Are there any Atheist Communities in the United States?

[sarcasmo]

I live in CRC country, which is Christian Reformed Land in Western Michigan. I am looking to find out if there are an Atheist Communities in the United State. If there are none, I am looking to start one from the ground up, would this even be possible in this current Theocracy in which we live?

[bluerum]

1. I am with you. Lets start one in Hawaii. nt

[sarcasmo]

4. I am so serious all you would need to do is start it in a small town

Already in place. Take a 100 people town and move say 100 people to start you could win every election and start up your own business, town store etc..

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. Lets start one in Texas............LOL!

I'll be member #1! :evilgrin:

[valerief]

2. Madelyn Murray O'Hare got Hoffa'd. She was the big dog

atheist a while back. Got prayer out of public schools. I learned about God being put on our currency from her. I don't think it's safe to be an "official" atheist in our "free" country.

[bperci108]

12. AFAIK....

MMOH got "Hoffa'ed" over some personal business dealings, not because she was an "out Atheist".



:wtf:

[Wiley50]

18. Still, I think that town would need a SERIOUS Militia and Armory

When the shit hits the fan you best have some folks
with firearms collectors licenses and automatic weapons
maybe even some explosives.
Barret .50 cal semi autos are still legal to buy
if you have about 5 grand each.

[bperci108]

33. No.....

....violence just begets more violence.

(And I'm a sort of "gun-nut", too...)

But the pen is indeed mightier than the sword.

Look what Rev. King and Gandhi accomplished without violence.

(I was going to add that carpenter/reforming Rabbi from Nazareth too, but I didn't think that would go over too well with this audience...) :rofl:

[Name removed]

3. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LoZoccolo]

5. I grew up in Grand Rapids...

...and I really didn't have much of a problem living there. As a matter of fact I enjoyed things there more than here in Chicago.

[sarcasmo]

8. I live in Jenison, much different than Grand Rapids.

[maddezmom]

22. my sister lives in Holland MI

she's a Christian, but she hates living there because of all the "fundies". Good luck in your search. :hi:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. my house. It is but a simple start. But it is a start.

and all are welcome.

[Eric J in MN]

9. These links may help

http://www.michiganatheists.org/

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=atheist+groups&btnG=Google+Search

[Towlie]

10. But why would you want to live in such a place?

I see no advantage in living in such a community, even if it does exist. You'd be unable to conceal your status, and that's essential in our society. All you'd be doing is painting a bulls eye on yourself, drawing persecution from all directions with virtually no sympathisers on the outside. Like good Christian hypocrites, they'd all say "good riddance" and do whatever they could to make your life miserable.

Beside, how would you socialize with your neighbors, by sitting around talking about what you don't believe in? That would get old pretty quick. I see no reason for an atheist to want to live next door to other atheists. You can relate to them well enough over the Internet.

If you want to be an activist, I think the smartest thing to do in the USA is to take advantage of a Christian's religious beliefs to redirect his political beliefs. Go with the "Who Would Jesus Torture" strategy. Argue how important separation of church and state is, and how freedom of religion is the very first provision in our Bill of Rights.

[Tyo]

11. Why ghettoize ourselves?

Why would you not want to live in the real world? I'm gay (and an atheist) and the idea of gay retirement communities drives me right over the edge. I won't live that way, either as a gay or an atheist.

[boolean]

15. How would you socialize with your neighbors?!?!

I imagine that atheists are capable of socializing and living next to each other....

[beam me up scottie]

27. Yeah, just look how well we're doing now.

:eyes:

Yep, life is beautiful working for a christian company, living in a christian city, in a christian county, in a christian state, in a christian country.


Why on earth would I want to live someplace safe?


And don't bother telling me about the Constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state, because where I live, that's nothing but a secularist's pipe dream.

[boolean]

13. THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS AN ATHEIST COMMUNITY!!!

Seperation of church and state. WTF!

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. !

:applause:

[Bill McBlueState]

16. secular, not atheist

We're a secular society, not an atheist one. An atheist society would officially promote non-belief in gods. The US Constitution requires the government to take a neutral position with respect to the existence of gods.

[beam me up scottie]

24. Bullshit. And fix your caps key, it's annoying.

An atheist community, eh?

Tell that to someone who doesn't live in the buy-bull belt.

Coming out of the atheist closet in my city would not only be professional suicide, it would actually be dangerous.

[donco6]

17. But wouldn't an Atheist community be full of . . .

mother rapers and sheep f_ckers and all that? I mean, without the LORD there is no right and wrong! :sarcasm:

[beam me up scottie]

26. Oh, but they're not REAL atheists...

:rofl:

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kcr]

21. Not a Terribly Cogent Comment

First, you are assuming that the poster wants to spend their days around ONLY aehtists. There is nothing in the original post or thread to suggest that. If you think an aethist community would not have dealings with people who were not aethists, then I am afraid you are letting your disdain for aethists get ahead of your knowledge of life in the very, very interconnected 21st century.

Second, religious people are sourounded by their own kind all the time. Christians, of one flavor or another, are the majority in this country. Their sensablities are catered to, not necessarily out of some hatred for others, but becasue they are the majority. People are literally swimming in a sea of Christian ethos, Christian comments, and Christian iconography. It is unavoidable and it is certianly an environment in whihc a Christin could spend the vast majority of their time and never encoutner someone who was not of their beliefs.

Third, religious people have places where they feel "feel secure and comfortable" and are "in the presence of only your kind" -- churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques.

Finally, the hostility her eis telling. You insulted the poster for nothing more than wanting to be with people who share thier belief systems. That level of hostitlity is telling. And if you feel so uncomfortable at the mere mention of a community that is not exactly like yours, then I would humbly suggest that one needing to be felt for is you.

