I’m an atheist here in ol’ San Antone. It’s been difficult to meet atheists here in town and even harder in school. So I decided to start one! I’m hoping to get it going before the semester is out, and definitely have something ready by August. Once I get things situated with gruop logo, and other designs, I’m planning to return for a request here at CFI for some resources!

Hope to keep in touch with you all on my happenings and progress as well as join in some discussions.

~hopee

Hola from San Antonio!! 

I’m an atheist here in ol’ San Antone. It’s been difficult to meet atheists here in town and even harder in school. So I decided to start one! I’m hoping to get it going before the semester is out, and definitely have something ready by August. Once I get things situated with gruop logo, and other designs, I’m planning to return for a request here at CFI for some resources!

Hope to keep in touch with you all on my happenings and progress as well as join in some discussions.

~hopee

Re: Hola from San Antonio!!

[quote author=“hopee”]I’m an atheist here in ol’ San Antone. It’s been difficult to meet atheists here in town and even harder in school. So I decided to start one! I’m hoping to get it going before the semester is out, and definitely have something ready by August. Once I get things situated with gruop logo, and other designs, I’m planning to return for a request here at CFI for some resources!

Hope to keep in touch with you all on my happenings and progress as well as join in some discussions.

~hopee

Welcome hopee.
I’m surprised to learn there are any atheists there.
Bob

It’s a scary place

Yeah, the atheists I did meet went to UTSA and the group they have there has a bunch of religion haters and members of one group also run the secular group so not much change in ideas because of the people running them. THey like pissing people off and pushing the freedom of speech bit a bit too much. We don’t have anything at the community college where I’m going, so I figured I’d start something that isn’t all ‘You’re stupid for having a religion’ but more open minded freethinkers and atheists. My buddy had one a long while back but the Xians shut it down… hopefully it won’t happen again!

Re: It’s a scary place

[quote author=“hopee”]Yeah, the atheists I did meet went to UTSA and the group they have there has a bunch of religion haters and members of one group also run the secular group so not much change in ideas because of the people running them. THey like pissing people off and pushing the freedom of speech bit a bit too much. We don’t have anything at the community college where I’m going, so I figured I’d start something that isn’t all ‘You’re stupid for having a religion’ but more open minded freethinkers and atheists. My buddy had one a long while back but the Xians shut it down… hopefully it won’t happen again!

hopee,
Good luck with your group.
Bob

How did the Christians shut down the other group?

Yes, definitely stay away from knee-jerk “religion hating” ... gets you nowhere. It’s not intellectually honest, and just serves to stir up the pot to no good end. Instead try to investigate.

Best of luck with it.

[quote author=“dougsmith”]
Yes, definitely stay away from knee-jerk “religion hating” ... gets you nowhere. It’s not intellectually honest, and just serves to stir up the pot to no good end. Instead try to investigate.

Doug,
That’s very good advice.
Bob

Harrassment

Basically the Xians sent people into the group and just worked themselves up to the point where they went to the admin and because of the Xians constant complaining they shut it down.

Odd because it was the atheists who were getting harrassed by having their cars, backpacks, group gatherings messed with to the point where the group thought it best to just go along with the shut down rather than try to resist and gather support to keep it open.

It was about five years or so ago so I’m hoping those crazy people are out of there or not as aggressive towards others of differring opinions.

Re: Harrassment

[quote author=“hopee”]Basically the Xians sent people into the group and just worked themselves up to the point where they went to the admin and because of the Xians constant complaining they shut it down.

Odd because it was the atheists who were getting harrassed by having their cars, backpacks, group gatherings messed with to the point where the group thought it best to just go along with the shut down rather than try to resist and gather support to keep it open.

It was about five years or so ago so I’m hoping those crazy people are out of there or not as aggressive towards others of differring opinions.

Asinine behavior, sorry to hear that. But really it sounds like the admin is as much at fault. Was he/she a “believer” as well?

Area

I don’t think it was so much that the admin was Xian, more like the area is not accomodating for atheists and non-xians. Downtown SA is really a good spot though to voice out opinions that are not mianstream dogma. SAC is really well known for the diversity on campus but there were just too few freethinkers to oppose the majority that are xians.

It’s not so bad now because of the awareness people have now of atheists. This is where the other group comes in but they are really making it hard to start any kind of secular group because of their stunts they have already pulled off flashing the atheist-are-superior-and you’re-stupid-for-believing-in-god attitudes.

This is why I want to get a secular group going that doesn’t put atheists in a negative light and show people NOT ALL ATHEISTS ARE THE SAME!!! It’s hard to get that through with the other group shouting all atheists are hateful towards religions.

<<<<Religion Hater.
Acctually I don’t hate buddhism.  But because I live in the bible belt I have to hate religion silently.

Re: Area

[quote author=“hopee”]This is why I want to get a secular group going that doesn’t put atheists in a negative light and show people NOT ALL ATHEISTS ARE THE SAME!!! It’s hard to get that through with the other group shouting all atheists are hateful towards religions.

CFI-OC does provide a lot of support and advice. Personally, I am a big fan of developing a “mission statement” and sticking to it. It seems that you are seeking to create an organization that promotes tolerance and equality of beliefs. Spell it out when you craft the constitution (usually mandatory for student organizations that seek school funding); and have a good idea of what the organization will do.

That being said, CFI-OC strongly promotes critical inquiry into all endeavors. This often has us questioning religion, though other sacred cows are approached as well. Walking the line that has you saying “atheists don’t hate the religous” & “please come to our talk on why intelligent isn’t science.” (Of course saying ID isn’t science is not an attack on the religious, but it can and will be seen that way—ID is just one example too) is all a matter of presentation and professionalism. That’s where leadership comes in. If you don’t want to be seen as condescending, then don’t be. It may take some time, but it will come through.