CNN Black in America. Why no atheists?

Just Arrived Joined: Jul 21, 2008 Posts: 1

On the recent CNN town hall style discussion of Black in America, there were no atheists. Why wasn't Neil deGrasse Tyson or Reginald Finley on the panel. I did enjoy listening to the Harvard economist (his name escapes me) and his successes in reward based education for impoverished children ie. pay the children to learn. Yet the panel was dominated by theists such as Cornell West. There are many African American atheists/rationalists whose voices should have been heard and whose insights into how religion is a significant contributory cause of problems among blacks.

Newbie Joined: Jul 17, 2008 Posts: 10

I caught some of that the other day, and hadn't thought about it from that angle. Atheists are underrepresented or not represented at all, however, in most cultural discourses like this one. The CNN special seemed a bit disingenuous anyhow, like most forums on race in this country.

This makes me think about something pertaining to the black church. So for a few weeks Obama has been plugging the importance of faith-based initiatives for the revival of black community life (this is what Jesse Jackson referred to as condescending and wanted to castrate him for).
So this is what I'm wondering now: as an atheist, do I think that it would be preferable for black churches to have a resurgent role as forces in their community, even though with the positives of this would come the concomitant homophobia, intolerance, etc. (which is not intrinsic to black churches necessarily, but just religion in general)?

I think the root problem here is the decline of community life, not the decline of the church--however, the church has been central to community life. My honest opinion is that I would rather people believe something silly if it enhances the safety of their community and makes their lives better. However, I'm a white guy and not in much of a place to weigh in on the black church I suppose.


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