Places for Godless Latinxs
June 17, 2016
by Luciano Gonzalez
I wanted to try and make a witty post talking about why I think that groups of atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and otherwise labeled irreligious people, which have things like “Latino”, “Arab”, “Asian”, “Black”, or any other word used to describe racial background matter. But I ultimately couldn’t do it in a witty or unique way. So I’m just going to do it bluntly. In case this isn’t clear, I am speaking from my own experience. None of this is meant to be ultra definitive. It is meant to show why I personally find these groups worth while.
These groups matter. They matter because how people experience religion oftentimes isn’t determined solely by the religion itself. Race isn’t the only factor, but for many of us it is an important one. Especially, in my experience (obviously this isn’t a blanket statement, I mean all of these statements in the context of my own experience), for Latin Americans.
For many Latin Americans, religion is incredibly important. It might be becoming less important over time, but it will take a long time for atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and otherwise labeled irreligious people to become commonly accepted in Latin America and in Latinx communities in the United States. Latin Americans, especially in Latin America risk a lot when we announce our atheism. For many of us the cost isn’t as high as in the Middle East, but we still place ourselves at an elevated risk if we announce our skepticism. We risk estrangement from our friends, family, and even our coworkers and neighbors if we choose to voice our opinions about the gods (usually just God) that our society believes in. And for many of us that is very serious.
I’ve met quite a few new atheists in the Secular Latino Alliance, which is the group of godless Latinxs I help admin. Many of us, most of us, aren’t new atheists or “deconverts”. But there are plenty who became godless relatively recently, or embraced their godlessness fairly recently. This group helps them and provides a place for us to feel at home. For some of the other godless folk in that group, we help them realize how common godlessness as a Latin American is. It’s not super common. But as far as we can tell it seems to be growing. Skepticism is on the rise, in an informal sense. Being not alone helps us stay brave. Having friends makes it easier to not be afraid of the potential consequences for being willing to be vocal. And it reminds me that at least in my case, I am vocal for more than just myself. I am vocal so that others who have religious parents can be vocal. I am vocal so that other skeptics are not afraid of the claims made by the religious. And having these communities, groups like the Secular Latino Alliance, remind me that I have a place to call home. Friends who have the same goals. Friends I can learn from.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/singod/2016/06/places-for-godless-latinxs/
http://secularlatinos.weebly.com/
