Recently, a “Bigotry Map” was made by the American Family Association. If you’ve been trying to cater or build bridges with this organization, this map would delineate exactly how successful you were seen as being in your attempt. It would show you exactly how to avoid being a bigot against religious conservatives, how to effectively be an atheist who didn’t make waves, how to shake hands with the “other side” of the debate effectively, on their terms.
Ready? All you’ve gotta do is not stand up for gay rights, not oppose the presence of Christian influence in the sphere of government, not advocate that critical thinking and evidence (as opposed to faith) are the basis of belief, not be critical of those who express faith in public, and stay away from organizations that the AFA sees as harmful — like the Human Rights Campaign; the Southern Poverty Law Center; the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network; and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Seriously, guys. Y’all need to tone it down with your anti-God nonsense. Just build bridges, and stop being so hateful against Christians by supporting all these causes and organizations. They seem to think that by calling us out, they’ll tone us down. And they aren’t alone. Lately I’ve heard a wide variety of people — Religious and Nonreligious — telling us all to tone things down already. It’s cool to be an Atheist. But an Anti-Theist, stirring up trouble against several causes with the label “Christian” on them — no, no, no, no. That’s too much. Better to be calm and conciliatory.
Well, I’m sorry. I’m done with that. And apparently the Center For Inquiry was, too.
Rather than distance themselves from these “Christian bigots,” the CFI Communications Director Paul Fidelgo told the American Family Association:
“We ask…no, we demand that the American Family Association recognize that we are just as much a threat to their backward vision of a theocratic, Christianized America as any of these groups – certainly more than the AARP – and add us to their list.”
And in doing that, they left themselves wide open to be called an enemy of Christianity by the influential AFA. And to that, I say bravo.
Now, let me make clear: I’m not anti-Christian, in the sense that if a Christian is being persecuted — like actually persecuted, like being threatened with a gun or being physically tortured or something, not seeing a recently married gay couple make out in front of their church — then I hope to be the first in line to say that no, that’s not cool. But I’ll be damned before I expose the least bit of trepidation in fighting against the injustices groups like the AFA fight to enact, simply because I am afraid of being smeared as an “anti-theist” or “enemy of Christianity.” If anything, that exposes to me the importance of standing in that space even more loudly and insistently, in order to give others courage.
Now, there are some liberal Christians I may be able to stand, whose views are not quite as opposed to human dignity. But I embrace the anti-theist label because there are many in my country — and especially in my state of Texas — who will tape my mouth shut in a heartbeat if they can find a way to make me afraid of identifying with the anti-theist crowd.
I know it’s unpopular in much of Christian culture today. I realize that the popular, safe mode is to be “moderate,” in many circles. And sometimes I am conciliatory. But make no mistake — this reaching out comes from a stance that is firmly against most of those taken by theists in this country, and unapologetically so, especially in light of statements here and, among other things, recent statements by the too-often-respected Pope Francis about transgender individuals.
Now more than ever, we need individuals who are not afraid to say to conservative Christians, “I am whoever you say I am. Whatever you want to call me, call me. But I will not give quarter to people who demand respect for beliefs that disrespect my very existence or that of my friends.” And if I stuttered in that statement, or somehow your response indicates that my words were not clear, I would be more than obliged to raise the volume in insistence.
I am not ashamed to be called an anti-theist; if it is as defined by the likes of the AFA, I will wear it as a badge of honor. My hope is that next year, the groups opposing their aims will overwhelm their map, and I intend to work with other like-minded individuals to help that happen.