Changes

The first '''Reason Rally''' held in 2012 was billed as the largest [[Atheist conferences|secular event]] in world history.<ref>

The first '''Reason Rally''' held in 2012 was billed as the largest [[Atheist conferences|secular event]] in world history.<ref>

*[http://www.salon.com/2014/12/06/is_mocking_religion_enough_harris_dawkins_and_the_future_of_atheistsecular_politics/ Is mocking religion enough? Harris, Dawkins and the future of atheist/secular politics] by Richard Cimino and Christopher Smith, Salon magazine

*[https://www.salon.com/2014/12/06/is_mocking_religion_enough_harris_dawkins_and_the_future_of_atheistsecular_politics/ Is mocking religion enough? Harris, Dawkins and the future of atheist/secular politics] by Richard Cimino and Christopher Smith, Salon magazine

*[http://americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2011-11-the-humanist-hour-67-reason-rally Reason Rally - American Humanist Association]</ref>  It was held in the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 2012. [[Reason Rally 2012]] was followed by [[Reason Rally 2016]].  

*[http://americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2011-11-the-humanist-hour-67-reason-rally Reason Rally - American Humanist Association]</ref>  It was held in the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 2012. [[Reason Rally 2012]] was followed by [[Reason Rally 2016]].  

[[File:Richard Dawkins at Reason Rally.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|right|[[Richard Dawkins]] speaking at the Reason Rally. ]]

[[File:Richard Dawkins at Reason Rally.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|right|[[Richard Dawkins]] speaking at the Reason Rally. ]]

''Salon'' magazine described the Reason Rally thusly:

''Salon'' magazine described the Reason Rally thusly:

{{cquote|Right from the start, the 2012 Reason Rally in Washington, D.C., set the tone that was to dominate the rest of the day. As the crowd was filtering in to the National Mall, a band fired up the crowd with a rousing song that lampooned the belief in “[[Jesus]] coming again,” mixing it with sexual innuendo. As the assembled crowd clapped and sang along to other songs satirizing religion, a large costumed puppet figure of Jesus danced among spectators. “We’re not here to bash anyone’s faith, but if it happens, it happens,” comedian and master of ceremonies Paul Provenza announced to laughter and applause at the outset of the event. The bashing and attacks on religion, mainly Christianity (in its evangelical and Catholic forms), happened as much if not more than positive portrayals of secularism and were in sync with [[New Atheism|new atheist]] leader and scientist Richard Dawkins’s advice to “mock and ridicule” people’s beliefs. When one of the authors asked an official from the Secular Students Alliance, a group prominent in organizing the event, about whether the ridiculing of religion was productive, he answered, “This is what we do.”<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2014/12/06/is_mocking_religion_enough_harris_dawkins_and_the_future_of_atheistsecular_politics/ Is mocking religion enough? Harris, Dawkins and the future of atheist/secular politics] by Richard Cimino and Christopher Smith, Salon magazine</ref>}}

{{cquote|Right from the start, the 2012 Reason Rally in Washington, D.C., set the tone that was to dominate the rest of the day. As the crowd was filtering in to the National Mall, a band fired up the crowd with a rousing song that lampooned the belief in “[[Jesus]] coming again,” mixing it with sexual innuendo. As the assembled crowd clapped and sang along to other songs satirizing religion, a large costumed puppet figure of Jesus danced among spectators. “We’re not here to bash anyone’s faith, but if it happens, it happens,” comedian and master of ceremonies Paul Provenza announced to laughter and applause at the outset of the event. The bashing and attacks on religion, mainly Christianity (in its evangelical and Catholic forms), happened as much if not more than positive portrayals of secularism and were in sync with [[New Atheism|new atheist]] leader and scientist Richard Dawkins’s advice to “mock and ridicule” people’s beliefs. When one of the authors asked an official from the Secular Students Alliance, a group prominent in organizing the event, about whether the ridiculing of religion was productive, he answered, “This is what we do.”<ref>[https://www.salon.com/2014/12/06/is_mocking_religion_enough_harris_dawkins_and_the_future_of_atheistsecular_politics/ Is mocking religion enough? Harris, Dawkins and the future of atheist/secular politics] by Richard Cimino and Christopher Smith, Salon magazine</ref>}}

=== Reason Rally 2012 related incident involving David Silverman and Richard Dawkins ===

=== Reason Rally 2012 related incident involving David Silverman and Richard Dawkins ===

''See also:'' [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheist movement]]  

''See also:'' [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheist movement]]  

