Difference between revisions of "An open letter to atheists of America"

Latest revision as of 18:13, 27 October 2023

Dear American Atheists,

What level of concern do you have for the direction that America is heading? Are you ensuring that you’re helping to stop the advancement of Christian Nationalism in America? Join the atheist-only Facebook discussion here.

We believe it is essential for you to be involved in the upcoming elections and ensure that you stop the rise of Christian Nationalism. While this plea is specifically for our American audience, there are some similarities in this story to others from around the world.

Through group polling, we’ve seen that about 80% of our group identifies with left-leaning politics, about 10% are centrist, and about 10% are right-leaning. While we know well that the only thing that atheists must have in common is their shared lack of belief in a god, rejecting religious right wing values is an area of vast agreement within the atheist community.

We understand that some of our members may disagree with our decision to come out decidedly against Republican candidates. We apologize for any alienation this may cause, but we assure you that we value all of our members and consider you an important part of our community. However, the stakes and the costs to atheists if we say nothing are too high.

As a team, we’re not outright endorsing any specific candidate, but we are suggesting that our group members ensure that they use their voice and their vote to push back against Christian extremism in America (and religious extremism around the world).

Over the years, we have seen a steady erosion of protections, especially as it relates to freedom from monotheistic religion in places funded by our tax dollars. This has been exacerbated by the Republican Party’s hypocritical selection process for Supreme Court justices, which has resulted in a 5-4 Conservative majority that includes all 5 Conservative Justices having ties to the Federalist Society, a group that seeks to interpret the Constitution more favorably towards Christians at the expense of secular freedom.

We saw this firsthand in the unprecedented overturning of a previous SCOTUS ruling in Roe v. Wade, an issue that 87% of atheists believe should be legal in all cases.

The Republican Party is also backing candidates who embrace the Seven Mountain Mandate, an evangelical group that seeks to invade every area of society with their “message from god.” This includes Ted Cruz, who has gotten involved in school board elections which seek to place Christian extremists in power to remake the public education of our children, which will stifle scientific learning and supplant it with Christian indoctrination.

The Republican Party has consistently worked with the Heritage Foundation, which has recently released “Project 2025.” Heritage outlines a plan to further Christian Nationalism in America and help the next Republican President overhaul government on day one by replacing those people who will uphold and defend the Constitution with people who will embrace a Christian set of values first and foremost. Project 2025 has been characterized as “a plan to install Trump as a dictator, warning that Trump could prosecute and imprison enemies or overthrow American democracy altogether,” if undefeated “would place the nation on a path to autocracy.” Brynn Tannehill, for Dame magazine, argued that the 902-page document "The Mandate for Leadership" in part "makes eradicating LGBTQ people from public life its top priority"

If we do not push back against Christian Nationalism now, we could see a number of worst-case scenarios for atheists in the upcoming years. These could include:

- The loss of our right to access reproductive healthcare.
- The loss of our right to freedom of speech and expression.
- The degradation of our school system and scientific education.
- The rise of state-sponsored religious discrimination and indoctrination.
- The dismantling of US Climate policy which is already weaker than the science suggests it should be.
- And much worse, feel free to talk about your worst fears in the comments.

We cannot afford to let these things happen. We must get involved in the upcoming elections and vote against Christian Nationalism.
Here are some things you can do to help:
- Register to vote and make sure your friends and family are registered to vote.
- Research the candidates running for office and find out where they stand on issues that are important to you.
- The list of Republicans willing to embrace the Constitution and secular values over Christianity is small. To protect atheists, we are asking for you to use your vote to ensure that Republican candidates are unable to win their elections.
- Understand your local elections! These candidates don’t always have a party affiliation on the ballot. It’s imperative that you protect your local community first, as extremism is making bigger headway at the local level.
- Donate to candidates who support religious freedom and the rights of atheists.
- Volunteer your time to help campaigns that are fighting against Christian Nationalism.
- Remember: Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Let’s stand together against extremism for a better future.

Sincerely,

The Atheism United Moderation Team