as some non "educated" people. The only difference is that they express their stupidity and childishness with longer words.

While I agree with the rest of your post, I don't think that black people tend to be theists more because they "tend to perceive deep meaning in things" and "more inclined to not take things simply on face value." Like others have said numerous times, it's probably because of the black society surrounding them that usually keeps them from abandoning their faith. Of course, I'm not black, so I can't really say for sure.