[beam me up scottie]

25. I'm glad I missed that.

But I'm guessing it was yet another stellar example of why an atheist community is so appealing to some of us.

[Goblinmonger]

45. 'twould be nice to hang around

with you guys all the time. Go to work with people I don't have to secretly roll my eyes at when they email me religious bullshit. I'm all for it.

[Zhade]

44. Atheism is not a belief system or a religion.

Otherwise, I agree.

[LostInAnomie]

20. You know what the worst part of establishing an atheist city would be?

The constant inundation by religious missionaries trying to save our souls. You wouldn't be able to swing a dead cat without hitting a bible toting proselytizer bringing the message of Jeebus.

I also have a feeling that they would put up at least one mega-church spring up just to spite us.

[Finder]

34. Well churches cannot be built without approval...

and missionaries aren't really an issue among freethinkers. The community should be named after a well known freethinker...Sagan perhaps.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. The Pacific Northwest has the nation's lowest rate of religious

affiliation and the highest percentages of self-identified atheists.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. How do you define an 'atheist community'?

It is an area where there are no churches or other places of religion? Obviously, there will be small 'communities' like that, but supply and demand will normally mean some kind of church will spring up when it gets to a certain size in the USA. It also depends on whoever grants planning permission, but churches are normally seen as benign, so there's not much chance of a church being stopped unless it would really disrupt things in some way.

If you want to create a 'community', then I guess it would depend on the money you have available. Presumably you are looking at a sizeable community, rather than, say, 10 houses; the first thing you need is sources of employment. So you'll have to find somewhere within commuting distance of existing jobs, and become a property developer. You then just build plenty of houses, with no churches, and hope this encourages atheists rather than theists to move there. But eventually, someone's bound to want to build a church. Then you're back to the planning question. Have you got some kind of council set up by now, with the locals, overwhelmingly atheists, who would be able to say "there's no call for it around here"? Or is it still controlled by an existing council, who are likely to say "church? Yeah, no problem".

It seems a lot of hassle and expense to go to, to me. But if you have several million dollars to spare for it, you could give it a go. I'd ask, though: what are the problems you have with a 'normal' town or city (not "Christian Reformed Land", whatever that is), and is there an easier way to solve them than giving up your job and moving to a new 'community'?

[Finder]

32. It would not take millions of dollars...

but a few thousand from each founder to secure the purchase of 50-100 acres. A commitment of at least a decade would be required. Lots would be leased to those who want to build and a central location would be developed with housing and agreed industries. Of course the first few years it would operate or look more like a commune than a town or city...

It would be an interesting experiment for sure.

[redphish]

46. In Florida, there is a town called Cassadega.

It is a town where a large portion of the people living there are spiritualists, psychics, and those with similar beliefs. I don't know if you would call this an atheist community but as far as I know (I haven't been thru there in some time) there are no christian churches there. In fact, a couple of years ago, some fundies tried to start one and there was such a stink that they were practically driven out of town.

[Finder]

29. I have often thought of doing the same thing...

but would not call it an atheist community but one of free thinkers. Just 25 like-minded families/individuals would be needed for the founding.

If you are serious I would love to exchange some ideas with you.

[Random_Australian]

30. I know exactly what is going to happen before you even set it up.

If anyone hears about it, or it becomes common knowledge, you will have RW'ers saying that all the atheists should go there... along the lines of 'this is a Christian country, don't like it you can leave' that is said now.

[ozone_man]

31. There are regions with low religiosity.

They tend to be progressive, East and West coast primarily. That would be the easy way out vs. starting an atheist community. But already the blue/red map is greatly concentrated in these areas. We need to work on the bible belt. Jesus land. ;)

[Finder]

35. I think it should be set up in the bible belt...

There are many freethinkers in fundy areas that stay in the closet...BMUS is a good example.

[sarcasmo]

36. I would like to thank all who posted.

Living in Western Michigan and with a Christian pushy family the thought occurred to me at my last family function. Understand that the new Atheist community would welcome everyone. However the mood in our country right now would not allow an Atheist community. If I told my wife I were an Atheist the Divorce would be immediate, right now she believes I am Agnostic. I work on Sunday's so I don't have to be remind that I am not going to Church. Living among others with my same non-beliefs would be wonderful. The only problem is that if I truly decided to do something like this the death threats would start instantly. The hypocrites who praise Jesus would be the same to throw the death threats my way.
I feel one day an Atheist community could exist after all the holy wars have run their course and destroyed what is left of the planet. Think of this, how many major wars in the last Three hundred years would have started if there were no Religion.

[Random_Australian]

37. Wow. Just wow. That is the worst I've heard yet - divorce for atheism?

WTF is going on?

[sarcasmo]

38. Welcome to the new Theocracy.

[Random_Australian]

39. Sorry, but not for me.

Actually, I'm not sorry about it, but I am sorry that you lot have to endure it.

In my country, religion or lack thereof is not a problem.

[Zebedeo]

40. How would you enforce the atheism?

Given the First Amendment guarantee of freedom to worship and all.

I think you'd have to buy a private island where the U.S. Constitution does not apply. Good luck with the experiment.

[beam me up scottie]

41. You should have read the whole thread.

He addressed your concerns in post #36.

From where I'm sitting, a community of freethinkers, be they atheists or not, would be this atheist's idea of heaven on earth.

[neebob]

42. It wouldn't need to be enforced

I mean I just don't think you'd see believers flocking to the Lazy Sunday Free at Last Bullseye Atheist Commune.

Personally, I don't think I could take the constant arguing over semantics. The debate over the community charter would never end.

[Christa]

43. I have a great link

You will find atheist communities on Meetup.com