Atheist Leader

[David]

Can anyone make a case for a general leader of the atheist movement,I guess If we had one we would be hypocrites for elevating someone who would maybe become god like in the future
Most causes have a spokesman/woman, leader , figurehead ..,anyone like to volunteer!
Does atheism need one?

[Jmpty]

The people who don't collect stamps don't have a leader.

[David]

The people who don't collect stamps don't have a leader.

Does this mean (I think) non philatelists are roaming the world leaderless :rollin:

[stromboli]

There is no movement.
atheism is the individual realization that there is no god. Welcome.

[SkepticOfMyOwnMind]

There is no movement.
atheism is the individual realization that there is no god. Welcome.

That's not entirely true. There are atheists in general, then there are atheist movements - e.g. Atheism+, Secular Humanism, Objectivism, "New Atheism", and Communism (People's Republic of China, Soviet Union).

Can anyone make a case for a general leader of the atheist movement,I guess If we had one we would be hypocrites for elevating someone who would maybe become god like in the future
Most causes have a spokesman/woman, leader , figurehead ..,anyone like to volunteer!
Does atheism need one?

I would say atheism needs leaders - plural. A movement is far more resilient when it can be taken further than one individual. I would also say atheism has (and had) multiple leaders, each with slightly different focus and ideas. I don't think of atheism as one person's idea, but a trend dependent on general well-being, education, and free thinking. People will (tend to) break free from superstition when they feel confident, become free from mental slavery (via social control, mental conditioning, and norms), and understand the world around them.

Atheist Leaders:

• Bertrand Russel
• Carl Sagan
• Richard Dawkins
• Sam Harris
• Madalyn Murray O'Hair
• Stephen Hawking
• Greta Christina
• etc.

[Plu]

"Atheism" doesn't have leaders; it can't have leaders.

Groups of atheists, on the other hand, can (and do) have leaders. But it's the choice of their own members to be subjected to their leaders. Same with pretty much any other group.

I don't accept any leadership over me from any atheists, though. I'm not a member of any groups.

[mykcob4]

Can anyone make a case for a general leader of the atheist movement,I guess If we had one we would be hypocrites for elevating someone who would maybe become god like in the future
Most causes have a spokesman/woman, leader , figurehead ..,anyone like to volunteer!
Does atheism need one?

Madelane Murry O'Hare, that is if her born again son didn't murder her and we can actually find her.

[stromboli]

"Atheism" doesn't have leaders; it can't have leaders.

Groups of atheists, on the other hand, can (and do) have leaders. But it's the choice of their own members to be subjected to their leaders. Same with pretty much any other group.

I don't accept any leadership over me from any atheists, though. I'm not a member of any groups.

A movement is a group of people working together to achieve a goal. In other words, achieving a specific thing. Not believing in a god or any god is not a specific goal, it is a mindset or statement of opinion.

Twelve people declaring they don't believe in god is not a movement. Twelve people working for a specific goal within the framework of atheism is.

[leo]

I don't like belonging to groups.

[aitm]

I of course will sacrifice my time for this great honor. You guys accumulate my 190,000 yearly salary, a auto that is in keeping with my status: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/dr ... ar_f_type/

a good learned [s:gcqluf7v]secretary[/s:gcqluf7v] associate who is multi-talented to keep me up to date on the important news:
http://www.gq.com/women/photos/201207/k ... -july-2012

you guys line those up and I will handle the office myself. Yer welcome.

[Jason78]

I would say atheism needs leaders - plural.

Wait...  What?  Do we get a vote on this or something?

[Brian37]

Can anyone make a case for a general leader of the atheist movement,I guess If we had one we would be hypocrites for elevating someone who would maybe become god like in the future
Most causes have a spokesman/woman, leader , figurehead ..,anyone like to volunteer!
Does atheism need one?

You don't need a "leader" in a movement. You need individuals who stay individuals. Some will rise to more influence than others. The key isn't to say "we should follow this person" or "this set of dogma". The key is to be diverse and open. Because even outside the label "atheist" that is all humans really are, diverse.

I cant begin to tell you all the atheists I have had fights with. And that is good as well. It shows believers that we are not "goose stepping" Hitler lovers.

We do better when we are diverse, not when we insist we act or be a certain way.

[Sleeper]

Jim Tackleberry is the leader of a-ghost-ism and Tim Clorifigian is the leader of a-ufo-ism.

[ApostateLois]

I would say atheism needs leaders - plural. A movement is far more resilient when it can be taken further than one individual. I would also say atheism has (and had) multiple leaders, each with slightly different focus and ideas. I don't think of atheism as one person's idea, but a trend dependent on general well-being, education, and free thinking. People will (tend to) break free from superstition when they feel confident, become free from mental slavery (via social control, mental conditioning, and norms), and understand the world around them.

Atheist Leaders:

• Bertrand Russel
• Carl Sagan
• Richard Dawkins
• Sam Harris
• Madalyn Murray O'Hair
• Stephen Hawking
• Greta Christina
• etc.

I don't think they are leaders so much as people who are famous for their atheism because they are more vocal about it, and better at expressing their opinions in the written word than most other people. I doubt any of them would ever admit to leading, or wanting to lead, anyone to do, say, or think anything. I think Sagan would have called himself a teacher of science before labeling himself an atheist.

[SkepticOfMyOwnMind]

I would say atheism needs leaders - plural. A movement is far more resilient when it can be taken further than one individual. I would also say atheism has (and had) multiple leaders, each with slightly different focus and ideas. I don't think of atheism as one person's idea, but a trend dependent on general well-being, education, and free thinking. People will (tend to) break free from superstition when they feel confident, become free from mental slavery (via social control, mental conditioning, and norms), and understand the world around them.

Atheist Leaders:

• Bertrand Russel
• Carl Sagan
• Richard Dawkins
• Sam Harris
• Madalyn Murray O'Hair
• Stephen Hawking
• Greta Christina
• etc.

I don't think they are leaders so much as people who are famous for their atheism because they are more vocal about it, and better at expressing their opinions in the written word than most other people. I doubt any of them would ever admit to leading, or wanting to lead, anyone to do, say, or think anything. I think Sagan would have called himself a teacher of science before labeling himself an atheist.

Leader

• "a person who rules, guides, or inspires others; head"
• ("leader." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 28 Jul. 2013. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leader>.)

The people I listed, esp. Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and Carl Sagan, would be happy to see their work change others' behavior. Each of those people expressed as much - some less forcefully than others.

Near the end of his life, Carl Sagan wrote the book "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark", in which he criticizes and demotes superstition, conspiracy theories, more extreme religious views, etc. He even described an invisible, intangible, inaudible, pink, flying dragon to show why he put so little stock in religious/superstitious beliefs. Carl Sagan probably didn't like the label of "atheist" that much, but he did label himself an atheist at one point. Sagan continuously promoted science and evidence-based reasoning over superstition, which is important to many atheists today.