Edging Further Away From The Closet…
A new atheist blog, The Religion Virus has an interesting article in which the author Craig A. James argues that 70-80% of atheist bloggers remain anonymous, either using a pseudonym (as Mr. James used previously) or a username such as vjack who runs Atheist Revolution. Craig James says that atheists have no reasons to be in the closet, and he issues a challenge for more atheists to get out.
I am one of the atheists he used as an example of a blogger “out of the closet” so to speak. Although I don’t see how he came to this conclusion. “Adrian Hayter” could just be a pseudonym to the casual observer. Unless he had been reading my blog for a few months, or had stumbled on my personal website (now defunct). In any case, I disagree with his argument that atheists have no reasons not to come out of the closet, even thought I admire what he is trying to do.
I am “out of the closet” because I live in the UK, specifically the south which is one of the most secular regions. Although the majority of the population is religious, there is a large number (supposedly 30%) of atheists in the country. I don’t feel threatened at all, and the closest thing we have to fundamentalist Christians are the people who go around protesting abortion and homosexuality, but they don’t post any kind of threat. Most of the time they are laughed at.
In America, it is very different. The religious vastly outnumber the non-religious, and I suspect most atheist bloggers simply do not want to risk the harassment they could get. Many of them have successful careers that could be damaged by coming out. Even though it is against the law to persecute because of religious beliefs, that doesn’t mean it isn’t done.
Why does being out of the closet really matter though? Surely it doesn’t matter who the person is, but what they are writing that really counts. Or is there some kind of competition that I don’t know about? A competition to see who can release the most information about themselves to the point of pure insanity? If there is, then I need to win it. Lets edge further away from the closet shall we?
My full name is Adrian Michael Hayter. I was born on 29th April 1988 in Southampton at around 10pm. My mobile number is 07828 698967 (prefix +44 and get rid of the 0 if you are not in the UK). My current address (for hate mail, fan mail?, etc) is:
49 Cherrywood Avenue
Englefield Green
Egham
Surrey
TW20 0TE
I’m a second year student of Computer Science with Information Security at Royal Holloway, University of London. I’m not giving out my email address, purely for reasons that I do not want anyone signing me up for spam, although you could probably guess the email address quite easily (think Gmail). To save the effort you could always use my contact form.
So there, my personal details available online for the first time. I am an atheist…harass me if you dare.
Getting others to do the same is going to be hard, but not impossible. I respect atheist bloggers like vjack as much as bloggers like Hemant Mehta. It isn’t about who they are, it is about what they write. If vjack turned out to be a mass murdering psycho it wouldn’t change my opinion of his blog posts, so why does name matter? I know he is a human, logic dictates that, and that is really all I care about.
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I thought it was great what he intended. If all of the atheists everywhere were more open about it, maybe it would help to change the negative image. And after all it is outrageous that we should have to be ashamed of it.
But as an American with a religious family and friends, it is too risky for me to associate my name with my blog.
I have lost some friends because of my atheism, and I would rather that potential employers or my family did not find my atheist blog when doing a search for my name.
I understand the importance of us being open about who we are, but I also know that it is not that unusual to use a pseudonym online, and I would feel more comfortable continuing to do so.
amiable
10 Aug 08 at 7:53 pm (GMT)
It will be a long time until I leave the closet. I respect those who remain hidden.
Oliver
10 Aug 08 at 10:15 pm (GMT)
Adrian, thanks for the great response. Let me clarify one thing: Although I’m strongly encouraging Atheist bloggers to come out of the closet, I wouldn’t go so far as to claim there is no reason for some to stay anonymous. I did live in the South for three years, and realize it’s just not an option for some. And discrimination against atheists isn’t just a Southern phenomenon, it’s everywhere. At the same time, I think some of us are being overly cautious — I know I was.
Craig A. James
10 Aug 08 at 10:31 pm (GMT)
I am one of those ‘anonymous’ atheist bloggers that you speak of. My reasons for using a pseudonym however has nothing whatsoever to do with my atheism or my beliefs in general. I too live in the UK where an outward statement of atheism is looked on with mild bewilderment by believers rather than the outward disdain that such a comment might receive in other parts of the world.
My reasons for remaining anonymous are simple, my current employment requires that I maintain a basic level of personal security and publishing my details online (in whatever fora) would certainly be frowned on by the powers that be.
Having said that, as ‘anonymous’ as my handle is, anyone with the desire or motivation would be able to uncover my identity with a few clicks of the mouse. My only mandate is to attempt a basic level of persec, plausible deniability and all that.
When my current employment comes to an end I shall broadcast my name loud and proud to the online masses!
PsychoAtheist
11 Aug 08 at 12:24 am (GMT)
My empathy goes out to all those who can’t “come out” because of employment and social pressures. It has become “comfortable to classed as a Christian”, so comfortable that most Atheists prefer comfort to Chaos . . . and for their children to be Boy Scouts or Girl Guides. I might contend that the objection is not that we are Atheists, we are “nothing” that can be identified. We make no effort to make the Christians feel as comfortable with us as we wish they would make us feel in their company. When they know us, they accept us. Ask the man on the street and he can’t identify anything positive about Atheists. Doesn’t that give some of you an idea of what is wrong? If we can’t get together to tend a garden, we can never invite society to our feast, and our kids are the ones to miss out. Oh yes, I forgot, as I youngster I was encouraged to lie about my Atheism so I could be a Boy Scout. Do Atheists teach their children to lie? Or are we forgetting that if “man is a social animal” it would apply to kids as well!
anton kozlik
11 Aug 08 at 2:28 am (GMT)
I’d hesitate to provide your birth date and place of birth online, especially with your full mailing address.
I’ve remained partially in the closet on my blog simply because some good (Christian) friends of ours don’t know about my strong lack of beliefs. I had hoped to bring it up by now but it just hasn’t come up.
HumanistDad
11 Aug 08 at 2:52 am (GMT)
From an old post, this is why I remain anonymous on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/6jcwo9
vjack
11 Aug 08 at 12:01 pm (GMT)
[...] you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Just a simple poll based on recent discussions about atheists coming out of the closet online. This poll is only about online closets, so you may [...]
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11 Aug 08 at 3:42 pm (GMT)
I’m out. I guess it helps to be bigger than most human beings…
I guess it also helps to have an uber-common name, but that’s not my doing.
Ramon Garcia
11 Aug 08 at 4:28 pm (GMT)
I am in atheist in a very christian town which makes it harder for me to come out. I am coming out slowly but surely. For me it has always been difficult to come out in person. On the other hand, I feel the internet has made it easier for me to come out. Meeting new people online that are on the same page as me is so relieving. i think. This “relief” or whatever it is has allowed me to be more outspoken about my beliefs in person.
Anyways, I’m an atheist. peace!
gus
12 Aug 08 at 11:33 pm (GMT)
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