Although the rally was billed as "the largest gathering of the secular movement in world history" and many [[American atheism|American atheists]] claiming that they are an oppressed minority (See [[Atheist whining]]), atheists/agnostics appear not to have been able to generate the crowd at the Reason Rally that [[Glenn Beck]] was able to gather for his [[Restoring Honor Rally]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/24/reason-rally-is-coming-out-party-for-secular-movement.html]</ref> KCCI8 News reported concerning the Restoring Honor Rally,  "A scientific estimate placed the crowd size around 87,000, while media reports varied dramatically from tens of thousands to 500,000."<ref>[http://www.kcci.com/national/on-this-day-august-28/16279278 KCCI8 News - On this day: August 28,  UPDATED 1:00 AM CDT Aug 28, 2014]</ref>

Although the rally was billed as "the largest gathering of the secular movement in world history" and many [[American atheism|American atheists]] claiming that they are an oppressed minority (See [[Atheist whining]]), atheists/agnostics appear not to have been able to generate the crowd at the Reason Rally that [[Glenn Beck]] was able to gather for his [[Restoring Honor Rally]].<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/24/reason-rally-is-coming-out-party-for-secular-movement.html]</ref> KCCI8 News reported concerning the Restoring Honor Rally,  "A scientific estimate placed the crowd size around 87,000, while media reports varied dramatically from tens of thousands to 500,000."<ref>[http://www.kcci.com/national/on-this-day-august-28/16279278 KCCI8 News - On this day: August 28,  UPDATED 1:00 AM CDT Aug 28, 2014]</ref>

==== Atheist activists exaggerating the number of atheists in America ====

==== Atheist activists exaggerating the number of atheists in America ====

In 2012, the organization PolitiFact Rhode Island accused American Atheists president David Silverman of wildly exaggerating the number of atheists in America by attempting to included the Unaffiliated (also called [[Nones]]) who made up about 15% of the United States population at the time (despite the fact that only 15 percent of "nones" identify as atheists) and by also attempting to lump agnostics with the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]].<ref name="politifact.com">[http://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2012/feb/26/david-silverman/american-atheists-president-david-silverman-says-t/ American Atheists President David Silverman says there are twice as many atheists in U.S. as Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined] By C. Eugene Emery Jr. on Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.</ref><ref>[http://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/mediapool/sites/PressDemocrat/News/story.csp?cid=2501462&sid=555&fid=181 Meet the 'Nones:' Spiritual but not religious]</ref>   

In 2012, the organization PolitiFact Rhode Island accused American Atheists president David Silverman of wildly exaggerating the number of atheists in America by attempting to included the Unaffiliated (also called [[Nones]]) who made up about 15% of the United States population at the time (despite the fact that only 15 percent of "nones" identify as atheists) and by also attempting to lump agnostics with the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]].<ref name="politifact.com">[https://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2012/feb/26/david-silverman/american-atheists-president-david-silverman-says-t/ American Atheists President David Silverman says there are twice as many atheists in U.S. as Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined] By C. Eugene Emery Jr. on Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.</ref><ref>[http://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/mediapool/sites/PressDemocrat/News/story.csp?cid=2501462&sid=555&fid=181 Meet the 'Nones:' Spiritual but not religious]</ref>   

According to PolitiFact Rhode Island:

According to PolitiFact Rhode Island:

{{cquote|When the American Religious survey asked people what they thought of the existence of God, 2.3 percent said 'There is no such thing.'...When Pew asked a broader question -- "Do you believe in God or a universal spirit?" -- 5 percent said "No."<ref name="politifact.com">[http://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2012/feb/26/david-silverman/american-atheists-president-david-silverman-says-t/ American Atheists President David Silverman says there are twice as many atheists in U.S. as Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined] By C. Eugene Emery Jr. on Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.</ref>}}

{{cquote|When the American Religious survey asked people what they thought of the existence of God, 2.3 percent said 'There is no such thing.'...When Pew asked a broader question -- "Do you believe in God or a universal spirit?" -- 5 percent said "No."<ref name="politifact.com">[https://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2012/feb/26/david-silverman/american-atheists-president-david-silverman-says-t/ American Atheists President David Silverman says there are twice as many atheists in U.S. as Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined] By C. Eugene Emery Jr. on Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.</ref>}}

The 2008 [[American Religious Identification Survey]] (ARIS) found that only 0.7% of U.S. adults identified as atheist, but at the same time 2.3% said there is no such thing as a god.<ref>Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar, [http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf], March 2009, American Religious Identification Survey [ARIS 2008], Trinity College</ref>  The reluctance of Americans to self-identify as atheists is likely due to the American public's low opinion of atheists (See: [[Views on atheists|Americans have a low opinion of atheists]]).  

The 2008 [[American Religious Identification Survey]] (ARIS) found that only 0.7% of U.S. adults identified as atheist, but at the same time 2.3% said there is no such thing as a god.<ref>Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar, [http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf], March 2009, American Religious Identification Survey [ARIS 2008], Trinity College</ref>  The reluctance of Americans to self-identify as atheists is likely due to the American public's low opinion of atheists (See: [[Views on atheists|Americans have a low opinion of atheists]]).