Many people on campus have seen chalk writing, belonging to the AAA, on sidewalks throughout the campus. Maybe you have seen, for example, “Do you believe in God?” written above the AAA facebook group that you can join. If so, maybe you have wondered, “What is the AAA, and why do people in the AAA write messages such as this one?”. With these questions in mind, we did research to learn what the AAA is, infer why the group is the way that it is, and discuss the group’s effectiveness.
First, AAA stands for Alabama Atheists and Agnostics. On AAA’s facebook page, where most of AAA’s activity takes place, the group is described as “a student-led social group for UA’s free-thinking and non-religious community.” It also states that “AAA welcomes students who hold various perspectives on faith and religion, but who have arrived at their beliefs through independent, rational inquiry” (http://www.facebook.com/). The main purpose of this group is to offer a social outlet for the community of atheists and agnostics at the University of Alabama. The AAA claims an open mind and respect for many different opinions and views; however, the group does not believe that all views deserve the same respect. Therefore, certain views are vulnerable to criticism in their discussions. Also, people that join this facebook group can post comments on which other members can comment or criticize. Currently having 432 members, AAA continues to grow with its goal of 1,000 members by 2010. Some of these members believe that through scientific fact, the improbability of a supreme deity is very high, while others only question their religious upbringing. The Alabama Atheists and Agnostics is a group for individuals that share a common value concerning beliefs that are very unique in this society.
While the members of AAA share a common value, they have many differing reasons for joining the group. One new member of AAA posted a comment that implied that he became a member when the chalk writing became a major controversy. He proceeded to state that one of his favorite past times was “ripping on Christians” (http://www.facebook.com/). He believes that by being rude, he brings more attention to the group and makes him feel better about his beliefs. Maybe he feels that by exploiting the different lifestyle and beliefs of Christians from those of himself, he will feel better about how he chooses to life his life. On the other hand, not every member of AAA holds the same purpose. The new member’s post was criticized by a fellow AAA member that did not believe that AAA was not a place to make rude, pointless statements and seek controversy. The latter member stated that he believes that AAA’s purpose is not to offend others; on the contrary, he stated that AAA’s purpose is to extinguish the negative connotation of atheism.
While some members may join either to start or end controversy, others join AAA simply for the fellowship of others with similar views. Members acquire a sense of community and a safe haven for people with these beliefs, especially in an environment where those beliefs are not widely accepted. A new member that learned about the organization through the chalk writing on UA sidewalks stated that she was excited to be able to express her opinions and beliefs in a group with members that share similar ideas just as many other religious organizations do. One member that attends the University of Alabama moved here from Philadelphia, where atheism and agnosticism is much more widely accepted. She was very thankful to find that she is not alone in her beliefs here at the university. These members are just looking for others to share beliefs and opinions rather than methods of initiating controversy.
While the members of AAA all have different reasons for joining this group, all the members maintain a unifying bond that holds true in their opinions. The majority of these members have been negatively affected by organized religion, so they believe that faith-based beliefs and societies that are highly influenced by faith are detrimental to humanity is several ways. While this idea may seem completely absurd to Christians, it is very plausible in the perspective of atheists and agnostics. AAA’s purpose is to enable atheists and agnostics at the university to congregate in a community that is highly influenced by a religion in which they do not believe. Consider how you would feel, for instance, if someone was building your house based on a farfetched plan that credible in your opinion. You would probably be at least somewhat upset. In this way, members of AAA do not feel like religion solely based on faith should make such a major impact on communities as it does today. This common view amongst all members brings this group together and enables them to work effectively.
The Alabama Atheists and Agnostics is an organized, efficient group that will probably continue to grow in the future. Although some views in the group differ, voicing these views in a group of people that may be more open-minded to these views is a major part of AAA. With the chalk writing on the sidewalks, AAA is effectively attracting many new members eager to share their similar beliefs with others. However, even as the group continues to grow, convincing a community that is heavily influenced by faith-based religion that it is wrong is highly improbable.
Works Cited
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