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| | According the American atheist author Kevin Davis, atheism has an "unshakeable stigma".<ref>[http://www.peacock-panache.com/2016/11/lifetree-meeting-atheism-26370.html An Atheist Walks into a Christian Meeting about Atheism] by Kevin Davis</ref> | | According the American atheist author Kevin Davis, atheism has an "unshakeable stigma".<ref>[http://www.peacock-panache.com/2016/11/lifetree-meeting-atheism-26370.html An Atheist Walks into a Christian Meeting about Atheism] by Kevin Davis</ref> |
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| − | == Atheism and public relations efforts ==
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| − | ''See also:'' [[Atheism and public relations]]
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| − | [[File:Richard Dawkins Cooper Union Shankbone.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|left|Although the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] was always known for [[Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins|his abrasiveness]] and [[Atheism and arrogance|arrogance]], post [[Elevatorgate]] and subsequent to his various embarrassing Twitter posts, many atheists are now asking if he is a liability for the [[atheist movement]].<ref>
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| − | *[http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/richard-dawkins-atheisms-asset-or-liability/2014/08/07/9f19a7a2-1e58-11e4-9b6c-12e30cbe86a3_story.html Richard Dawkins: Atheism’s asset or liability?] by Kimberly Winston, ''Washington Post'', source: ''Religion News Service'', August 7, 2014
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| − | *[http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119596/appetite-wonder-review-closed-mind-richard-dawkins ''The Closed Mind of Richard Dawkins''], New Republic by John Gray
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| − | *[https://twitter.com/jennifurret/status/405391218273554433 Jennifer McCreight on the Twitter about the Elevatorgate scandal]
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| − | *[http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/downs-syndrome-girl-passes-six-4095031 Down's Syndrome girl passes six GCSEs as dad calls Richard Dawkins 'an ignorant idiot'], Mirror by By Grace Macaskill, Aug 23, 2014 15:41
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| − | *[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/21/the-12-stages-of-a-richard-dawkins-twitter-scandal_n_5698443.html The 12-Stage 'Evolution' Of A Richard Dawkins Twitter Scandal] by Paul Vale, The Huffington Post UK, Posted: 22/08/2014 02:06 BST</ref> ]]
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| − | The biggest challenge facing [[atheism|atheist]] public relations efforts is that most theists do not think about atheism and would prefer not to as they it is an [[Atheism and irrationality|unreasonable]], [[Atheism and arrogance|arrogant]] and [[Unattractiveness of atheism|unattractive worldview]]. As a result, many atheist campaigns, particularly one's by [[militant atheism|militant atheists]], are designed to be provocative which has the effect of further lowering the public's view of atheism/atheists (see: [[Atheism and public relations]]).
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| − | In areas of the [[Western World]] where theists are in the majority, atheists on the [[Secular left|left end of the political spectrum]], using the strategy of [[identity politics]], have made various attempts to portray atheists as an oppressed minority, but this has not much lessoned the low opinion and/or antipathy many theists hold towards atheists for multiple reasons.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-oew-thornton18apr18-story.html Disliked, not oppressed] By Paul Thornton, ''LA Times'', April 7, 2007</ref>
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| − | For example, the atheist population in the United States is skewed towards white, atheist men in both adherents and positions of influence within the atheist community (see: [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheism and women]]). So it is difficult for atheists to portray themselves as an oppressed minority.
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| − | Secondly, historically atheists have often used oppressive governmental actions to promote their ideology/[[Atheist worldview|worldview]] (see: [[Militant atheism]] and [[Suppression of alternatives to evolution]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]]). And atheists are not known for the empathy and charitableness (see: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]). And in many cases atheists organizations have acted in a manner that displays [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|an emotional tone deafness]] for the consequences it will have on public opinion (lawsuit to remove a grieving mother's roadside cross erected in memory of her late son who died in an accident, attempted removal of the World Trade Center cross, lawsuits to remove beloved community [[War on Christmas|Christmas manger scenes]], etc.).<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-demand-grieving-mom-take-down-cross-remembering-her-son-116097/ Atheists Demand Grieving Mom Take Down Cross Remembering Her Son] by David French, ''Christian Post'', March 13, 2014</ref><ref>http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-26/us/new.york.wtc.cross_1_atheist-group-american-atheists-cross?_s=PM:US</ref>
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| − | Furthermore, atheists have earned a reputation for arrogance and quarrelsomeness (see: [[Atheism and arrogance]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheist factions]]).
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| − | In addition, atheism is seen as symptom of moral decay and atheists have often promoted and engaged in immorality (see: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Moral failures of the atheist community]]).
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| − | Another problem the atheist community faces in terms of its public perception is its intellectual cowardice that first became noticeable within the [[Western World]] since the 1980s and has continued to the present (see: [[Atheism and cowardice]]).
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| | == See also == | | == See also == |