More links about Oprah's atheist-shaming, part 1

Upworthy.com by Adam Mordecai:
"Oprah Tells An Atheist She Believes In God. The Atheist Responds Like A Christian. Or Any Human."

Description: "I'm an atheist. PLEASE DON'T CLOSE THIS WINDOW YET! By being an atheist, I am in no way judging others' beliefs. I just lack them. Same with Diana Nyad, the world class swimmer and all-around awesome human being. We still have moral codes, just like everyone else. We just are slightly different. Which Oprah didn't think was possible. However, Oprah recovered nicely toward the end and really listened, which was a pleasant surprise. Yay for civilized conversation!"

Link: http://www.upworthy.com/oprah-tells-an-atheist-she-believes-in-god-the-atheist-responds-like-a-christian-or-any-human

*

Hindustan Times, from Asian News Service:
"Oprah Winfrey mocked by atheists for god advice"

Description: "Oprah Winfrey has come under fire from atheists after she suggested that non-believers cannot experience "awe" and "wonder" of the universe and if they do experience it, then they should believe in god."

Link: http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tabloid/oprah-winfrey-mocked-by-atheists-for-god-advice/article1-1136297.aspx

*

Secular Woman, by multiple contributors:
"Awe and Wonder and Oprah"

Description: "While Oprah almost certainly meant to try to find common ground, she did something far too many religious individuals do without thinking: rather than actually seeking common ground ... she forced atheists into her own religious paradigm." (With a list of reader-contributed answers to the question, "What makes gives atheists a sense of awe and wonder?"

Link: http://www.secularwoman.org/awe_and_wonder

*

Charisma News, by Kimberly Winston for Religious News Service:
"Why the Atheist Agenda Is Furious at Oprah"

Description: "Within a day or two of the broadcast, several prominent atheist leaders and organizations issued statements expressing disappointment with Winfrey. Most saw in the talk show host’s rejection of Nyad’s atheism what polls, studies and often their own experience tell them—that atheists are among the least trusted and least liked Americans."

Link: http://www.charismanews.com/us/41457-why-the-atheist-agenda-is-furious-at-oprah

Shaw on his religion

It's Monday, a day begging for a bit of wit to start the week off right. So enjoy this, the responses playwright George Bernard Shaw gave to a 1931 questionnaire asking about his views on religion.  (links to Slate.com)

Our Oprah ads were on CNN this weekend

The Boston Atheists social media campaign were featured on CNN.

It's great that we're seeing yet more traction with our efforts to alert Oprah Winfrey to the insensitivity of her comments about atheism. This weekend on CNN's "Faces of Faith" segment, Chris Stedman of the Humanist Community at Harvard did a fantastic job speaking to the need for dialogue across the knowledge/belief gap dividing religious and nonreligious communities in the US. A full transcript appears below.

The anchors, interestingly, were, like seemingly uneasy with or unclear as to how an atheist could experience awe and wonder. Mysteriously, the "atheist group" that demands an apology from Oprah isn't anywhere identified as the Boston Atheists! Not that we are surprised that the media would rather reach out to a Humanist representative before an atheist one, to speak about the experience of being a nontheist. 

We know we have a PR challenge ahead of us, insofar as American really do think that atheists aren't good or happy people. That fact is really at the core of Oprah's thoughtless comments.

Please continue to share the #atheistawesome tag on social media, to invite @Oprah and @OWNtv to dialogue about the issue of atheist identity. And share the images in our Boston Atheists Oprah images gallery, as featured on the Friendly Atheist blog! You can find the full set on Facebook.

Transcript of the CNN piece:

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#12)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, won't you tell your audience that atheists have feelings too? #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#11)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, you've spoken up for equality so many times... how about now? #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#10)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, when you deny someone's identity, you dehumanize them.. #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#8)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, any time is a good time to apologize for insensitivity. #atheistawesome

#atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#7)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, do you know how many of your viewers and readers are atheists?  #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#6)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV,  the damage done by thoughtless words can be undone with dialogue.  #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#5)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, a lot of people were hurt when you denied your guest's atheist identity.  #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#4)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag #atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, atheists sure can feel awe & wonder. If you don't get it, let us educate you! #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#3)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag #atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@OWNTV, atheists want to know if @Oprah is willing to reexamine the bias her comments showed. #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#2)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag #atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, are you talking to anyone in the secular community? We're hoping for a response! #atheistawesome

For Oprah: Don't relabel atheists! (#1)

In response to Oprah Winfrey's biased comments against atheists in an October 2013 interview, the Boston Atheists are asking for support in asking her for an apology and some gesture of acknowledgment and affirmation toward the secular community. Whether that means inviting she invites Edwina Rogers, Eddie Izzard, and Stephen Fry for a sit-down on camera to talk about secular activism and atheist aesthetics, depends entirely on how much noise we can make about this! Please spread these images widely, and credit them to the Boston Atheists(a local affiliate of American Atheists. More will be posted in coming days, under the tag atheistawesome.

Tweet this image to the Oprah team! Suggested language:

@Oprah and @OWNTV, are you talking to anyone in the secular community? We're hoping for a response! #atheistawesome

Oprah: "Atheists don't feel awe and wonder." Niose: (facepalm)

David Niose, President of the Secular Coalition for America (and, being a MA resident himself, one of the key supporters of the Secular Coalition for Massachusetts), has written a bang-up piece explaining why Oprah's prominence multiplies the injury of her negative view of atheism:

Oprah, exalted by so many but oblivious to the fact that she is dehumanizing atheists, does more to perpetuate negative attitudes toward nonbelievers than Pat Robertson or James Dobson ever could. The general public takes comments from Robertson and Dobson with a grain of salt – but Oprah, as a media tycoon and a beloved celebrity whose opinions are taken seriously by millions, has just confirmed that atheists are "the other," outsiders who just don't belong in the in-group. (And the evidence is clear that atheists are indeed widely, and wrongly, scorned in America. With commentary such as Oprah's, we can see why.)

Read the full piece at Psychology Today. And take a moment to tweet to Oprah or to the staff at her television network, @OWNtv... ask them when we're going to hear Oprah walking-back her comments, or when she's going to invite an atheist or several on-camera, to explore the depth and breadth of the atheist's capacity to feel awe and wonder