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I expect to reach level 8 in the next month or two, which earns me a free Agnostic.com t-shirt. It got me to thinking.

When I moved to Kansas City from New York about 30 years ago, I was shocked that people wore their religious views on their sleeves, figuratively speaking. In New York, unless you were part of some religious sect that mandates wearing of garb (yarmulke, hijab, etc.) you did not advertise or speak about your religious beliefs.

So what do you all think of public proclamations of one's beliefs, be they sectarian or non-sectarian, religiously-mandated garb excluded from consideration?

Bobbyzen 8 Dec 5
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37 comments

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13

I don't want to be a walking advertisement. But when the Marmalade Mussolini was elected president, I needed to resist. Two friends knitted me pink pussy hats for the Women's March.

At the 2018 Election Night Party, I got the "Best T-Shirt" award from Democrats.

you rock

@whiskywoman

Thank you, dear!

Last year, I was given the first Scholarship Rockstar Award from the College Mentor program of Wenatchee High School.

You are far more outgoing than I have ever thought to be.

@CommonHuman

Thank you. As a born ebullient optimist, I have tremendous joy in life.

An extrovert, I can chat up anyone.

@LiterateHiker I can generally make anything awkward in record time. I have no gift for people.

You radical! Blasphmers! Rebel!

8

These clothing choices let me know who to avoid. Someone with an I heart Jesus shirt is probably okay, but the xtian wearing a shirt that has Infidel like a name tag on the front of the tshirt, and a full blazing picture on the back, of a cross with the American flag and soldiers lying on the ground drawing aim, coupled with the statement, "If you don't like what we stand for, I'll help you pack." This is the person I need to not engage with, and I silently thank them for displaying their narrow minded hatred for all to see.

SAMae Level 5 Dec 5, 2019
8

We should all express our opinions, beliefs or non-beliefs as freely as we wish and, in my opinion, IF the t-shirt I'm wearing gets 'in your face' then that IS your problem, NOT mine.
I usually alternate between wearing my Agnostic.com t-shirt and my other favourite " My Darwin Shark ate your Jesus fish" at every opportunity.

7

I own it. Let these people know we're here. Even in these little christian towns.

7

You get a real nice pen, too!

6

It's fine, whatever. But I was told to never go full atheist, and there is a reason why.

Views such as the ones on this site can cost people their money, jobs, clients or worse. If you don't care about that, more power and full support!

SCal Level 7 Dec 5, 2019
6

Well, people tend to believe they are righteous when they are not perfect at all and many times don't even practice what they preach. So, if people want to show how religious they are, they have to be ready for people also show that they believe the opposite. It goes both ways.

Hypocrites are the biggest aholes.

Totally agree!!

4

I don't know about clothes, but- About every 4th car around here has a Jesus fish or something similar on the back end, and barns out in the country have bible quotes painted on them in huge letters like billboards (my favorite was one that said "Behold, I come quickly- Jesus"- which I guess was when he was fooling around with Mary Magdalene).

Every so often, though, I spot a car with a Darwin fish. That's the Jesus fish with legs.

4

I don't give a flip what someone else thinks of my shirts or my beliefs

4

I live in a small town in rural Oregon. We only have one Pharmacy, Rogue River Guns & Drugs. Check out the web site. What more can you need? [gunsanddrugsclothing.com]

That's just a bit embarrassing as an Oregonian, isn't it? I haven't traveled down through Grants Pass for years, and don't remember just what is there, but we certainly do have some remaining pockets of land and folks frozen in time, and they like it that way. The outdoor offerings could well be worth it if you have enough friends and a livelihood, so more power to you!

@tinkercreek I actually don't live in town. I live along the river. There are a couple of us here that are not typical of the general population but we all seem to get along in a friendly way. Life is good.

It's also the liquor store, check? Check.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms sounds less like a federal agency and more like my one-stop superstore.

@Paul4747 Oregon is a microbrew state. Some of the best in the world. Liquor stores are a separate store. Not even grocery stores carry liquor. I'm not a hard liquor drinker just an occasional specialty Ale imbiber. Liquor stores are not very common here.

4

I wear my agnostic tee with pride. Along with my Human Rights Campaign ‘equality’ baseball cap. Most don’t get either of those, but once in awhile, I’ll get a compliment on either or both.
I also get free prayers that I’ll see the light and accept the blood of Jesus🙄...but that’s ok too. As long as people are polite, I’ll talk to them about what I believe, and why. I’m very, very, VERY stubborn, so I can outlast them.
On my car I have a sticker that proclaims: READ A FUCKING BOOK. Only once have I received a comment on that, and its meaning was clearly lost on the yahoo who said “a fucking book is the best kind, ain’t it?” 👍🏻

4

We live in a diverse and pluralistic society. I see people wearing crucifixes and clothes with Latin crosses, etc. every where. I sometimes wear my Atheist Community of San Jose T-shirt. We need to show people that we exist and that we are normal, decent human beings. Congrats on getting a T-shirt! What I don't like to see is a T-shirt with the F-word on it.

