Connections

[pam]

It seems we atheists are ”coming out” everywhere! Do you think changing attitudes on homophobia have anything to do with it? Or is it a coincidence?

[pam]

(Sorry…I forgot to click the “notify me of follow-ups” button the first time.)

[Simon Mathews]

Hi Pam, I think changing attitudes to homosexuality and more atheists sticking their heads above the parapet are related. As the world becomes more connected and less parochial minority groups benefit. There is less opportunity for those desperate to maintain the status quo to silence those they consider weird or different.

[Milton Platt]

There may be correlation but it would be hard to establish causation. Maybe both are caused by the same underlying trends in society?

[pam]

A lessening of religious influence on society is giving MANY of us ”breaks,” whether we’re gay, atheist, transgender, involved in mixed-race relationships, etc.

[Strega]

I honestly think that tolerance and acceptance have been tremendously accelerated by the advent of the Internet. It enables people to experience societal influences from outside of their own community. Television and radio news had the adverse effect of installing fear of unknown communities. The Internet is the worlds biggest ever experiment in anarchy, and it’s amazing what knowledge can do to dissipate fear.

Yay! Internet!

[pam]

And I’m SURE you’re right, Strega! Thinking about how many distant friends we make on the ‘net and how easily we can be honest and share thoughts, etc….

“An experiment in anarchy?”…..unintended consequences, perhaps?

[Author]

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