The
contributors to and supporters of this site recognize that atheists
too often paint their beliefs in negative terms. We do not wish to
wield that negative brush. In our view, atheists are not merely people
who do not believe in gods, but rather are people who embrace more
secular, but still positive, philosophies. Some seek truth from science,
and from the rationalism and method that support it. Humanists use
ideas from the sciences, the arts, history, literature and other creative
endeavors to pursue ethically sound, reasonable, and compassionate
lives. There are many positive secularists that identify with atheism,
including Pantheists, Humanists, Freethinkers, Brights, and Naturalists.
We regard each of these as positive stances, which therefore are to
be commended.
The
common recourse to negativism is the antithesis to this site and
to this organization. In defining themselves as what they are not,
in our opinion, secular organizations place themselves in a position
from which they cannot hope to gain equal ground with theists. Very
simply, we are who we are rather than who we are not. It
is necessary at times to use the negative in order to illustrate
a specific point. Such instances are certainly not being outlawed
by the positivist slant of our organization. Rather, it is our intent
to make use of the positive wherever it is possible. Further, we
believe that the positive way is possible in the vast majority of
instances.
We
are not simply people without gods. Rather, we are people with a
positive belief in science, in nature, and in one another. |
