Ok, let me just start off by saying that not all white atheists are racist dicks, or even just dicks. Some of my best friends are white atheists and none of them are racist, at least as far as I know, and none of them — ok, well, maybe some of them, ok, a lot of them — are dicks. And to be honest, I’m an agnostic, and I am definitely a dick, though definitely not a racist.
Well, actually, the other night I had a dream in which I was sort of in a comedy/action movie, and maybe also sort of writing the screenplay of that movie — it starred Clive Owen — and I have to kind of sort of admit that one of the characters was a sort of colorful sidekick who drove a cab and had lots of wisdom and who just happened to be a Jamaican-accented black woman, and I realize that’s sort of a stereotyped role, I mean, why couldn’t she be the hero of the thing, instead of Clive Owen (though admittedly he was doing a bang-up job in the part. I think I might have a little man-crush on Clive Owen). Does that — the sidekick thing, not the Clive Owen thing — make me maybe a little bit racist? I promise to do better in the future in casting my comedy/action movie dreams.
Anyway, the whole point of this post is that sometimes, jsut sometimes, atheists can act in ways that seem just a little bit racist, or at the very least racially obtuse, and not only while they’re asleep.
I ran across this interesting article by Carole McDonnell describing some of her experiences, as a black Christian, dealing with white atheists online and off. Some choice tidbits:
Whenever a white atheist hears that I’m a Christian, the first thing he brings up is Christianity and slavery. When they do this, I wonder: “What ploy do atheists use against white Christians? … And do they all go to the same school, a school which tells them that when talking to a black Christian they must always discuss slavery and race?”
Because I’m black AND a writer, I suppose they think that I should behave like a true enlightened black person – one who is free from the evils of Christianity. But why this fixation on slavery? … I certainly wouldn’t mind white atheists trying to destroy my faith by philosophical and existentialist arguments. When they argue religion with white folks, that’s the route they probably take, right? … Don’t they think I’m deep enough to discourse about Hegel, Mill, Pascal, or Nietzsche?
I would say “you go girl!” but that would be a little bit patronizing and, well, maybe just a little bit racist. (Is it ok if I say that sometimes to myself?)
3 Comments
June 11, 2008 at 9:50 am
The same reason atheists concentrate on gender when dealing with women, or sexuality when dealing with gays- because there is the big question “How the heck can you stay with a religion that considers you garbage”?
June 11, 2008 at 9:57 am
Also, pure agnostic is sort of nonsense. Agnostic is about knowledge- atheism and theism are about belief. Unless you are a 50-50 agnostic; something most people take as being intentionally annoying.
October 8, 2009 at 7:59 am
It isnt being rascist…it’s just a typical argument that athiests use against christians…has nothing to do with color…but it comes up first because its a hot button and its prolly the first argument or “contradiction” they can think of because they are debating a brown dude or girl….ya dig? does that make them rascist because they see a black person and they think slavery was a tradegy before any other thoughts pop in there head? quite the opposite. Its actually a good thing…if white people never remembered it and pretended it didnt exist,…now thats a sad thought…., so it’s likened to arguing the bible with a feminist and bringing up a womans subservience…its a debate tactic, nothing more…dont read too far into it really lol…its a silly thought