Stigmas confronted by Atheist League

Daniela Valdez Guest Writer

The April 2006 issue of The American Sociological Review published a study on race, religion, and cultural diversity in the United States. This publication is one of the first of a three-year study conducted by the American Mosaic Project of the University of Minnesota. The national study, based on a telephone survey of more than 2,000 households and in-depth interviews with more than 140 people, reported that “Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, homosexuals and other groups as ‘sharing their vision of American society.’ Americans are also least willing to let their children marry atheists.” Penny Edgell, lead researcher in a study of American attitudes towards atheism noted, “Americans traditionally have been a religious people and associate faith with being a good citizen.”

These unsettling findings prompted Erica Seigneur ’09 and other Vassar students to create the Atheist League in spring 2006. The Atheist League focuses on breaking popular misconceptions about atheism, and providing a collective voice for students alienated by their stigmatized beliefs. Seigneur explained, “We want to show that blind faith in a higher power doesn’t have a monopoly on things such as morality, community, generosity, or patriotism."

For students who consider themselves atheists, agnostics, or even those who identify with a particular religion, Atheist League meetings provide a forum for the discussion of unique views and opinions. Although no formal relationship exists between the Atheist League and other religious groups, Seigneur said that their “meetings and events are completely open to anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs or affiliations. And although we certainly discuss God, religion, and spiritual belief, it’s important to mention that atheism is not a religion, and we are not a religious group. Or as Don Hirschberg puts it, ‘Calling atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color’.”

A typical Vassar organization, the League holds meetings every Thursday during which they munch on cookies and treats, review their agenda, and make quirky posters to catch students’ attention. The League’s typical campus activities include hosting discussions and movie screenings relevant to their cause. Currently, a host of activities are in the works, including screenings of the movie Saved!, an Easter egg hunt and inviting speakers to campus. The League has not been certified by the Vassar Student Association (VSA), and enjoys the freedoms of an autonomous organization.

“We independently fund all of our events,” said Seigneur. “[We] feel that being an official club would only add restrictions to what we can do or say.”

Cookies, movie screenings, and the Easter egg hunt are all mutually funded by the group members. For larger, more costly events, donations are requested from national atheist organizations such as The Center for Inquiry, American Atheists, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

Students should look out for the Atheist League’s upcoming publication, which, according to Seigneur, “will feature personal essays from atheists, agnostics, and even a few theists about why we believe what we believe.” The publication will hopefully reflect the group’s founding ideal of broadening general attitudes towards less conventional beliefs by presenting and challenging a range of perspectives.

Seigneur said, “We will also have a few pointer/counter-point debates about relevant issues, and other articles about the relationships between god, atheism, religion and humanity.”