About declaring atheism, especially in a religious community?

Question

Not that hypothetical, but please treat as such if necessary.

In an area where cars commonly display a Christian fish or other symbol, is it more likely to be seen as:
a declaration of honesty (Not sailing under "false colors")
or a provocation (An insult to others)
to have a Darwin fish or other atheist symbol on mine?

A lively response, and a definite divide. Thanks to everyone so far. I may have to say what I HAVE got on my car, come the end.

Answer 1

Depends on the intent of the person who put it on their vehicle.

Do you feel the need to publicly declare your beliefs like the Christians do? Do you feel you have something to "prove" to the Christians around them? Do you want to put the fish on there to piss the Christians off?

You can't control how other people will construe it. All you can control is what your intent is behind the act.

That being said, I have seen numerous Darwin Fish around here, as well as a couple of FSM and fish skeletons, Wicca bumper stickers, Gay Pride emblems, HRC blue squares, etc etc etc. One of my favorites is the takeoff on the Jesus fish that has a pair of chopsticks above it and the word "SUSHI" in the outline.

Answer 2

Not going in for Christian symbols much - it wouldn't really bother me. The Darwin fish? I think I would find that funny. Not funny that you weren't a Christian, because I feel you are losing something precious there, but funny in the way you expressed it. In any case I believe you would be in the majority.
But does the Darwin symbol necessarily mean atheism? Or just evolution? Because a lot of people believe in God and believe in evolution. That is not my case, but I know a lot of theistic evolutionists (that means evolution directed by God).
EDIT:
I suspect a lot of people put symbols on their cars (Christian or otherwise) as a sort of identification - so people can say "Hi! I'm there too!". One problem with a symbol of any sort on the back of a car, is you will inevitably make a move, or a non-move, that will annoy somebody behind you. The person will say: "That blankety blank (Christian, atheist, democrat, republicna, whatever)". That is the major reason why I don't go for a symbol like that. - And my driving is bad enough that I might annoy more people than the average driver will!

Answer 3

I live in a small Midwestern town of less than 1500 people, where everyone knows each other and 90% or more of the population is Christian(typically either Catholic or Lutheran).

To declare oneself an atheist here and display atheistic things like Darwin fish or various bumper stickers(like one I recently saw listed on YA about "Don't pray in my school, I won't think in your church") is unfortunately asking for trouble.

It would be considered provocation an an insult to those who believe, nevermind that the display of such things on a car or home is the free speech right to those who own said car or home. People will key cars, rip stickers and such off, and leave tracts plastered over the offending vehicle.

Even being of a different religion can be cause to be harassed. I've known of one woman in the news who, for being Muslim, had vandalism of her car and property by religious folks in her neighborhood who wanted her to convert or leave.

Not everybody in my town is like this, not every town in my state is like this. But sad to say, there's a lot of people who don't do very Christian things to those who are different, so here at least, it's definitely provocation and asking for trouble.

Answer 4

Depends person to person.

When I visit my home town, Stockton, CA everytime I park my car which has a darwin fish on it, it gets pulled off and kicked under my car, no kidding. So I guess those people take it as a provocation.

Bottom line, it is also a bad idea because people at work will see it when you park and it could effect your career. 90% of people are theists, I would hate to be denied a promotion or good bonus over something so trivial even if I believe i am right.

Learned that from catch 22, doesn't matter who is right or wrong, it only matters who is in charge.

So I no longer have one on my new car.

Answer 5

I don't display the Darwin fish because it is a mockery of the Christian Ichthus, and I wouldn't want to insult my Christian friends and neighbors. I'm not anti-Christian or even anti-religious, just not-religious.

I've thought about attaching a "Happy Human" Humanist symbol, but I haven't yet. It would probably be taken as a provocation by some, but I wouldn't mean it that way.

It gives me a warm feeling to see the Ichthus and "Pagan Pride" stickers on other people's cars. It reminds me that I live in a free society where every person is free to follow his conscience in matters of faith, so long as none is harmed. It would never occur to me to deface or destroy any of those symbols, and I'd like to think that no one would damage my symbol of Humanism. But I've been around long enough to know that not all people live up to their best potential.

Answer 6

A Darwin fish is offensive because it is a negative symbol, attacking something which many hold in high regard. What if a Christian's car had a bumper sticker which protrayed one of the saints of secularism, say, Carl Sagan with a prohibition symbol over him? Or if there were a representation of Isaac Asimov in hell? Adherents of the athiest religion would be very upset.
(Athiesm is a religion, it takes a leap of faith to believe there is NOT a God, as much as it does to believe there is one. This question cannot be settledl by our science or directly by our senses)
Perhaps a symbol of something that athiesm woships, perhaps a representation of science like a microscope, or a telescope, would be more appropriate

Answer 7

why make a claim to it? It isn't like other religions that make you stand up and announce your faith and then preach it to others. You can be atheist and never tell a single person. I think a lot of people are yet call themselves Christian just so they do not get assaulted with "Have you heard of Jesus?! He died for your sins! Accept him or burn in hell for eternity!!!!!"


The TRULY sad thing is that if you put a Darwin Fish symbol on your car, I bet it wouldn't last 2 weeks before some judgemental Christian keyed your car, or let the air out of your tires.

Answer 8

Do you've any idea what fascism is? provide me an get at the same time of a scientifically advanced fascist society. each and every fascist dictatorship i visit imagine of guidelines a somewhat uneducated, dispossessed and abused society. per chance you comprehend something i do no longer? a pair of examples will be effective. "With fascism we've a society it truly is a lot extra in accordance to technology." the position? maximum fascist societies ended up as they did, extinct or more desirable because the human beings they abused interior of this society does no longer tolerate the abuse to any extent further. maximum communist societies ended up broke and deserted because they weren't communist to start with they were somewhat fascists attempting to camouflage themselves as communism. China because it truly is going to change into extra knowledgeable will change right into a lot less totalitarian and extra accepting. It replaced into somewhat college scholars that first validated adversarial to the authorities there because it replaced into the following in North u . s . of america. you've reported some small communities which have effectively embraced authentic communism yet you haven't reported the early church depending by Christ that those non secular bodies depending their beliefs on. Jesus replaced right into a real communist as replaced into the early church. They held all issues in problem-free. No authentic follower of Christ can easily be something yet a communist and communal societies ought to by nature and id be democratic. note- In pointing out the Oneidas it truly is had to that you discerne the Oneida community from the Oneida u . s .. The Oneida community replaced into no longer even aboriginal even with the actual incontrovertible reality that they lived on Oneida land. both were easily communal and the Oneida u . s . nevertheless is to a good degree immediately. The Oneida community no longer exists and replaced into closed by a courtroom order after a lengthy trial. .

Answer 9

I did not know atheists have a symbol, oh well you learn something new everyday,


( as a person of faith, not christain) I think it would be funn if you got a Darwin fish and underneath it it said, at least I can spell Jesus.



You would have had to see the Mind Of Mencia Episode where they "interperet" bumper stickers to understand that.

Answer 10

Although I appreciate your sense of pluck, this may not be a wise idea especially if you are in the US, as the Christians can become quite vindictive when you openly flaunt your Atheism. In Canada, nobody would care, and it would pass unnoticed as we are more of a live and let live society, so why not move here and go ahead with your Darwinian Fish, but I think it would be a bad idea in your community.