Since it is currently en vogue in the atheist community to start "new waves of atheism," I've decided that I'm going to start one too. I present to you the new new wave of atheism, called The Atheism Wave. If you love atheism, waves, and new versions of either, here you go...
Are You a W.A.V.E.R?
Those who are part of The Atheism Wave are called "Wavers." "WAVER" is an acronym for "We Are Vocal, Empathic, (&) Respectful." A Waver upholds the "Three Rs" of social justice: Reason, Respect, and Rights. I even created a banner for this new new wave of atheism:
Am I being facetious/satirical/jovial? Certainly, and perhaps even ironic as well. Nevertheless, in the midst of this lighthearted poking of fun at ourselves as a community, there's a serious message here. I titled this entry by saying "I am the new wave of atheism." I mean that wholeheartedly. Yes, this proclamation is a satirical wink at the notion that one can (or should try to) usher in a "new wave" of atheism, but in a very non-joking manner, I mean to say that I am the new wave of atheism. Who am I? Nobody. Just another somebody. I could be anybody. But I am one voice, and though it is small and oftentimes weak, I seek to join my voice with the voices of others, and together we will take a stand for truth, tolerance, justice, peace, and equality.
I am the new wave of atheism. And so are you. And so is Jen McCreight. And so are all the well-meaning folks who have aligned themselves with the Atheism+ sect. And so is any atheist - regardless of which silly labels one uses to describe oneself - who wants to see a change, not only within the atheist community, but in our society, and ultimately our world.
We are:
Vocal. This is not to say we should get up in people's faces. Far from it. It simply means we do our best to not hide who we are. This is easier said than done. Believe me, I know. I live it. But the more of us who speak out against bigotry, the more of us who can admit openly what we believe - and don't believe - the more of us who are able to come out of our closets and lower the shield of anonymity, the more positive change we can make. We speak for those who cannot. There are those who cannot yet "come out" and be vocal about their atheism. They fear losing their jobs or family relationships. Those of us who can be vocal should be vocal, in order to help smooth the road for those who currently can't be vocal.
Empathic. As an atheist who was once a Christian, I remember what it was like to be on the "other side of the fence." I remember the mindset, the attitude, the fears, the concerns. When your religious friends and family members discover that you're an atheist, many of them will lash out, insult you, judge you, condemn you, sometimes even try to disown you. I'm not saying that behavior is right. I'm saying we should be more understanding of why they are reacting so poorly. If we show them our love, patience, and forgiveness, we might be able to one day get through to them. Maybe one day they will learn how to overcome their bias and accept us. But if not, at least we can take comfort in the fact that we took the high road, and they didn't rob us of our heart.
Respectful. We should encourage healthy, rational conversation about the issues that matter most, whether concerning religion, atheism, human rights, equality, fairness, sexism, racism, homosexuality, et al. Disrespectfulness should not be tolerated. We can disagree with each other and still maintain proper decorum. I've mentioned a few times the Rules of Engagement that I maintain on my blog (and try to maintain in my life), and I mention them again here to drive home the point further.
The whole point of The Atheism Wave is to rally in support of the "Three Rs" of social justice: Reason, Respect, and Rights. We support reason. We do not claim to be more reasonable than others; we only express our desire to promote reason and live according to reason. We maintain respect. I've talked about this already. I'll add that this respect also refers to treating others with dignity, and treating everyone as equals, regardless of our differences. And we defend rights: human rights in particular, including (but not limited to) respect and equality for all, regardless of race, sex, gender, size, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, lifestyle, or geographic location. Our differences should be celebrated, not ignored or shamed.
How Can I Become an Atheist W.A.V.E.R?
The first thing you have to do is keep in mind that the label "Waver" and the new new wave of atheism called The Atheist Wave are meant to be used with one's tongue firmly in cheek. Why? Because it doesn't matter one single chicken finger licking bit what label you decide to use or not use. Don't take yourself so seriously. Have a Coke and a smile and chill the fuck out. That said, if you want to become a part of this awesome new new wave of atheism, all you have to do is submit a picture of yourself doing "the atheist wave." You can interpret that however you like. For an example of what kind of picture you can submit, here is a picture of me doing "the atheist wave":
Hello, neighbor.
I will put all submissions here on the blog, as well as on Dead-Logic's Facebook page and Tumblr page. Send your picture to: budcube [AT] gmail [dot] com. Be a part of The Atheist Wave. All the cool kids are doing it.
— Dead-Logic
And speaking of en vogue:
When I was in high school, I wanted to marry all of them. All. of. them.
UPDATE 9/14/2012: Check out The Atheism Wave page on Dead-Logic. It's a supplementary source of information on this new new wave of atheism!
