How to Secretly Speak Up About Atheism

How to Secretly Speak Up About Atheism

I've received messages from a lot of you who want to talk about atheism publicly -- on YouTube, or on a blog, or on Facebook, but you can't.

Maybe you live at home and you're afraid your parents will find out. Or you're married and don't want your spouse to find out. That's awkward.

Or you live in a conservative Christian majority state and you're afraid going public will hurt your job prospects.

Whatever the reason, let me offer two quick tips:

First, and this sounds obvious, I know, do it anonymously. 

I know a lot of ex-Muslims who use a fake name online because they're saying some very critical things. I know some famous atheists who use fake names because they were concerned at first, and then the name just stuck. 

You can do that on a blog. You can do that on Twitter. Even on YouTube, there are many atheists who don't put their faces in front of the screen when they speak.

When it comes down to it, what's more important? Getting your story and your message out there, or making sure your real name is attached to it? No contest, it's the first.

And if you ever get to the point where you can be public about your beliefs, great! 

But if you're afraid of putting anything out there, for fear someone may figure out it's you, there is another option.

Keep educating yourself. Keep reading books and articles about religion. Watch debates. Learn about the issues. 

Understand how various religions work, and how they control and influence people,

So that when the time comes that you can speak out, you're as informed as you possibly can be. 

It's so annoying when people talk about topics they seriously don't know much about. We all know people who do it. I know many of you feel I fall in that category.

But you can fix that. Become an expert in some area of religion that you think people don't really get -- whether it's a particular faith that doesn't get talked about much, or a certain belief that does far more harm than good.

I have learned so much from listening to or reading articles written by people who really understood the Jehovah's Witnesses, or Mormonism, or specific branches of fundamentalist Christianity, or how children specifically suffer from harmful religious beliefs, the list goes on. 

I've learned a lot from atheists who really know how to debate Christians.

You don't necessarily need a Ph.D. to understand these topics in depth, either. You just need to read up on it -- and know what the other side says -- and know how to respond. 

Again: Just educate yourself. Eventually, it will pay off.

Whatever you do, don't tell yourself, "I don't know enough. I'm not good enough. I shouldn't say anything." It's just wrong. The more honest, sincere, voices we have out there, the better.

I know a lot of people who talk about atheism for a living and as a hobby. I'm telling you: No matter how small their YouTube subscriber base was, or how few people they thought were listening to their podcasts, they always heard from people who took something valuable away from it.

Always.

Just put yourself out there, anonymously or not. It will help people.

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[Annie_Annie__]

I needed this video today. Every year as the holidays approach I get anxious. As my son gets older, family members feel able to talk to him about God or Jesus. My husband and I aren't 'out' to most of our family. We know that if we make our views known, and make it known that we're raising our son areligiously, a great many of our family members will feel it is their Christian duty to "bring him the word of God." And if they know we're opposed to it, they'll tell him in secret.
I do NOT want one of my grandparents or an aunt pulling my 7-year-old aside and telling him that God will throw him in to a lake of fire if he doesn't believe in God and go to Church.
Most of my family are evangelicals and many are fundies.

I can remember having recurring nightmares about hell because of sermons I'd heard from the pastor or lectures from the Sunday School teacher. I do not want my child exposed to that.
But every year it gets harder to hide our adamant lack of faith and it makes me so anxious.

[georgem]

Proud atheist since age ten, and I tell everyone.

[bulletpro]

I feel so lucky to have atheist parents

[prettyloco]

I don't tell people that I'm an atheist. When they bring up religion, I just change the topic. 😑

[mrs.magical]

I think I'm going to start an anonymous twitter account about atheism....

[Someone-cdyi]

religion just doesn't make sense, that's why I rejected that shit immediately

[evanpakos]

I'm age 14 and a proud atheist. But I feel frustrated that religion has such a deep root in families and people so their ideals will never change. Maybe some explanation on what religion does the people and families? Thanks lover your channel!

[isuckatlifemutechannel]

My girlfriend broke up with me because I'm an atheist, after a year and 5 months... am I mad at religion? No am I mad at her for not being with me from the start? Yup, could have just been friends and not have a relationship. Unfortunate but it happens

[WhtetstoneFlunky]

My boyfriend and I talked about religion a few months after we started dating. I told him I was an atheist and the basics of how I came to that conclusion: there is simply no good evidence that a god exists. Get beyond that and what you are left with is a vast choice of religious beliefs, and of course none of which are based on evidence. He told me that he was Lutheran had never thought about religion, he just accepted it. I told him that like all other important things in his life, he ought to do a bit of unbiased research into religion and for that matter, the entire concept of a god. It was a friendly, no pressure conversation that he found enlightening.

[nsoper]

I find it totally bizarre that this man feels judged for being athiest. Where I am in the UK it is the complete opposite. Nobody is embarresed about being an athiest.

[Ahmad-hypc]

you're one of the very few youtubers that still talk about atheism.

[nathnaeltesfaye]

Can u make a video on how religion hurts children?

[andyllocomotive]

Guys... humanity is doomed. We have had religious beliefs since the beginning of time and that didn't stop us from innovating, but I believe we as humans have reached a crossroad. My biggest issue is how there are stem cell laws. There's also abortion issues, gay rights issues, etc. My guess is that it only gets worse from here. Maybe we'll destroy ourselves in 1000 years, who knows. But if we could just get past this religion thing and focus on facts and science, we'd be unstoppable. I feel like if we really just let religion go, humans would come together like never before. But this is unrealistic.

[nicholasressler]

My whole family is Christian but I'm atheist and I don't know if I should tell them (I'm 12)

[neddy_b_trucking]

The good thing about atheism is that we are actually right.
When you hear an argument you never heard before you can just look it up.
And if you hear an argument that leads you to believing there's a god that's fine too.
we're the only people willing to fallow evidence toward the truth without any hesitation.
Every time you speak sense to a religious person they just assert something as true.

[Wheelie.Bin.]

What you're doing is definitely valuable, thank you.

[NumeMoon]

I think my "atheism expertise" is basically just remembering that most of my family are still indoctrinated in the Christian faith. These aren't stupid people, my family. They aren't poorly educated or entirely naive. When I first realized I was an atheist, I was angry and resentful. I took it out on a lot of online Christians. I wanted to tear their blinders off, but I've learned that it's not for me to decide for them anymore than it is for them to decide for me. I've learned to be more patient and empathetic to people with faith _most of the time._ I think that's important in order for atheists to gain more respect.

All my anger and resentment was because I felt lied to, but no one actually _lied_ to me. They told me what they _believe._ There's a difference between being _lied_ to and being given information that isn't necessarily true.

[Chmms]

Glad i am free to beleive, or not Beleive, in whatever i want

[jcfh]

Thank you so much for putting yourself out here like this. I live in the South and have been an atheist since I was 8. But it is social taboo still. People either feel sorry because you’ve “rejected” theism or act as though you are somehow a threat and label you as either ignorant or smug. Lose-lose. Still, I don’t hide it when situations come up where you are expected to join in-no praying 🙏 or thanking a god for me. I find strength and purpose in knowing what matters is what we do in the here and now.

[justme-onbn]

As a former Jehovah's Witness, the information you provided is extremely helpful as compared to what I was being taught before! Love you Hement :)