I had a tshirt from an Iggy Pop show that had RAW F"ING POWER on the back in huge letters but I only wore it to bars, not around kids.

@MizJ That might be appropriate in bars. 😉

@dare2dream, I'm with you. Everyone in the bible belt knows an atheist or agnostic. They just don't know they know. We need to let them see we don't come with horns and a tail.

4

I'm not big on words on the front or back of my shirts and I am opposed to the religious wanting to know what flavor I like. When I moved into this apartment complex several wanted to know what church I attended. None and you do realize 'god' had nothing to do with religion right? Man cooked that scam up all on his own and it's been one damn thing after another, sorta like the crips and the bloods. This is actually my response to their query and then they leave me alone.

Good for you!!!!

4

I am all for more atheist proclamations all around us. We have to get more assertive, bold and aggressive with fighting the stupidity of religion and the imposition of horrfic things on us. Civil aggression is a mild thing we can do against the faiths spread with swords and crusades for 2,000 years.

4

People should be allowed to express whatever they want to express, and in the case of religion, will express their views through religious uniform if not for t shirts. We can only hope that society moves towards upholding rational beliefs that are humanistic in their approach.

4

Just one of the reasons I love wearing my godless heathen, agnostic, etc, shirts in this area. The shock value is astounding.
I think the religious are trying to suck us all in.

I have always equated religion with Network Marketing.

3

I live in the famous, small, semi-rural town of Covington, Georgia. My well known Atheism has never been a problem of any sort. I think they are more concerned with my being a "God damn NY Yankee". 😄

3

First, I don't know how you survived the culture shock of moving from NY to MO.
Second, applause!
Third, I live in the Ozarks where proclaiming your faith is normalcy whilst proclaiming your disbelief is still considered heresy. One must tread lightly prior to coming out of the confessional. 🙂

Wear it well.

You got that right! NYC to MO was a HUGE culture shock. I moved here for job opportunity. My first day on the job, someone looked me in the eye, and said, “you’re Jewish?!? I’ve never met a Jew!” I didn’t advertise my religion, but it had come up in conversation, because people talk a lot about their churches in their church activities and stuff like that. There was a lot more to the culture shock than that, but being on the edge of the Bible belt, it was an eye-opener. I eventually met my now ex-wife here. She was from Springfield MO-Theodosia actually. I spent a lot of time visiting her family there. It’s the real Bible Belt for sure!

3

When I was still living as Catholic, I went to church early on a Ash Wednesday. Then I went to a job interview but forgot the symbol in my forefront was on display. Guess what? The interviewer told me he was Jewish (of course), but he had no problem with other people's beliefs as long as they were good workers; anyway, I did not get a call back. Be sure to wear your T-shirt wisely.

frvl Level 4 Dec 6, 2019
3

Many, many moons ago, my girlfriend and I dropped a bit of acid, went to the NSW art gallery, and on a whim decided to go on a public tour of St Mary's Cathedral in central Sydney. It's a magnificent neo-gothic sandstone edifice, and the afternoon sunlight slanting through the stained glass was rather magical.
We had a lovely time, and profusely thanked the nun who lead the tour afterwards. Got quite a weird vibe from her though, and a funny tension from the other people on the tour. Chalked it up to us being pretty wasted, until we got outside when Janey started laughing her arse off and pointing at me.
Then the penny dropped. I was wearing a Suicidal Tendencies 'Possessed to Skate' shirt, compete with skull, goats head and pentagram, and she was wearing a shirt emblazoned with HR Giger's 'Crucifixion'.

Great story!!!

3

Those t-shirts are mild compared to the ones I have seen abortion Abolitionist wear when protesting at clinics. Well, harassing women at clinics Is the accurate description

3

I suppose there can be some usefulness in advertising that you don't abide by common moral values...
(though I'm afraid most don't understand the word agnostic)...

3

Mine never came. I hope it still does.

3

If anyone wants to believe then believe, however don't force your believes on anyone else.

3

Think about 1/3 of the shirts I have express beliefs I have, and since I ordered the agnostic shirt in the dogs size I think no explanation required on advertising religious beliefs.

1of5 Level 8 Dec 5, 2019
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