Young Atheists Do Exist

by Paul Fidalgo

You've probably heard some stereotypes about secular activists and avowed nonbelievers. Some of these stereotypes take us to be overly militant, arrogant in our intellectualism. Others paint us as nuts, oddballs with nothing better to think about. Still others classify us as immoral, possessed of something semi-demonic. I don't take them seriously. But there's one stereotype in particular that spells trouble for the secular movement: that secular activists are all really, really old.

You know better. You know that there are countless young people active in chapters of the Secular Student Alliance. You know that your local Drinking Skeptically or Atheist MeetUp has a wide range of ages, including college-age. You know that the blogosphere is full of young, smart, witty skeptics and infidels. And all of these people are helping to build a community that will endure for decades to come. You know the truth of the matter.

Or do you? Perhaps you heard the stereotypes of atheist-activists-as-cranky-oldsters and decided that it wasn't the scene for you. Maybe you know a few local folks who are really into Dawkins or humanism or debunking the paranormal, and yeah, they're eccentric older folks with crazy beards and Hawaiian shirts who don't seem to relate to you right now. Well, that's there too.

But the secular movement is more than just one stereotype, more than just one demographic, and not enough people know it. Too often, we see that a local freethought or humanist group is woefully wanting in the under-50 crowd. Why? I think the stereotype can perpetuate itself to such an extent that even when there are more than enough like-minded younger seculars in a given area, they assume they won't have folks their own age to relate to if they show up. You can change that dynamic.

Here's what it means to become the movement's foundation: Show people in your community that you care about your society and where it's headed. Show them you want to see a culture that accepts and celebrates nonbelievers and a government that doesn't privilege religion, but instead bases its decisions on reason and reality. But society and government aren't going to respond to you if you keep your opinions to yourself or on your Facebook wall. You have to stand up and show up.

Show up by attending your local group's meetings and bolstering its membership so it has more influence in your community. Show up by writing letters to the editor on the issues you care about. Show up by joining the Secular Student Alliance. Show up by taking action when the Secular Coalition for America (www.secular.org) sends out its alerts (I'd particularly appreciate that one). Show up by adding visible numbers to the cause, to the movement-by adding numbers of young people, you show the world that it's not just about ancient academics, but the next generation of leaders.

And hey: if enough of you do it, that stereotype about the nutty old atheist will change, and-with your help-so will the world.

As for the rest of those stereotypes? Well, baby steps.