This is one of several communities to which I belong. I don't believe in things without evidence, be that god or other woo. But that doesn't define me per se.

We are a supportive community if you need it or ever want it.

I very much suspect that some folks become Atheists now because it has that cliché of a popular rebellion. Should it become more or less popular they will leave.

Why would anbody want an Atheists community ? It's not a movement ! I am not a loner , I simply don't believe in any God. I have many friends and some of them are religious but I don't hold it against them its not an issue......

My friend Bart Campolo, a couple other humanists, and I have started a humanist community in Cincinnati, Ohio. I know there are some people who don't miss the group communal aspect of religion, but there are a lot that do and I feel that we are fulfilling a need.

I live by Reason, Common Sense, Logic, and SCIENCE. These are the "medicine" that cure the disease of religion.

From the article: "'God is dead,' Nietzsche wrote, before adding: 'Yet his shadow still looms.' That shadow is in reality our failure to create movements and institutions that can nurture a sense of meaning and belongingness and dignity. Disbelief in God carries little weight without also a faith in ourselves as human beings. Otherwise, we find ourselves in a different kind of hell."

Movements and Institutions it says. It says it's because of our failure to create institutions and movements. I suggest that movements and institutions are artificial constructs from the human mind and, as such, provide a fragile illusion of meaning, belonging, and dignity. Tribal thinking at its destructive best. My gang, your gang, our gang. The way religion gets away with that sort of gaseous logic is by backing it up with reward and punishment constructs that aid in the policing process by making sure no one drifts too far from the accepted illusion. Is that what we want? Is that what we need? To create an atheist shadow that looms? I think not.

The secret to all of this, it seems to me, is for individuals to come to the internal realization that meaning emanates from within. That belonging is no more than realizing that each of us is but a small part of the whole of humanity and we should connect with it and cherish it. That meaning and purpose are what each of us decides they are and that responsibility to the whole should govern those decisions. By coming to these realizations, we provide all we need without illusion. Without phony constructs and symbols and creeds and dogmas and reward and punishment. By doing all of this, we bring dignity to us all. We build something with a fighting chance of survival.

Oh so true. I don't like most people anyway.

Being an atheist was never an issue for me until I moved to Floriduh in '96. Then I became outspoken. North of the Mason-Dixon line and on the west coast people weren't trying to constantly ram religion down your throat.

I don't know about losing faith in reason, I try to apply it every day. I just know I don't need a church for community. There are plenty of secular groups to join that don't involve religion.

If you have lost your faith in reason, what anchors you?

I make a point of not discussing religion with my friends , and we try to show mutual respect for one another . I would like to make more friends , but I'm simply not that desperate for friends .

Faith aside, there are some people I enjoy chatting with, going shopping with or sharing a meal, we don't discuss religion and I do my best to not said, 'god damn it!!' when I swear because I enjoy them as a person. I think my sense of community is satisfied by going to the grocery store.

You're absolutely right! When I was younger (ahem!)..you never, EVER, spoke of atheism because you'd lose friends/be branded! I had to know someone really well before I might hint around to see if they ever doubted the myths. It's only been within the last 20 years or so that we've been ''coming out." I've always treated theists with quiet, grim courtesy and lately, I see the same response if I mention my lack of belief. Things are better...not at all perfect....but better. Sometimes, I credit the gay pride/black pride/transgender ''outings.'' The theists must be reeling, since it's all happening at once.

I still have "faith" in reason. At least my own anyway.
Everyone else? Not so much.
I get all the 'community' I need right here.