Time Brings About a Change…

By guest blogger Dr. Anthony B. Pinn, Rice University (Houston, Texas)

“Time brings about a change.” My grandmother said this on any occasion when the assumed normal course of life was disrupted. These disruptions – certain to come along as part of the flow of human existence – could be as simple as the availability of a new technology, or as graphic as war.  If my grandmother were still alive, the shift in the percentage of African Americans vocal about their non-theistic orientation(s) would elicit this same response. Yet, increased visibility of African American humanists, atheists, and agnostics is not such a new development.  We have had a long presence.  For example, beginning with the antebellum descriptions of African American life and thought found in the blues, through more recent displays of disbelief, non-theistic systems have always been present as part of the patterns of life orientation within African American communities.

African American humanists and atheists have had high points of visibility and debate, and these include African American early twentieth century involvement in the Communist Party, mid-century black power and black consciousness developments. Decline in the popularity of black churches during the 1970s and 1980s only increased the viability of non-theistic life orientations.  And, moving forward, surveys during the 1990s through the end of the twentieth century highlight an increased comfort with proclamations of non-theism.  In fact, the number of African Americans who claim no particular theistic tradition has almost doubled over the past twenty years.

Yes, grandma, “time brings about a change.”  However, what has remained rather consistent – and this is a problem – is the negative response to non-theists by theists (committed and just nominal as well).  This reception suggests humanism/atheism is a foreign position, an imposition running contrary to what it means to be African American.  Furthermore, arguments against African American humanism/atheism are often built using assumptions concerning morals and ethics – as if one really needs the cosmic “thumbs up” to figure out how to live reasonably and with integrity in the world. The track record for theists is rather spotty – considering the type of help they claim to receive. In a more pragmatic sense, African American humanists/atheists pose a challenge to the dominance of Christian thought and practice – the grammar of Christian faith – as the way to map out the twists and turns of African American history. Christians object to such confrontation – assuming, as they do, that their perspective is tied to the very infrastructure of the country and, therefore, is beyond question.  (We might want to keep in mind that only a small percentage of the colonists participated in religious communities – and religious justifications for the taking of North America were an afterthought.)

Now a word to the humanists/atheists: If we humanists and atheists were more apologetic in tone and stooped a bit more in posture, then African American Christians might be more willing to entertain our questions and comments.  NO. Why should we? Instead, it is best for us to continue to push, to make our presence felt and to do this in ways that extend beyond mere apologetics for our existence, and beyond presentation of stellar African American humanists and atheists. In fairness, non-theistic ‘black history moments’ have some impact in that they can serve as encouragement for existing humanists, and this can be worth the expense.  In addition, they force theists to recognize a non-compliant and proud community. The question:  are such actions/activities meant to encourage non-theists or in some way challenge theists? I would suggest such actions don’t allow for the accomplishment of our full agenda to diminish the theism-centered discourse (and structures of interaction) regarding US life.  And, this is because we are still playing by the rule offered by others.  That is to say, there is embedded in this approach an effort to get theists to like (appreciate?) humanists and atheists.  Why worry about that?  Is it even achievable? Yes, it can still be problematic to embrace publically atheism or humanism; but this approach does little to change this dilemma in that it is embedded in the rhetoric of the nation – and has become tragically the grammar of the public sphere.  More to the point, being liked hasn’t done much to change the outlook for marginalized groups.  What it can produce is paternalism, patronizing attitudes that actually stymie advancement and inclusion.  Perhaps disliked…but respected?

At this stage, it is safe to assume the long presence of African American humanists and atheists.  And, so much material related to this presence has been published in scholarly and more popular outlets over the course of several decades now.  Important at this point is demonstration of how African American humanism and atheism matter; how they promote a take on human life and conduct within the confines of human history that are more productive than what theists have offered. Humanists and atheists have done a better job of holding humans accountable and responsible for the plight of life on earth because non-theistic orientations have thrown away the cosmic security blanket – called God – that actually stifles human ingenuity and creativity, and gives authorization to the harming of those outside the circle of belief or safety.  It isn’t likely humanists/atheists will destroy theism – will close churches, mosque, and other markers of god dependency.  But it is likely that our unapologetic and reasoned stance will reduce the damage theists are able to do.  And, based on the horrible work theists have done with respect to issues such as gay marriage, reigning in their reach and influence is a change worth bringing about.

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Dr. Anthony Pinn is the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University. He is also Director of Research for the Institute for Humanist Studies. He is the author/editor of twenty-six books including, African American Humanist Principles (2004). In 1999 he received the African American Humanist Award from the Council for Secular Humanism, and in 2006 he was named Harvard Humanist of the Year.