Changes

{{Cquote|Like any good marketer, Silverman says he has sales figures proving his approach is working. In a [http://youtu.be/oX9x_952Pt4 talk] he gave about firebrand atheism, he claimed that his data, based on an analysis of Google searches for the word “atheist” performed over the past several years, shows that his in-your-face approach is working.<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/04/the-case-against-in-your-face-atheism.html ''The Case Against In-Your-Face Atheism'']</ref>}}  

{{Cquote|Like any good marketer, Silverman says he has sales figures proving his approach is working. In a [http://youtu.be/oX9x_952Pt4 talk] he gave about firebrand atheism, he claimed that his data, based on an analysis of Google searches for the word “atheist” performed over the past several years, shows that his in-your-face approach is working.<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/04/the-case-against-in-your-face-atheism.html ''The Case Against In-Your-Face Atheism'']</ref>}}  

However, according to Google trends data for the USA/world, searches for the word "atheist" have been plunging since April of 2012 and continue to plunge downwards (See also: [[Google trends - Atheism and agnosticism terms]]). <ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=atheist&geo=US&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - Atheist - USA]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=atheist&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - Atheist - Global searches]</ref> Silverman still does not recognize that [[New Atheism]] was merely a fad and now a more docile atheism has taken its place.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2011/01/19/3116506.htm The poverty of the new atheism] by Scott Stephens</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danthropology/2015/12/uproar-against-dawkins-is-sign-of-new-atheism-retrogression/ Uproar Against Dawkins Is Sign of New Atheism Retrogression] by Joshua Kelly</ref><ref>[http://www.firstthings.com/article/2010/05/believe-it-or-not Believe It or Not] by David Bentley Hart</ref>

However, according to Google trends data for the USA/world, searches for the word "atheist" have been plunging since April 2012 and continue to plunge downwards (See also: [[Google trends - Atheism and agnosticism terms]]).<ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=atheist&geo=US&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - Atheist - USA]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=atheist&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - Atheist - Global searches]</ref> Silverman still does not recognize that [[New Atheism]] was merely a fad and now a more docile atheism has taken its place.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2011/01/19/3116506.htm The poverty of the new atheism] by Scott Stephens</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danthropology/2015/12/uproar-against-dawkins-is-sign-of-new-atheism-retrogression/ Uproar Against Dawkins Is Sign of New Atheism Retrogression] by Joshua Kelly</ref><ref>[http://www.firstthings.com/article/2010/05/believe-it-or-not Believe It or Not] by David Bentley Hart</ref>

In addition, since its 2012 high point due the [[Reason Rally 2012|2012 Reason Rally]], the number of Google searches in the United States for the term "David Silverman" has gone down significantly (The [[Reason Rally 2016|2016 Reason Rally]] was a failure in terms of it attendance).<ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=David%20Silverman&geo=US&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - David Silverman - Google USA]</ref> In July of 2016, worldwide Google searches for the term "David Silverman" is nearly as low as it was in June of 2006 which was its lowest point in recent history.<ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=David%20Silverman&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - David Silverman - Global searches]</ref> See also; [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]]

In addition, since its 2012 high point due the [[Reason Rally 2012|2012 Reason Rally]], the number of Google searches in the United States for the term "David Silverman" has gone down significantly (The [[Reason Rally 2016|2016 Reason Rally]] was a failure in terms of it attendance).<ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=David%20Silverman&geo=US&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - David Silverman - Google USA]</ref> In July 2016, worldwide Google searches for the term "David Silverman" is nearly as low as it was in June 2006 which was its lowest point in recent history.<ref>[https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=David%20Silverman&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4 Google trends - David Silverman - Global searches]</ref> See also; [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]]

== Incident relating to Richard Dawkins/Rebecca Watson ==

== Incident relating to Richard Dawkins/Rebecca Watson ==

=== Most secular organizations avoid using the word atheist/atheism in their organization name ===

=== Most secular organizations avoid using the word atheist/atheism in their organization name ===

With the exception of a minority of atheist/agnostic organizations ([[Atheist Alliance International]], Atheist Center, Atheist Foundation of Australia, The Atheist Agenda, Seattle Atheists, etc.}, most secular organizations do not use the words atheism/atheist within the name of their organizations.<ref>[http://www.seculardirectory.org/find-a-group/ The Secular Directory]</ref><ref>[http://infidels.org/org/ Secular organizations]</ref> Instead they use the words such as secular/skeptics/[[secular humanism|humanist]]/rationalist/ [[Freethinker|freethought]], etc. The reason is twofold: it enables the organizations to appeal to both atheists/agnostics and the words atheist/atheism have a bad reputation among the general public (see: [[Views on atheists]]).  The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Sam Harris]] said concerning the label of atheist, "It's right next to child molester as a designation."<ref name="Harris">Roberts, Jessica, et al. (June 19, 2007).  [http://news21.com/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist "Interview with an atheist"].  News21.  Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-poll-90-believe-god-97611 NEWSWEEK Poll: 90% Believe in God], ''Newsweek'' 2007</ref>

With the exception of a minority of atheist/agnostic organizations ([[Atheist Alliance International]], Atheist Center, Atheist Foundation of Australia, The Atheist Agenda, Seattle Atheists, etc.), most secular organizations do not use the words atheism/atheist within the name of their organizations.<ref>[http://www.seculardirectory.org/find-a-group/ The Secular Directory]</ref><ref>[http://infidels.org/org/ Secular organizations]</ref> Instead they use the words such as secular/skeptics/[[secular humanism|humanist]]/rationalist/ [[Freethinker|freethought]], etc. The reason is twofold: it enables the organizations to appeal to both atheists/agnostics and the words atheist/atheism have a bad reputation among the general public (see: [[Views on atheists]]).  The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Sam Harris]] said concerning the label of atheist, "It's right next to child molester as a designation."<ref name="Harris">Roberts, Jessica, et al. (June 19, 2007).  [http://news21.com/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist "Interview with an atheist"].  News21.  Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/newsweek-poll-90-believe-god-97611 NEWSWEEK Poll: 90% Believe in God], ''Newsweek'' 2007</ref>

The American public has a very negative view of atheists (see: [[Views on atheists]]). Thus, the American Atheist organization has a branding problem in terms of the name of its organization.

The American public has a very negative view of atheists (see: [[Views on atheists]]). Thus, the American Atheist organization has a branding problem in terms of the name of its organization.

== Controversial Billboard ==

== Controversial Billboard ==

The American Atheists organization sponsored an aggressive and controversial billboard and an interview with [[Fox News]] occurred as a result of the billboard [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XEgkViLbTk VIDEO].  The president of American Atheists [[David Silverman]] has a degree in [[marketing]]. But despite his degree in marketing, according to fellow [[atheist]] and [[evolution]]ist [[PZ Myers]], Silverman was stuck defending a "badly designed, ugly" sign.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/that_controversial_oreilly_int.php</ref>

The American Atheists organization sponsored an aggressive and controversial billboard and an interview with [[Fox News]] occurred as a result of the billboard [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XEgkViLbTk VIDEO].  The president of American Atheists David Silverman has a degree in [[marketing]]. But despite his degree in marketing, according to fellow [[atheist]] and [[evolution]]ist [[PZ Myers]], Silverman was stuck defending a "badly designed, ugly" sign.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/that_controversial_oreilly_int.php</ref>

== American Atheist organization and Christmas ==

== American Atheist organization and Christmas ==