Bearman Cartoon: Missionary Atheists
Our friend Jammer is a frequent contributor over at Prairie Populists and Progressives. A recent post discussed a newer group of atheists who are are “insisting upon aggressively confronting religious ideas, whereas the older group favors working with believers.” I would contend that this “newer” group is actually the older group offshoot of the teachings of Richard Dawkins (not to be confused with Richard Dawson) and the like who equate religion with a form of mental illness.
In fact a USA Today article says that many atheists no longer want to be associated with those beliefs and actually profess that religion and the religious have a place.
The old atheists said there was no God. The so-called “New Atheists” said there was no God, and they were vocally vicious about it. Now, the new “New Atheists” — call it Atheism 3.0 — say there’s still no God, but maybe religion isn’t all that bad.
Tanner Leah wrote one of his tongue-in-cheek posts about one group, The Coalition for Reason, trying to promote the fact that Atheists shouldn’t feel alone by placing ads all over the NY city Subway system. I don’t think there is anything wrong with a group promoting the fact that people with like beliefs (or lack thereof) can come together.
However, you all know I hate bad statistics. The ad says “A Million New Yorkers are Good Without God. Are You?” In a NY Times article discussing the stunt, one of the promoters says they got to the “million” number by citing:
“the American Religious Identification Survey, released earlier this year, as evidence of a shift away from organized religion. Those checking “none” for religion rose from 8 percent of the population in 1990 to 15 percent in 2008, effectively making “no religion” the fastest growing religious identification in the United States.
De Dora said that the “million” New York nonbelievers mentioned in the advertisements is the result of an extrapolation based on the survey’s findings. With more than 8 million residents living in New York’s five boroughs, the organization projects more than a million potential atheist New Yorkers.”
Just because 15% of the population list themselves as having no religion, this DOES NOT equate to them being atheist or in fact not believing in some higher power. In fact looking at the American Religious Identification Survey results, show of the people who wrote “none” as a religion, only 5% of them identified themselves as atheist.
8.3 million New Yorkers x 15% writing “none” x 5% of that group identifying as atheist = 62,250 Atheists in NY City.
In response to my comment on the Prairie Populists that lack of belief in supernatural is still essentially a religion, someone wrote ‘But most atheists aren’t going to bashing on your door on a Saturday morning.” To which I responded, True and neither are most Christians. Personally I don’t mind either’s belief as long as they respect my own.”
But what if the next step in evolution of atheism is to actively recruit new “non-believers”?
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48 Responses to “Bearman Cartoon: Missionary Atheists”
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[...] Our cartoon this week is from the usually-not-so-religiously-oriented cartoon blog Beartoons.com where he also discusses the whole concept of atheist missionaries: [...]
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Does that book come with anchovies and pepperoni?
Psssttt . . . thanks for the plug
I try to keep my finger on the pulse of what goes on in the world.
I knew you’d work that finger in there some how. Looner will be so proud.
I am
.
bearman arent you afraid we’ll just use you for your toons? interesting post, good toon!
Aren’t you afraid people just visit your site for sexy monday?
“I think I might have a coupon for that book. Just wait here a minute while I go look.” Hour later, “Sorry. Couldn’t find it.”
I can see you rummaging through your drawers as you make the poor guy wait.
Blahaha religious nutters and anti-religious nutters, you just can’t win!
Then there are those of us who are just plain nutters.
at the end of the day when we die will all find out. If you did believe in God and there was nothing no big loss but if you didnt believe in God and there is then you are screwed. I choose to go play it safe. but be it from me from letting others take the “thrill ride” and take a chance hehe.
love the cartoon!
Then again if you die and there is nothing, neither one will no and no one gets to claim victory.
I am hedging my bet god has sense of humor and will let me in regardless….or I am screwed
I’ll be sitting at the VIP table. Just give them my name. That is unless you die before me. In which case, hope you like it warm.
Sunny side up !
tongue in cheek…head up ass…it’s all the same.
62,250 is WAY less sexier than 1 million.
They should have done NY visitors. Maybe that would have driven the number up.
Nice work, Bearman. I agree.
An artist and a mathematician…I’m impressed!
Statistician not mathematician. I can’t do those crazy formulas.
“x” sign = multiplication = math
(unfortunately that’s the only thing I remember)
omg bearman u iz like trully a geek! hahah
I’ve always enjoyed the missionary style of doing things.
Somehow I predicted FL would make that comment.
I don’t do my job lying down !!!! Well sometimes…ah never mind
Sometimes? Well, there was that one time when the Kama . . .
Great toon, although I’m sure he woulda preferred the pizza
Maybe that is what the people coming door to door should do. Throw in a free pizza to listen.
that wouldn’t be a good book. lol
Well its on bookstore bookshelves now.
Yet another reason I stick to material with the ‘mostest’ pictures I can find!
hmmm….maybe the illustrated non-bible might make some money.
$$ (those are my eyes right now)
Cash in your eyes. Doesn’t that make it hard to see?
What about those who wish to convert from religion to atheism? Is there a place for a converted non-believer?
I was thinking Taco-Bell myself.
Drive through Maccas ?
I am sure as in most religions…converts are welcome
And for the uninformed Maccas = Mickey D’s = McDonalds
hey so howlong does it take for Fox to get back to you about ur entry on the simpsons? ive not heard a peep yet either to say “yes” or “i dont think so..”
I think they are taking entries until next week. Then it usually would be 3 weeks. They aren’t sending out “Thank you for entering” notices.
No thank you notes!? it wouldnt take mjore than 5 mins to configure an automated thank you response.. typical americans…
How do you do that. I will create one for all my comments then. It will save me time reading your dribble about typical americans..haha
Really liked the toon..keep up the good work.
thanks
I get people knocking on my door on Saturday mornings all the time. I just let the kids turn up their music. That scares anyone away.
I saw Publishers Clearing House at your place a few weeks with a big check but they got scared off by the loud Marilyn Manson coming from inside.
damnit!